Easter Thanksgiving from the Vicarage

In this, my final letter to you all before I retire on April 19th I wish, no we Lindy and I wish, to say thank you to all of you, you made us so welcome and made us part of your community in spite of our arrival during the strange times of Covid. From attending local coffee mornings in both villages, to enjoying the dramatic productions in Burton Leonard and playing Croquet and Poker in Bishop Monkton, we have been accepted and enjoyed our time here so much that we bought our retirement home close by in West Tanfield.

Change is always difficult, but it is part of life and as we leave these two villages we do so, safe in the knowledge, that our schools and village communities are in good heart. My final service will take place at St John's Church Bishop Monkton and will be a Confirmation service when 4 children from our Children Led Service will be confirmed by Bishop Anna and two more will be licenced to receive Holy Communion before being confirmed.
To me this represents the culmination of my work here in our schools and with those who come to our Children Led Services and I would like to say a huge thank you to all those who have enabled and supported these aspects of my ministry among you.

This month begins with Holy week and our Maundy Thursday service at 7pm at Bishop Monkton where the altar will be stripped. On the 3rd April Good Friday, there will be a service at 2pm at Burton Leonard, the Last Hour at the Foot of the Cross. Then on Easter day we shall have the Dawn Service on the Upper Green at Burton Leonard at 6am followed by breakfast in the St Leonard’s Hall and a 9.30am Festival Holy Communion at Burton Leonard and the 11am Festival Holy Communion at Bishop Monkton.

The Annual Parochial Church Meetings (APCM) will be held in Church on 20th April for St John's Church and 30th April for St Leonard’s Church. This is when Church Wardens and Parochial Church Council members are elected, please do consider what God might be calling you to do in your local church. We are in need of another Church Warden to work with Lesley in Burton Leonard and would always welcome new PCC members especially from among the parents of our Children Led Service congregation.

Take heart and be of good cheer, God loves each and every one of you!

Blessings

Robb