News and Notices

Easter Day

Sung Eucharist for Easter Day

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

Other services

Easter Vigil
Today at 6.00 am · Watch the service · View the order of service

Said Eucharist
This Wednesday 23 April at 10.00 am

Sacred Space
This Thursday 24 April at 6.00 pm

Sung Eucharist for the second Sunday of Easter
Next Sunday 27 April at 10.00 am · Watch the service · View the order of service

Memorial Service
Next Sunday 27 April at 4.00 pm

West end refurbishment

The work on the north-west and south-west corners is well underway and on track to be completed in the next few weeks. Our contractors will keep disturbance to services to a minimum; Wednesday morning and Sunday services will run as usual and we will be able to continue to hold funerals and other occasional services. Daily Prayer will also continue at 8.30 am and 5.30 pm Tuesday to Saturday. If you want to have a more detailed overview of the work please have a look on our website at wkrk.uk/nwc.

The Leeds South & East Food Bank: What's Needed?

The Leeds South & East Food Bank continues to be in urgent need of donations of food to help feed those in most need. In particular at the moment they are asking for tinned potatoes, tinned fruit, UHT milk, tinned vegetables and biscuits.

If you are able, you can donate by picking one of these items up in your weekly shop and dropping it in the box at the back of the church. You can find other ways to help, including donating money or your time, on their website at wkrk.uk/fbd, or see the poster and leaflets available in the Community Centre about their Lent ’40p for 40 days’ appeal. If you need the help of a foodbank yourself, see wkrk.uk/fbh.

Parish electoral roll revision

The Church Representation Rules require a new parish electoral roll to be made every six years. This means that all names currently on the electoral roll will be removed, and you will need to re-apply for inclusion.

You can do this either by using one of the paper forms available at the back of the church, or online using the form on our website at wkrk.uk/erf. The deadline for applications to be on the new electoral roll is Sunday 27 April 2025.

For more information on the process please see our website at whitkirkchurch.org.uk/electoral-roll, or ask one of our Churchwardens.

Daily Prayer: 21 April until 2 May

Please note that Rev’d Claire is away from 21–26 April and from 28 April until 2 May. There will be no Morning Prayer in church, therefore, for the next two weeks. Evening Prayer will be taking place as usual every day, Tuesday-Saturday, at 5.30 pm. Please note that on 1 May only, Evening Prayer will take place in the Smeaton Room.

A personal note from Rev'd Claire

First of all, I’d like to wish every single person who reads this a very happy and blessed Easter. May you walk today and as you go forward from here in the light of the risen Christ! I’d also like to register my gratitude to all the people who have walked through Holy Week with me this year. It has been so very special to share this holiest of weeks with you for the first time. I’d like to thank everyone who has attended our services this week – in person or online – for being with us, but special thanks must go to Lynne, our LLM, to the churchwardens, to Giles and the choir, to the serving team, to the sacristans, to our welcomers, greeters and stewards, to the tech team who have ensured that our services have reached those not able to come to church physically, to those who have printed orders of service, to those who agreed to have their feet washed on Thursday evening, to those who have cleaned the church, arranged the flowers, hung the banners and much more. Thank you.

Memorial Service

Next Sunday 27 April at 4.00 pm
St Mary's Church, Whitkirk

All are welcome to this memorial service, whether your loss was recent or longer ago. There will be a chance to remember and to pray together, to light a candle in memory of a loved-one, and afterwards refreshments will be provided in the Community Centre.

Service of Remembrance to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day

Thursday 8 May at 7.00 pm
St Mary's Church, Whitkirk

A special service to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War. There will be a time to remember and a time to pray for peace. All are welcome.

Trip to National Memorial Arboretum

Tuesday 13 May

Please remember that if you are planning on coming to the National Memorial Arboretum, the balance of your payment for the trip is due today. Please see Joan Williams in the Community Centre after the service.

Palm Sunday

Sung Eucharist for Palm Sunday

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

Other services

Palm Sunday Procession
Today at 9.30 am

Messy Easter
Today at 4.00 pm

Stations of the Cross
This Monday 14 April at 7.30 pm

Contemplative Eucharist for Holy Week
This Tuesday 15 April at 7.30 pm

Said Eucharist (Judas)
This Wednesday 16 April at 10.00 am

Tenebrae
This Wednesday 16 April at 7.30 pm · Watch the service · View the order of service

Maundy Thursday Eucharist followed by the Watch
This Thursday 17 April at 7.30 pm · Watch the service · View the order of service

The Liturgy of Good Friday
This Friday 18 April at 2.00 pm · Watch the service · View the order of service

Easter Vigil
Next Sunday 20 April at 6.00 am · Watch the service · View the order of service

Sung Eucharist for Easter Day
Next Sunday 20 April at 10.00 am · Watch the service · View the order of service

West end refurbishment

The work on the north-west and south-west corners is well underway and on track to be completed shortly after Easter. Our contractors will keep disturbance to services to a minimum; Wednesday morning and Sunday services will run as usual and we will be able to continue to hold funerals and other occasional services. Daily Prayer will also continue at 8.30 am and 5.30 pm Tuesday to Saturday. If you want to have a more detailed overview of the work planned do have a look at the relevant page on our website at wkrk.uk/nwc.

The Leeds South & East Food Bank: What's Needed?

The Leeds South & East Food Bank continues to be in urgent need of donations of food to help feed those in most need. In particular at the moment they are asking for tinned potatoes, tinned fruit, UHT milk, tinned vegetables and biscuits.

If you are able, you can donate by picking one of these items up in your weekly shop and dropping it in the box at the back of the church. You can find other ways to help, including donating money or your time, on their website at wkrk.uk/fbd, or see the poster and leaflets available in the Community Centre about their Lent ’40p for 40 days’ appeal. If you need the help of a foodbank yourself, see wkrk.uk/fbh.

Parish electoral roll revision

The Church Representation Rules require a new parish electoral roll to be made every six years. This means that all names currently on the electoral roll will be removed, and you will need to re-apply for inclusion.

You can do this either by using one of the paper forms available at the back of the church, or online using the form on our website at wkrk.uk/erf. The deadline for applications to be on the new electoral roll is Sunday 27 April 2025.

For more information on the process please see our website at whitkirkchurch.org.uk/electoral-roll, or ask one of our Churchwardens.

Tots' Corner has moved!

To allow building work to take place in the south-west corner of church, we have temporarily moved Tots’ Corner to the area near the font. Please feel free to sit in this area or to collect toys and activities from there to take back to your pew. This area is not covered by our streaming cameras, and does not appear on the live-stream. Please do not worry if your child makes a noise or needs to move around in that area. We rejoice at children’s presence in church and we love it when they remind us that they are with us.

Trip to the National Memorial Arboretum

Just a reminder that if you have paid your deposit for the trip to the National Memorial Arboretum, the balance is due by 20 April at the latest. If you are able to pay the balance today, please see Joan Williams in the Community Centre after today’s service.

Lent Talks 2025 and more on 'We believe…'

A huge thank you to everyone who attended our series of Lent Talks this year, marking the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea by looking at the Nicene Creed. Not only did we have some excellent speakers, but we also had a great audience every week and some very interesting, challenging, and erudite questions. If you want to continue to think more deeply about the Creeds, watch this space. We will be running a course that will allow you to probe more deeply and ask your own questions after Easter.

Future hopes…

Today we remember how Jesus rode into Jerusalem and the crowds pinned all their hopes for the future on him. As part of our Experience Easter workshops with Whitkirk and Colton Primary Schools, the children were asked to write their hopes for the future on palm leaves. You can look at these ‘future hopes’ in church today in the Trinity Chapel. They are inspiring and hopeful. Our future is in safe hands…!

Donkeys!

A huge thank you is due to Home Farm at Temple Newsam who generously agreed to bring their donkeys, Cassie and Blue, to take part in our service today. Special thanks to Vikki, the Farm Chargehand, who has been in charge of bringing them down to us and looking after them while they are here.

Junior Choir

A final thank-you for today goes to the members of our Junior Choir who have worked very hard to learn and practice some donkey-related songs for today’s service. We hope you will enjoy their singing. Junior Choir will be meeting fortnightly after Easter, culminating in a performance for a music-themed Messy Church on 13 July. Rehearsals will be on the following Tuesdays at 4pm in the Community Centre and all are welcome (up to Year 6):

• Tuesday 6 May
• Tuesday 20 May
• Tuesday 3 June
• Tuesday 17 June
• Tuesday 1 July

Sung Eucharist for Palm Sunday

Today at 10.00 am
St Mary's Church, Whitkirk

Gather at the vicarage from 9.30 am to process to the church with Blue and Cassie – the donkeys from Home Farm at Temple Newsam – or meet us at the church for a 10.00 am start.

Service of Remembrance to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day

Thursday 8 May at 7.00 pm
St Mary's Church, Whitkirk

There will be a service to commemorate the end of the Second World War on Thursday 8 May at 7.00 pm. There will also be an exhibition of WW2 memorabilia in church over the weekend of 10–11 May. If you have anything that you’d like to contribute to the exhibition, please have a word with Marsha Thorndike. 

Passion Sunday

Sung Eucharist for Passion Sunday

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 9 April at 10.00 am

Palm Sunday Procession
Next Sunday 13 April at 9.30 am

Sung Eucharist for Palm Sunday
Next Sunday 13 April at 10.00 am · Watch the service · View the order of service

Messy Easter
Next Sunday 13 April at 4.00 pm

West end refurbishment

The work on the north-west and south-west corners is well underway and on track to be completed shortly after Easter. Our contractors will keep disturbance to services to a minimum; Wednesday morning and Sunday services will run as usual and we will be able to continue to hold funerals and other occasional services. Daily Prayer will also continue at 8.30 am and 5.30 pm Tuesday to Saturday. If you want to have a more detailed overview of the work planned do have a look at the relevant page on our website at wkrk.uk/nwc.

The Leeds South & East Food Bank: What's Needed?

The Leeds South & East Food Bank continues to be in urgent need of donations of food to help feed those in most need. In particular at the moment they are asking for tinned potatoes, tinned fruit, UHT milk, tinned vegetables and biscuits.

If you are able, you can donate by picking one of these items up in your weekly shop and dropping it in the box at the back of the church. You can find other ways to help, including donating money or your time, on their website at wkrk.uk/fbd, or see the poster and leaflets available in the Community Centre about their Lent ’40p for 40 days’ appeal. If you need the help of a foodbank yourself, see wkrk.uk/fbh.

Parish electoral roll revision

The Church Representation Rules require a new parish electoral roll to be made every six years. This means that all names currently on the electoral roll will be removed, and you will need to re-apply for inclusion.

You can do this either by using one of the paper forms available at the back of the church, or online using the form on our website at wkrk.uk/erf. The deadline for applications to be on the new electoral roll is Sunday 27 April 2025.

For more information on the process please see our website at whitkirkchurch.org.uk/electoral-roll, or ask one of our Churchwardens.

Tots' Corner has moved!

To allow building work to take place in the south-west corner of church, we have temporarily moved Tots’ Corner to the area near the font. Please feel free to sit in this area or to collect toys and activities from there to take back to your pew. This area is not covered by our streaming cameras, and does not appear on the live-stream. Please do not worry if your child makes a noise or needs to move around in that area. We rejoice at children’s presence in church and we love it when they remind us that they are with us.

Lent Talks 2025: The Reverend Dr Claire Honess (Vicar of Whitkirk), "We believe in one […] church"

This Wednesday 9 April at 7.00 pm
St Mary's Church, Whitkirk

The fifth and last of our 2025 Lent talks focussing on aspects of the Creed, offering an opportunity to think more deeply about the words that we repeat each week, which encapsulate what it means to be a Christian.

All the talks will take place in the church at 7.00 pm and will be followed by a service of Compline, which will end at about 8.15 pm.

This week’s talk is led by the Vicar.

Sung Eucharist for Palm Sunday

Next Sunday 13 April at 10.00 am
St Mary's Church, Whitkirk

Gather at the vicarage from 9.30 am to process to the church with Blue and Cassie – the donkeys from Home Farm at Temple Newsam – or meet us at the church for a 10.00 am start.

Mothering Sunday

Sung Eucharist for Mothering Sunday

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

Other services

Said Eucharist
This Wednesday 2 April at 10.00 am

Sung Eucharist for Passion Sunday
Next Sunday 6 April at 10.00 am · Watch the service · View the order of service

Choral Evensong
Next Sunday 6 April at 6.00 pm · Watch the service · View the order of service

North-West corner refurbishment

The work on the North-West corner is proceeding well and the first phase is still on track to be completed before Easter. Our contractors will keep disturbance to services to a minimum; Wednesday morning and Sunday services will run as usual and we will be able to continue to hold funerals and other occasional services. Daily Prayer will also continue at 8.30 am and 5.30 pm Tuesday to Saturday. If you want to have a more detailed overview of the work planned do have a look at the relevant page on our website at wkrk.uk/nwc.

The Leeds South & East Food Bank: What's Needed?

The Leeds South & East Food Bank continues to be in urgent need of donations of food to help feed those in most need. In particular at the moment they are asking for tinned potatoes, tinned fruit, UHT milk, tinned vegetables and biscuits.

If you are able, you can donate by picking one of these items up in your weekly shop and dropping it in the box at the back of the church. You can find other ways to help, including donating money or your time, on their website at wkrk.uk/fbd, or see the poster and leaflets available in the Community Centre about their Lent ’40p for 40 days’ appeal. If you need the help of a foodbank yourself, see wkrk.uk/fbh.

Parish electoral roll revision

The Church Representation Rules require a new parish electoral roll to be made every six years. This means that all names currently on the electoral roll will be removed, and you will need to re-apply for inclusion.

You can do this either by using one of the paper forms available at the back of the church, or online using the form on our website at wkrk.uk/erf. The deadline for applications to be on the new electoral roll is Sunday 27 April 2025.

For more information on the process please see our website at whitkirkchurch.org.uk/electoral-roll, or ask one of our Churchwardens.

Tots' Corner has moved!

To allow building work to take place in the south-west corner of church, we have temporarily moved Tots’ Corner to the area near the font. Please feel free to sit in this area or to collect toys and activities from there to take back to your pew. This area is not covered by our streaming cameras, and does not appear on the live-stream. Please do not worry if your child makes a noise or needs to move around in that area. We rejoice at children’s presence in church and we love it when they remind us that they are with us.

Experience Easter

A huge thank you to everyone who volunteered to help with Experience Easter this last week. The children and teachers all thoroughly enjoyed it, and we were delighted to receive the following accolade from the Year 5 teacher at Colton School: ‘From the moment we arrived, we felt truly welcomed. The warmth and care you all showed when teaching the important message of the Easter story made a real impact on both the children and the adults. The hands-on workshops were fantastic—every child was engaged, and […] every single child felt listened to, valued, and included seamlessly throughout the morning. This is a huge credit to all the adults from the church. Your time, effort, and kindness did not go unnoticed, and we are incredibly grateful. The children had an amazing experience, and we hope to visit again soon’.

We hope to run a full set of ‘Experience’ sessions (Harvest, Christmas, Easter and ‘Experience Church’) in the 2025-26 academic year, so watch this space for more information.

Lent Talks 2025: The Reverend Dr Janet Williams (St Hild College), "He will come again in glory"

This Wednesday 2 April at 7.00 pm
St Mary's Church, Whitkirk

The fourth of our 2025 Lent talks focussing on aspects of the Creed, offering an opportunity to think more deeply about the words that we repeat each week, which encapsulate what it means to be a Christian.

All the talks will take place in the church at 7.00 pm and will be followed by a service of Compline, which will end at about 8.15 pm.

This week’s talk is led by the Rev’d Dr Janet Williams, Deputy Principal of St Hild College.

The third Sunday of Lent

Sung Eucharist for the third Sunday of Lent

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

Other services

Said Eucharist
This Wednesday 26 March at 10.00 am

Sacred Space
This Thursday 27 March at 6.00 pm

Sung Eucharist for Mothering Sunday
Next Sunday 30 March at 10.00 am · Watch the service · View the order of service

North-West corner refurbishment

The work on the North-West corner is proceeding well and the first phase is still on track to be completed before Easter. Our contractors will keep disturbance to services to a minimum; Wednesday morning and Sunday services will run as usual and we will be able to continue to hold funerals and other occasional services. Daily Prayer will also continue at 8.30 am and 5.30 pm Tuesday to Saturday. If you want to have a more detailed overview of the work planned do have a look at the relevant page on our website at wkrk.uk/nwc.

The Leeds South & East Food Bank: What's Needed?

The Leeds South & East Food Bank continues to be in urgent need of donations of food to help feed those in most need. In particular at the moment they are asking for tinned potatoes, tinned fruit, UHT milk, tinned vegetables and biscuits.

If you are able, you can donate by picking one of these items up in your weekly shop and dropping it in the box at the back of the church. You can find other ways to help, including donating money or your time, on their website at wkrk.uk/fbd, or see the poster and leaflets available in the Community Centre about their Lent ’40p for 40 days’ appeal. If you need the help of a foodbank yourself, see wkrk.uk/fbh.

Parish electoral roll revision

The Church Representation Rules require a new parish electoral roll to be made every six years. This means that all names currently on the electoral roll will be removed, and you will need to re-apply for inclusion.

You can do this either by using one of the paper forms available at the back of the church, or online using the form on our website at wkrk.uk/erf. The deadline for applications to be on the new electoral roll is Sunday 27 April 2025.

For more information on the process please see our website at whitkirkchurch.org.uk/electoral-roll, or ask one of our Churchwardens.

Tots' Corner has moved!

To allow building work to take place in the south-west corner of church, we have temporarily moved Tots’ Corner to the area near the font. Please feel free to sit in this area or to collect toys and activities from there to take back to your pew. This area is not covered by our streaming cameras, and does not appear on the live-stream. Please do not worry if your child makes a noise or needs to move around in that area. We rejoice at children’s presence in church and we love it when they remind us that they are with us.

Experience Easter

We are delighted that children from Year 5 at both Colton and Whitkirk Primary Schools will be joining us this week for ‘Experience Easter’, an interactive walk through the last days of Jesus’s life. Thank you to everyone who has agreed to help with this. Please bear with us: in preparation for these sessions, various ‘props’ will appear around the church. They will be cleared away before next weekend.

Lent Talks 2025: The Very Reverend Simon Cowling (Dean of Wakefield), "Begotten not made"

This Wednesday 26 March at 7.00 pm
St Mary's Church, Whitkirk

The third of our 2025 Lent talks focussing on aspects of the Creed, offering an opportunity to think more deeply about the words that we repeat each week, which encapsulate what it means to be a Christian.

All the talks will take place in the church at 7.00 pm and will be followed by a service of Compline, which will end at about 8.15 pm.

This evening’s talk is led by the Very Reverend Simon Cowling, Dean of Wakefield.

The second Sunday of Lent

Sung Eucharist for the second Sunday of Lent

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

Other services

Said Eucharist
This Wednesday 19 March at 10.00 am

Sung Eucharist for the third Sunday of Lent
Next Sunday 23 March at 10.00 am · Watch the service · View the order of service

North-West corner refurbishment

The work on the North-West corner is proceeding well and the first phase is still on track to be completed before Easter. Our contractors will keep disturbance to services to a minimum; Wednesday morning and Sunday services will run as usual and we will be able to continue to hold funerals and other occasional services. Daily Prayer will also continue at 8.30 am and 5.30 pm Tuesday to Saturday. If you want to have a more detailed overview of the work planned do have a look at the relevant page on our website at wkrk.uk/nwc.

The Leeds South & East Food Bank: What's Needed?

The Leeds South & East Food Bank continues to be in urgent need of donations of food to help feed those in most need. In particular at the moment they are asking for tinned potatoes, tinned fruit, UHT milk, tinned vegetables and biscuits.

If you are able, you can donate by picking one of these items up in your weekly shop and dropping it in the box at the back of the church. You can find other ways to help, including donating money or your time, on their website at wkrk.uk/fbd, or see the poster and leaflets available in the Community Centre about their Lent ’40p for 40 days’ appeal. If you need the help of a foodbank yourself, see wkrk.uk/fbh.

Parish electoral roll revision

The Church Representation Rules require a new parish electoral roll to be made every six years. This means that all names currently on the electoral roll will be removed, and you will need to re-apply for inclusion.

You can do this either by using one of the paper forms available at the back of the church, or online using the form on our website at wkrk.uk/erf. The deadline for applications to be on the new electoral roll is Sunday 27 April 2025.

For more information on the process please see our website at whitkirkchurch.org.uk/electoral-roll, or ask one of our Churchwardens.

Lent Talks 2025: The Very Reverend Andrew Nunn, "For us and for our salvation"

This Wednesday 19 March at 7.00 pm
St Mary's Church, Whitkirk

The second of our 2025 Lent talks focussing on aspects of the Creed, offering an opportunity to think more deeply about the words that we repeat each week, which encapsulate what it means to be a Christian.

All the talks will take place in the church at 7.00 pm and will be followed by a service of Compline, which will end at about 8.15 pm. They can also be watched live via our YouTube channel at wkrk.uk/lt25.

This evening’s talk is led by the Very Reverend Andrew Nunn, with Compline led by Lynne Pickersgill

'The Beauty of the Night' – An evening of beautiful choral music sung by the Masterworks Chorale

This Saturday 22 March at 7.30 pm
St Mary's Church, Whitkirk

A concert of music from the 16th century to the present day, including music related to stars, the beauty of the night and the wonders of the world as well as a section of music marking the anniversary of one of England’s finest composers, Orlando Gibbons (1583-1625).

Tickets £10, available on the door or see Heather after this morning’s service.

The first Sunday of Lent

Sung Eucharist for the first Sunday of Lent

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 March at 10.00 am

Sung Eucharist for the second Sunday of Lent
Next Sunday 16 March at 10.00 am · Watch the service · View the order of service

North-West corner refurbishment

As you may know, we are doing some essential work in the North-West corner of the church (the area where the tech desk currently sits) to address problems of damp in the walls, to create a new accessible area, and to tidy up some of our technology. This work has is now well underway and the first phase is on track to be completed before Easter. Our contractors will keep disturbance to services to a minimum; Wednesday morning and Sunday services will run as usual and we will be able to continue to hold funerals and other occasional services. Daily Prayer will also continue at 8.30 am and 5.30 pm Tuesday to Saturday. We still have a small number of pews looking for a good home (suggested donation £50). These can be viewed in the Community Centre. Talk to Claire or to a Churchwarden for more information, or see wkrk.uk/pews.

If you want to have a more detailed overview of the work planned do have a look at the relevant page on our website at wkrk.uk/nwc.

Junior Choir

Our Junior Choir will be back for another set of five rehearsals on 11, 18, and 25 March and 1 and 8 April. The Junior Choir will then join us in church (and in procession!) to sing with us at our Palm Sunday service on 13 April. Please tell anyone you know with children in Years 3 to 6 about the Junior Choir. We’d love to have some more members when we meet again.

The Leeds South & East Food Bank: What's Needed?

The Leeds South & East Food Bank continues to be in urgent need of donations of food to help feed those in most need. In particular at the moment they are asking for tinned potatoes, tinned fruit, UHT milk, tinned vegetables and biscuits.

If you are able, you can donate by picking one of these items up in your weekly shop and dropping it in the box at the back of the church. You can find other ways to help, including donating money or your time, on their website at wkrk.uk/fbd. If you need the help of a foodbank yourself, see wkrk.uk/fbh.

Parish electoral roll revision

The Church Representation Rules require a new parish electoral roll to be made every six years. This means that all names currently on the electoral roll will be removed, and you will need to re-apply for inclusion.

You can do this either by using one of the paper forms available at the back of the church, or online using the form on our website at wkrk.uk/erf. The deadline for applications to be on the new electoral roll is Sunday 27 April 2025.

For more information on the process please see our website at whitkirkchurch.org.uk/electoral-roll, or ask one of our Churchwardens.

Lent Talks 2025: "We believe in the Holy Spirit", led by Bishop Arun Arora, Bishop of Kirkstall

This Wednesday 12 March at 7.00 pm
St Mary's Church, Whitkirk

The first of our 2025 lent talks focussing on aspects of the Creed, offering an opportunity to think more deeply about the words that we repeat each week, which encapsulate what it means to be a Christian.

All the talks will take place in the church at 7.00 pm and will be followed by a service of Compline, which will end at about 8.15 pm.

This evening’s talk is led by Bishop Arun Arora, Bishop of Kirkstall, with Compline led by Claire Honess.

'The Beauty of the Night' – An evening of beautiful choral music sung by the Masterworks Chorale

Saturday 22 March at 7.30 pm
St Mary's Church, Whitkirk

A concert of music from the 16th century to the present day, including music related to stars, the beauty of the night and the wonders of the world as well as a section of music marking the anniversary of one of England’s finest composers, Orlando Gibbons (1583-1625).

Tickets £10, available on the door or see Heather after this morning’s service.

The Sunday before Lent

Sung Eucharist for the Sunday before Lent

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 5 March at 10.00 am

Sung Eucharist for Ash Wednesday
This Wednesday 5 March at 7.30 pm · Watch the service · View the order of service

Compline by Candlelight
This Wednesday 5 March at 8.30 pm

Sung Eucharist for the first Sunday of Lent
Next Sunday 9 March at 10.00 am · Watch the service · View the order of service

Messy Church
Next Sunday 9 March at 4.00 pm

North-West corner refurbishment

As you may know, we are doing some essential work in the North-West corner of the church (the area where the tech desk currently sits) to address problems of damp in the walls, to create a new accessible area, and to tidy up some of our technology. This work has now begun and the first phase is on track to be completed before Easter. Our contractors will keep disturbance to services to a minimum; Wednesday morning and Sunday services will run as usual and we will be able to continue to hold funerals and other occasional services. Daily Prayer will also continue at 8.30 am and 5.30 pm Tuesday to Saturday. We still have a small number of pews looking for a good home (suggested donation £50). These can be viewed in the Community Centre. Talk to Claire or to a Churchwarden for more information, or see wkrk.uk/pews.

If you want to have a more detailed overview of the work planned do have a look at the relevant page on our website at wkrk.uk/nwc.

Junior Choir

Our Junior Choir will be back for another set of five rehearsals on 11, 18, and 25 March and 1 and 8 April. The Junior Choir will then join us in church (and in procession!) to sing with us at our Palm Sunday service on 13 April. Please tell anyone you know with children in Years 3 to 6 about the Junior Choir. We’d love to have some more members when we meet again.

The Leeds South & East Food Bank: What's Needed?

The Leeds South & East Food Bank continues to be in urgent need of donations of food to help feed those in most need. In particular at the moment they are asking for tinned fruit, tinned potatoes, custard (either packet or tinned), rice pudding and tinned tomatoes.

If you are able, you can donate by picking one of these items up in your weekly shop and dropping it in the box at the back of the church. You can find other ways to help, including donating money or your time, on their website at wkrk.uk/fbd. If you need the help of a foodbank yourself, see wkrk.uk/fbh.

Pancake Party

This Tuesday 4 March at 5.30 pm
St Mary's Church Whitkirk Community Centre

Join us on Shrove Tuesday, for a pancake party! There will be pizza and pancakes, with toppings (syrup, chocolate sauce, squirty cream, sugar & lemon) provided – though you are also welcome to bring your own.

Games for the children, quizzes, hot and cold drinks, and loads of fun guaranteed. All free. Come and get ready for Lent in the traditional way!

Lent Talks 2025: "We believe in the Holy Spirit", led by Bishop Arun

Wednesday 12 March at 7.00 pm
St Mary's Church, Whitkirk

The first of our 2025 lent talks focussing on aspects of the Creed, offering an opportunity to think more deeply about the words that we repeat each week, which encapsulate what it means to be a Christian.

All the talks will take place in the church at 7.00 pm and will be followed by a service of Compline, which will end at about 8.15 pm.

This evening’s talk is led by Bishop Arun, with Compline led by Claire Honess.

'The Beauty of the Night' – An evening of beautiful choral music sung by the Masterworks Chorale

Saturday 22 March at 7.30 pm
St Mary's Church, Whitkirk

A concert of music from the 16th century to the present day, including music related to stars, the beauty of the night and the wonders of the world as well as a section of music marking the anniversary of one of England’s finest composers, Orlando Gibbons (1583-1625).

Tickets £10, available on the door or see Heather after this morning’s service.