News and Notices

The fourth Sunday after Trinity

Sung Eucharist for the fourth Sunday after Trinity

Today at 10.00 am · Watch the service · View the order of service

Other services

Said Eucharist
This Wednesday 26 June at 10.00 am

Sung Eucharist for the fifth Sunday after Trinity
Next Sunday 30 June at 10.00 am · Watch the service · View the order of service

A prayer for vacancy

Heavenly Father, Good Shepherd of all,
we give you thanks and praise
that your call to this ministry has been answered.
Holy Spirit, encourage and inspire Claire
as she prepares to serve you in this parish;
open our arms and our hearts
that she might find a warm welcome;
and guide us all to nurture each other
as we journey together with Christ.
Amen

Christian Aid Week 2024

This year between online donations and giving envelopes St Mary’s Church has helped to raise a whopping £1,274 for Christian Aid. These generous donations will be used to tackle poverty across the globe, helping give families and communities food security, better health, safer homes, increased resilience and hope for the future.

Thank you to all who have donated, and if you haven’t donated but would like to you can still give online at wkrk.uk/ca.

The third Sunday after Trinity

Sung Eucharist for the third Sunday after Trinity

Today at 10.00 am · Watch the service · View the order of service

Other services

Said Eucharist
This Wednesday 19 June at 10.00 am

Sung Eucharist for the fourth Sunday after Trinity
Next Sunday 23 June at 10.00 am · Watch the service · View the order of service

A prayer for vacancy

Heavenly Father, Good Shepherd of all,
we give you thanks and praise
that your call to this ministry has been answered.
Holy Spirit, encourage and inspire Claire
as she prepares to serve you in this parish;
open our arms and our hearts
that she might find a warm welcome;
and guide us all to nurture each other
as we journey together with Christ.
Amen

The second Sunday after Trinity

Sung Eucharist for the second Sunday after Trinity

Today at 10.00 am · Watch the service · View the order of service

Other services

Messy Church
Today at 4.00 pm

Said Eucharist
This Wednesday 12 June at 10.00 am

Sung Eucharist for the third Sunday after Trinity
Next Sunday 16 June at 10.00 am · Watch the service · View the order of service

A prayer for vacancy

Heavenly Father, Good Shepherd of all,
we give you thanks and praise
that your call to this ministry has been answered.
Holy Spirit, encourage and inspire Claire
as she prepares to serve you in this parish;
open our arms and our hearts
that she might find a warm welcome;
and guide us all to nurture each other
as we journey together with Christ.
Amen

Pray your Part

The General Election will be a moment for the nation to ask important questions about the future. Pray Your Part is an invitation from the bishops of the Church of England to encourage prayer and participation in the life of our nation and communities, both as voters and as citizens.

This 21-day journey of prayer and reflection (from Friday, 14 June until Election Day on 4 July) is designed for use in the run-up to the UK General Election. Each day explores a different theme, with a short Bible reading, reflection and prayer for a different aspect of our common life.

Pick up your prayer booklet at the back of church, or head to wkrk.uk/pyp to sign up for daily emails.

Open Church

This Saturday 15 June at 2.00 pm
St Mary's Church, Whitkirk

Our doors are open and all are welcome to come and visit St Mary’s. Whether you want to explore our ancient architecture, just pop in and have a look around or sit and enjoy this holy space, we’d love to see you.

Open Church Teddy Bear Trail

This Saturday 15 June at 2.00 pm
St Mary's Church, Whitkirk

A group of teddy bears have decided to move in to St Mary’s, and we need your help to find them all! Discover some of the roles behind every Sunday at Whitkirk as you check off each one of our friendly bears in this teddy trail for all ages.

The first Sunday after Trinity

Sung Eucharist for the first Sunday after Trinity

Today at 10.00 am · Watch the service · View the order of service

Other services

Said Eucharist
This Wednesday 5 June at 10.00 am

Compline by Candlelight
This Wednesday 5 June at 8.30 pm

Choral Evensong in Commemoration of the 300th Anniversary of the Birth of John Smeaton
This Saturday 8 June at 5.00 pm · Watch the service · View the order of service

Sung Eucharist for the second Sunday after Trinity
Next Sunday 9 June at 10.00 am · Watch the service · View the order of service

Messy Church
Next Sunday 9 June at 4.00 pm

A prayer for vacancy

Heavenly Father, Good Shepherd of all,
we give you thanks and praise
that your call to this ministry has been answered.
Holy Spirit, encourage and inspire Claire
as she prepares to serve you in this parish;
open our arms and our hearts
that she might find a warm welcome;
and guide us all to nurture each other
as we journey together with Christ.
Amen

Celebrating Smeaton: Smeaton of Austhorpe

This Friday 7 June at 7.00 pm
St Mary's Church Whitkirk Community Centre

Illustrated talk by Jacki and Bob Lawrence, of the East Leeds History & Archaeology Society. In co-operation with the Leeds Philosophical and Literary Society. Book your place online.

Celebrating Smeaton: Exhibition

This Saturday 8 June at 10.00 am
St Mary's Church Whitkirk Community Centre

Discover more about John Smeaton, his life and his achievements, through our displays and videos, or visit St Mary’s Church to see Smeaton’s memorial.

Celebrating Smeaton: Smeaton at Temple Newsam

This Saturday 8 June at 11.00 am
Temple Newsam House

In cooperation with the Temple Newsam estate, a guided walking tour with the Park Ranger to look at Smeaton’s work there. Book online.

Celebrating Smeaton: The Astronomy of John Smeaton

This Saturday 8 June at 11.30 am
St Mary's Church Whitkirk Community Centre

Illustrated talk by David Sellers, astronomy historian and Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society.

Celebrating Smeaton: The Making of an Engineering Genius

This Saturday 8 June at 12.00 pm
St Mary's Church Whitkirk Community Centre

Illustrated talk by Julia Elton, engineering historian and honorary member of the Smeatonian Society of Civil Engineers.

Celebrating Smeaton: Choral Evensong

This Saturday 8 June at 5.00 pm
St Mary's Church, Whitkirk

A special Choral Evensong (replacing our usual one on 2 June) as we commemorate 300 years since the birth of the “Father of Civil Engineering”, John Smeaton, who lived and is buried in the parish of Whitkirk.

Open Church Teddy Bear Trail

Saturday 15 June at 2.00 pm
St Mary's Church, Whitkirk

A group of teddy bears have decided to move in to St Mary’s, and we need your help to find them all! Discover some of the roles behind every Sunday at Whitkirk as you check off each one of our friendly bears in this teddy trail for all ages.

Trinity Sunday

Sung Eucharist for Trinity Sunday

Today at 10.00 am · Watch the service · View the order of service

Other services

Said Eucharist
This Wednesday 29 May at 10.00 am

Sung Eucharist for the first Sunday after Trinity
Next Sunday 2 June at 10.00 am · Watch the service · View the order of service

Choral Evensong
Next Sunday 2 June at 6.00 pm · Watch the service · View the order of service

A prayer for vacancy

Heavenly Father, Good Shepherd of all,
we give you thanks and praise
that your call to this ministry has been answered.
Holy Spirit, encourage and inspire Claire
as she prepares to serve you in this parish;
open our arms and our hearts
that she might find a warm welcome;
and guide us all to nurture each other
as we journey together with Christ.
Amen

'Open Church' Concert: Heather and Alison

This Saturday 1 June at 2.15 pm
St Mary's Church, Whitkirk

Our ‘Open Church’ concert series continues as Heather and Alison bring us a mixture of folk music and original compositions with vocals, guitar, and flute.

Free admission, all are welcome.

Church Cleaning

Wednesday 5 June at 10.30 am
St Mary's Church, Whitkirk

Help us keep our Grade I listed church looking smart and tidy – if you can spare an hour on a Wednesday morning then why not come along and join our monthly clean? We’ll provide everything you need, from dusters to refreshments!

Choral Evensong in Commemoration of the 300th Anniversary of the Birth of John Smeaton

Saturday 8 June at 5.00 pm
St Mary's Church, Whitkirk

A special Choral Evensong (replacing our usual one on 2 June) as we commemorate 300 years since the birth of the “Father of Civil Engineering”, John Smeaton, who lived and is buried in the parish of Whitkirk.

Pentecost

Sung Eucharist for Pentecost

Today at 10.00 am · Watch the service · View the order of service

Other services

Said Eucharist
This Wednesday 22 May at 10.00 am

Sung Eucharist for Trinity Sunday
Next Sunday 26 May at 10.00 am · Watch the service · View the order of service

A prayer for vacancy

Heavenly Father, Good Shepherd of all,
we give you thanks and praise
that your call to this ministry has been answered.
Holy Spirit, encourage and inspire Claire
as she prepares to serve you in this parish;
open our arms and our hearts
that she might find a warm welcome;
and guide us all to nurture each other
as we journey together with Christ.
Amen

The next Vicar of Whitkirk

St Mary’s Church is delighted to share the news that the next Vicar of Whitkirk will be the Revd Dr Claire Honess.

Claire joins us from the Benefice of Barnoldswick with Bracewell, where she has been Assistant Curate since 2021. Before her ordination she was Professor of Italian Studies at the University of Leeds. She will be moving to Whitkirk with her husband over the summer, and a date for her induction and collation will be announced in due course.

We’d like to offer our thanks to those who applied for the position, as well as to our congregation, our patron the Society for the Maintenance of the Faith, the Diocese of Leeds, and all who have offered their prayers, support and guidance through this time of vacancy.

Open Church

This Saturday 25 May at 2.00 pm
St Mary's Church, Whitkirk

Our doors are open and all are welcome to come and visit St Mary’s. Whether you want to explore our ancient architecture, just pop in and have a look around or sit and enjoy this holy space, we’d love to see you.

'Open Church' Concert: Heather and Alison

Saturday 1 June at 2.15 pm
St Mary's Church, Whitkirk

Our ‘Open Church’ concert series continues as Heather and Alison bring us a mixture of folk music and original compositions with vocals, guitar, and flute.

Free admission, all are welcome.

Choral Evensong in Commemoration of the 300th Anniversary of the Birth of John Smeaton

Saturday 8 June at 5.00 pm
St Mary's Church, Whitkirk

A special Choral Evensong (replacing our usual one on 2 June) as we commemorate 300 years since the birth of the “Father of Civil Engineering”, John Smeaton, who lived and is buried in the parish of Whitkirk.

The seventh Sunday of Easter

Sung Eucharist for the seventh Sunday of Easter

Today at 10.00 am · Watch the service · View the order of service

Other services

Messy Church
Today at 4.00 pm

Said Eucharist
This Wednesday 15 May at 10.00 am

Sung Eucharist for Pentecost
Next Sunday 19 May at 10.00 am · Watch the service · View the order of service

A prayer for vacancy

Heavenly Father, Good Shepherd of all,
during this time of vacancy at St Mary’s we ask that you
comfort those who worry,
strengthen those who carry the weight of responsibility,
support and guide the PCC,
inspire a priest with your calling to this ministry,
and stay near us as we continue to worship you
together in this place.
Amen.

Revision of Electoral Roll

The Parish Electoral Roll at St Mary’s is due to be revised, beginning on Sunday 5 May, and ending on Monday 20 May 2024.

After the revision, a copy of the Roll will be published on the Church website at whitkirkchurch.org.uk/electoral-roll for at least 14 days, and a copy of the Roll will be available for inspection on a reasonable request being made to the PCC.

Application Forms for enrolment and more information can be found on the Church website at whitkirkchurch.org.uk/electoral-roll, or via the Church’s Electoral Roll Officer.

Christian Aid Week: 12-18 May 2024

Please help us in supporting the incredible work that Christian Aid undertakes around the world to improve the lives of those most in need.

Last year, our paper envelope donations and online donations came to just over £1,300. It would be tremendous if we could beat that figure this year.

Paper envelopes will be available in the church from the 12th May. If you would like to take envelopes for friends or family please do so and return them to church the following week.

Alternatively, you can donate online. We have set up our own St Mary’s Christian Aid giving page where donations can be made online at wkrk.uk/ca. This page will remain active up to the 31st May.

Open Church

This Saturday 18 May at 2.00 pm
St Mary's Church, Whitkirk

Our doors are open and all are welcome to come and visit St Mary’s. Whether you want to explore our ancient architecture, just pop in and have a look around or sit and enjoy this holy space, we’d love to see you.

Open Church Teddy Bear Trail

This Saturday 18 May at 2.00 pm
St Mary's Church, Whitkirk

A group of teddy bears have decided to move in to St Mary’s, and we need your help to find them all! Discover some of the roles behind every Sunday at Whitkirk as you check off each one of our friendly bears in this teddy trail for all ages.

The sixth Sunday of Easter

Sung Eucharist for the sixth Sunday of Easter

Today at 10.00 am · Watch the service · View the order of service

Other services

Choral Evensong
Today at 6.00 pm · Watch the service · View the order of service

Said Eucharist
This Wednesday 8 May at 10.00 am

Ascension Day
This Thursday 9 May at 7.30 pm

Sung Eucharist for the seventh Sunday of Easter
Next Sunday 12 May at 10.00 am · Watch the service · View the order of service

Messy Church
Next Sunday 12 May at 4.00 pm

A prayer for vacancy

Heavenly Father, Good Shepherd of all,
during this time of vacancy at St Mary’s we ask that you
comfort those who worry,
strengthen those who carry the weight of responsibility,
support and guide the PCC,
inspire a priest with your calling to this ministry,
and stay near us as we continue to worship you
together in this place.
Amen.

Revision of Electoral Roll

The Parish Electoral Roll at St Mary’s is due to be revised, beginning on Sunday 5 May, and ending on Monday 20 May 2024. After the revision, a copy of the Roll will be published on the Church website at whitkirkchurch.org.uk/electoral-roll for at least 14 days, and a copy of the Roll will be available for inspection on a reasonable request being made to the PCC. Application Forms for enrolment and more information can be found on the Church website at whitkirkchurch.org.uk/electoral-roll, or via the Church’s Electoral Roll Officer.

Whitkirk's Family Gathering

This Friday 10 May at 6.30 pm
St Mary's Church Whitkirk Community Centre

This month Whitkirk Arts Guild are bringing family games night to the Family Gathering. Come along and join in, or just sit back with a drink and have a chat.