News and Notices

The second Sunday before Lent

Sung Eucharist for the second Sunday before 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 11 February at 10.00 am

Sanctuary
This Thursday 12 February at 6.30 pm

Sung Eucharist for the last Sunday before Lent
Next Sunday 15 February at 10.00 am · Watch the service · View the order of service

Confirmations 2026

In 2026 confirmations in the Leeds Episcopal Area are taking place by Deanery rather than in individual parish churches as was the case last year. The dates for the East Leeds Deanery for 2026 are 17 May at St Peter’s Thorner and 13 September at St James the Great Manston. If you are thinking about being confirmed, have a word with Claire about registering for one of these services.

Lent talks

Our series of Lent Talks this year will focus on the Lord’s Prayer. Explore in more depth the prayer that Jesus taught us, probably the first ‘formal’ prayer that most Christians learn, a prayer we say, perhaps without really stopping to think about what its words really mean to us. Each speaker will present a personal take on a line of the prayer, with time for questions or reflections. After Easter, there will be the opportunity to hear the Archbishop of York speak about the Lord’s Prayer at Wakefield Cathedral on 28 April. You might also want to buy the Archbishop’s book about the Lord’s Prayer, Praying by Heart: The Lord’s Prayer for Everyone. Each of our Lent talks will be followed by a short service of Compline.

• 25 February: Rev’d Brunel James (Project and Secretariat Manager for the Church of England’s Racial Justice Unit): ‘Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven’
• 4 March: Rev’d Canon Jude Smith (Director of Mission and Revitalisation for the Diocese of Leeds): ‘Lead us not into temptation’
• 11 March: Rev’d Andy Muckle (Chaplain to St George’s Crypt & Bishop’s Chaplain to the Homeless in the Diocese of Leeds); ‘Give us this day our daily bread’
• 18 March: Very Rev’d Dr Philip Hobday (Dean of Wakefield): ‘Our Father’
• 25 March: Rev’d Linda Boon (Harrogate School of Theology and Mission): ‘Forgive us our trespasses’

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

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 UHT milk, biscuits, custard, cooking sauces and tinned or packet mashed potatoes.

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.

Racial Justice Sunday

Today has been designated as Racial Justice Sunday by the Church of England and other churches in the UK. The following prayer has been written by the ecumenical organisation, Churches Together in Britain and Ireland, for the day. You might like to use it today and/or in the days ahead as you pray for racial justice, tolerance and understanding:

God of all creation, gather us in – stranger and friend, bring us into Your loving presence, that we might know that Your love for us never ends and has no terms or conditions.

God of love, on this Racial Justice Sunday, point us towards Your dream for all people, that we might work together in hope, for justice, peace and unity throughout Your world.

Give us grace, show us mercy, that we might live and love in Your name, now and forever. Amen

Pancake Social

Tuesday 17 February at 5.30 pm
St Mary's Church Whitkirk Community Centre

A date for your diary. Ash Wednesday this year is 18 February, which can mean only one thing… our famous Pancake Social will be on 17 February from 5.30 pm in the Community Centre. Pancake prayers, games and fun, and of course pancakes galore! Don’t miss it.

Candlemas

Sung Eucharist for Candlemas

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

Other services

Festal Evensong for Candlemas
Today at 6.00 pm · Watch the service · View the order of service

Said Eucharist
This Wednesday 4 February at 10.00 am

Compline by Candlelight
This Wednesday 4 February at 8.30 pm

Sung Eucharist for the second Sunday before Lent
Next Sunday 8 February at 10.00 am · Watch the service · View the order of service

Messy Church
Next Sunday 8 February at 4.00 pm

Confirmations 2026

In 2026 confirmations in the Leeds Episcopal Area are taking place by Deanery rather than in individual parish churches as was the case last year. The dates for the East Leeds Deanery for 2026 are 17 May at St Peter’s Thorner and 13 September at St James the Great Manston. If you are thinking about being confirmed, have a word with Claire about registering for one of these services.

Lent talks

Our series of Lent Talks this year will focus on the Lord’s Prayer. Explore in more depth the prayer that Jesus taught us, probably the first ‘formal’ prayer that most Christians learn, a prayer we say, perhaps without really stopping to think about what its words really mean to us. Each speaker will present a personal take on a line of the prayer, with time for questions or reflections. After Easter, there will be the opportunity to hear the Archbishop of York speak about the Lord’s Prayer at Wakefield Cathedral on 28 April. You might also want to buy the Archbishop’s book about the Lord’s Prayer, Praying by Heart: The Lord’s Prayer for Everyone. Each of our Lent talks will be followed by a short service of Compline.

• 25 February: Rev’d Brunel James (Project and Secretariat Manager for the Church of England’s Racial Justice Unit): ‘Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven’
• 4 March: Rev’d Canon Jude Smith (Director of Mission and Revitalisation for the Diocese of Leeds): ‘Lead us not into temptation’
• 11 March: Rev’d Andy Muckle (Chaplain to St George’s Crypt & Bishop’s Chaplain to the Homeless in the Diocese of Leeds); ‘Give us this day our daily bread’
• 18 March: Very Rev’d Dr Philip Hobday (Dean of Wakefield): ‘Our Father’
• 25 March: Rev’d Linda Boon (Harrogate School of Theology and Mission): ‘Forgive us our trespasses’

Pancake Social

Tuesday 17 February at 5.30 pm
St Mary's Church Whitkirk Community Centre

A date for your diary. Ash Wednesday this year is 18 February, which can mean only one thing… our famous Pancake Social will be on 17 February from 5.30 pm in the Community Centre. Pancake prayers, games and fun, and of course pancakes galore! Don’t miss it.

The Conversion of Paul

Sung Eucharist for the Conversion of Paul

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

Other services

Said Eucharist
This Wednesday 28 January at 10.00 am

Sacred Space
This Thursday 29 January at 6.00 pm

Sung Eucharist for Candlemas
Next Sunday 1 February at 10.00 am · Watch the service · View the order of service

Festal Evensong for Candlemas
Next Sunday 1 February at 6.00 pm · Watch the service · View the order of service

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

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 UHT milk, biscuits, custard, cooking sauces and tinned or packet mashed potatoes.

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.

Experience Easter

Have you heard us speaking about the ‘Experience…’ sessions that we run for children from our local primary schools? Would you like to find out more? We will be running our next session, ‘Experience Easter’ on 4, 5, and 6 March. If you would be interested in volunteering to help with these sessions (you don’t need to commit to doing all of them – just one morning or afternoon is fine), just ask Claire for more information.

Parish Giving Scheme

Just a reminder that St Mary’s recently registered for the Parish Giving Scheme (PGS), an alternative method of regular giving. A number of our PCC members have already signed up for this, including your Gift Aid Officer, Shelagh Freer, so if you have any questions, please have a word with her about it.

PGS not only provides a safe way for you to give to our church, it helps everyone involved.

As a giver, you benefit from:

• Flexibility, retaining control of how much you give, how often and to which church
• Certainty, that this simple giving method is helping our church to receive regular financial support.
• Futureproofing, having the option to increase a regular gift annually to protect your gift against inflation
• Anonymity, if preferred
• Security, peace of mind that the Direct Debit Guarantee Scheme protects your regular gifts for all you are able to give to support the life and work of our church.

Did you know that it’s making life simpler for our church finance team too?

• PGS claims eligible Gift Aid from HMRC on our church’s behalf, maximising your gift with no hassle for the gift aid officer.
• PGS processes multiple gifts in a single transaction reducing administration and paperwork.
• Secure access for the gift aid officer to view our church’s monthly and annual statements online
• Saving time, for all those who count the cash given in church

And our church benefits from:

• A trusted mechanism to channel the financial generosity of all givers
• Predictable income that can be dedicated towards our mission and ministry, life and work
• Stable and planned giving makes it possible to plan for the future and to be the church God calls us to be.

To sign up, go to wkrk.uk/pgs or call 0333 002 1271.

Confirmations 2026

In 2026 confirmations in the Leeds Episcopal Area are taking place by Deanery rather than in individual parish churches as was the case last year. The dates for the East Leeds Deanery for 2026 are 17 May at St Peter’s Thorner and 13 September at St James the Great Manston. If you are thinking about being confirmed, have a word with Claire about registering for one of these services.

Assembly Bangers

Today at 4.00 pm
St Mary's Church, Whitkirk

Do you love to sing? Do you remember your schooldays with fondness and nostalgia? Do you need something to bring cheer to a cold January afternoon? Then join us for ‘Assembly Bangers’, a chance to sing all your favourite school assembly hits, old and new. Informal fun for all the family; nostalgic refreshments (jam and coconut sponge, anyone?) available. Tell your neighbours, bring your friends… school uniform not required…

Candlemas Lantern Making

This Saturday 31 January at 3.00 pm
St Mary's Church, Whitkirk

Join us to make and decorate lanterns for Candlemas. Light up the dark winter evening. Share refreshments and crafts. The session will end with a short service of thanksgiving for the light that is returning and a lantern procession around the church.  

Pancake Social

Tuesday 17 February at 5.30 pm
St Mary's Church Whitkirk Community Centre

A date for your diary. Ash Wednesday this year is 18 February, which can mean only one thing… our famous Pancake Social will be on 17 February from 5.30 pm in the Community Centre. Pancake prayers, games and fun, and of course pancakes galore! Don’t miss it.

The second Sunday after The Epiphany

Sung Eucharist for the second Sunday after The Epiphany

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

Other services

Said Eucharist
This Wednesday 21 January at 10.00 am

Sung Eucharist for the Conversion of Paul
Next Sunday 25 January at 10.00 am · Watch the service · View the order of service

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

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 UHT milk, biscuits, custard, cooking sauces and tinned or packet mashed potatoes.

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.

Baptisms

It is a joy to welcome Elijah, with Oliwia and Daniel, as he comes to be baptised today. Please pray for him and for the whole family as they continue to grow as followers of Christ. Please also keep in your prayers Max, who will be baptised after today’s service, and Ashton, who will be baptised next Sunday after our main service.

Experience Easter

Have you heard us speaking about the ‘Experience…’ sessions that we run for children from our local primary schools? Would you like to find out more? We will be running our next session, ‘Experience Easter’ on 4, 5, and 6 March. If you would be interested in volunteering to help with these sessions (you don’t need to commit to doing all of them – just one morning or afternoon is fine), just ask Claire for more information.

Assembly Bangers

Next Sunday 25 January at 4.00 pm
St Mary's Church, Whitkirk

Do you love to sing? Do you remember your schooldays with fondness and nostalgia? Do you need something to bring cheer to a cold January afternoon? Then join us for ‘Assembly Bangers’, a chance to sing all your favourite school assembly hits, old and new. Informal fun for all the family; nostalgic refreshments (jam and coconut sponge, anyone?) available. Tell your neighbours, bring your friends… school uniform not required…

Candlemas Lantern Making

Saturday 31 January at 3.00 pm
St Mary's Church, Whitkirk

Join us to make and decorate lanterns for Candlemas. Light up the dark winter evening. Share refreshments and crafts. The session will end with a short service of thanksgiving for the light that is returning and a lantern procession around the church.  

Pancake Social

Tuesday 17 February at 5.30 pm
St Mary's Church Whitkirk Community Centre

A date for your diary. Ash Wednesday this year is 18th February, which can mean only one thing… our famous Pancake Social will be on 17 February from 5.30 pm in the Community Centre. Pancake prayers, games and fun, and of course pancakes galore! Don’t miss it.

The Baptism of Christ

Sung Eucharist for the Baptism of Christ

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 14 January at 10.00 am

Sung Eucharist for the second Sunday after The Epiphany
Next Sunday 18 January at 10.00 am · Watch the service · View the order of service

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

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 UHT milk, biscuits, custard, cooking sauces and tinned or packet mashed potatoes.

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.

The Epiphany

Sung Eucharist for The Epiphany

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

Other services

Festal Evensong for The Epiphany
Today at 6.00 pm · Watch the service · View the order of service

Said Eucharist
This Wednesday 7 January at 10.00 am

Compline by Candlelight
This Wednesday 7 January at 8.30 pm

Sanctuary
This Thursday 8 January at 6.30 pm

Sung Eucharist for the Baptism of Christ
Next Sunday 11 January at 10.00 am · Watch the service · View the order of service

Messy Church
Next Sunday 11 January at 4.00 pm

Dates for your diary in 2026

The fun doesn’t stop once Christmas is over. Please keep these dates free in your diaries…

• 25 January, 4.00 pm: Assembly Bangers – come and sing all your primary school favourites.
• 31 January, 3.00 pm: Lantern-making for Candlemas – come and make a lantern in the Community Centre. Refreshments available. Followed by a lantern parade into the church. Primarily aimed at primary-aged children.
• 17 February, 5.30 pm: Pancake Party, in the Community Centre.

Terry Foster RIP

Please note the arrangements for the funeral of Terry Foster. Terry will be received into church at 4.30 pm on Friday 9 January. His Requiem Mass will be at 11.00 am on Saturday 10 January, followed by a reception in the Community Centre. All who knew Terry are very welcome to attend any part of this commemoration of his life.

Chalking the door

Chalking the Door is a very old Epiphany tradition for asking God to bless our churches and homes and all who live, work, or visit there throughout the coming year, marking them with chalk symbols as a sign that we are inviting God’s presence into the places, relationships, and situations that we call home. In Exodus, the Israelites marked their doors with blood so that the Lord would pass over their homes; but in this short liturgy we mark our doors with chalk as a sign that we have invited God’s presence and blessing into our homes. In Deuteronomy 6:9 God tells the people of Israel: “These words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house… You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” Chalking the door is a tangible way to honour God in our lives.

The door is marked with the following symbols (updating the last two digits for each new year):

20 + C + M + B + 26

The first and last numbers comprise the four digits of the current year (2026). The letters “C,” “M,” and “B” come from the three traditional names for the Wise Men in Matthew 2: Caspar, Melchior, and Balthazar. They also suggest the phrase: “Christus Mansionem Benedicat” (“May Christ bless this house”). A cross is placed between each set of numbers and letters. For more information, see wkrk.uk/ctd.

At the end of our service this morning, we will chalk the lintel of the church door. Blessed chalk will be available for you to take away so that, if you would like to, you can chalk the door of your own house too. You might want to use the following prayers as you do so.

Peace be to this house, and to all who enter here. Amen.

God of heaven and earth, you revealed your only-begotten Son to every nation by the guidance of a star. Bless this house and all who inhabit it. Fill us with the light of Christ, that our concern for others may reflect your love. May all who come to our home this year rejoice to find Christ living among us; and may we seek and serve, in everyone we meet, that same Jesus who is your incarnate Word, now and forever. Amen.

All may take turns chalking the door: 20 + C + M + B + 26 as the following words are said:

The three Wise Men, Caspar [C] , Melchior [M], and Balthazar [B] followed the star to Bethlehem and the child Jesus two thousand [20], and twenty-six [26] years ago. May Christ bless our home [+ +] and remain with us throughout this year [+ +]. Amen.

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

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 UHT milk, biscuits, custard, cooking sauces and tinned or packet mashed potatoes.

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.

The first Sunday of Christmas

Sung Eucharist for the Feast of the Holy Innocents

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

Other services

Sung Eucharist for The Epiphany
Next Sunday 4 January at 10.00 am · Watch the service · View the order of service

Festal Evensong for The Epiphany
Next Sunday 4 January at 6.00 pm · Watch the service · View the order of service

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

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 UHT milk, biscuits, custard, cooking sauces and tinned or packet mashed potatoes.

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.

Dates for your diary in 2026

The fun doesn’t stop once Christmas is over. Please keep these dates free in your diaries…

• 25 January, 4.00 pm: Assembly Bangers – come and sing all your primary school favourites.
• 31 January, 3.00 pm: Lantern-making for Candlemas – come and make a lantern in the Community Centre. Refreshments available. Followed by a lantern parade into the church. Primarily aimed at primary-aged children.
• 17 February, 5.30 pm: Pancake Party, in the Community Centre.

Terry Foster RIP

Please note the arrangements for the funeral of Terry Foster. Terry will be received into church at 4.30 pm on Friday 9 January. His Requiem Mass will be at 11.00 am on Saturday 10 January, followed by a reception in the Community Centre. All who knew Terry are very welcome to attend any part of this commemoration of his life.

The fourth Sunday of Advent

Sung Eucharist for the fourth Sunday of Advent

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

Other services

Festival of Lessons and Carols
Today at 7.00 pm · Watch the service · View the order of service

Crib Service: Christmas Unwrapped
This Wednesday 24 December at 5.00 pm

Midnight Mass
This Wednesday 24 December at 11.30 pm · Watch the service · View the order of service

Sung Eucharist for Christmas Day
This Thursday 25 December at 10.00 am · Watch the service · View the order of service

Sung Eucharist for the Feast of the Holy Innocents
Next Sunday 28 December at 10.00 am · Watch the service · View the order of service

Advent and Christmas at St Mary's

• December 7, 6.00 pm: Advent Carol Service, ‘The one who is to come…’
• December 13, 7.00 pm: Svitoch Ukrainian Choir, an Advent concert
• December 14, 4.00 pm: Messy Christingle: Messy Church for Christmas, with a short Christingle service
• December 18, 6.00 pm: The Longest Night: a chance to reflect and remember 
• December 19, 7.00 pm: Carol Singalong in the Brown Cow with Altofts and Normanton Brass Band
• December 21, 7.00 pm: Festival of Lessons and Carols
• Christmas Eve, 5.00 pm: Crib Service
• Christmas Eve, 11.30 pm: Midnight Mass

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

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 UHT milk, biscuits, custard, cooking sauces and tinned or packet mashed potatoes.

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.

Christmas break

Please note that we will be taking a short break after Christmas. There will be no midweek Eucharist on either Christmas Eve or New Year’s Eve and no Daily Prayer in the church from Christmas Eve until Tuesday 6th January. There will also be no Bible Discussion Group in the week after Christmas. This will restart on Friday 9 January. Sunday services on 28 December (Holy Innocents) and 3 January (Epiphany) will be taking place as usual.

A Christmas message from Rev'd Claire

I’d like to take this opportunity to wish everyone at St Mary’s a very happy Christmas, and a peaceful and healthy 2026. It is a joy and a privilege to serve this community as your vicar and I pray that the joy of the Christmas message will remain with you throughout the year ahead. I don’t send Christmas cards, so please don’t be offended if you don’t get one from me. In lieu of cards, I have made a donation to Shelter, because no-one should be without a home to call their own at Christmas. My Christmas greetings are no less heartfelt for not being accompanied by a card. Happy Christmas and thank you for all you do to support me and the work of the church in LS15.

— Claire

Dates for your diary in 2026

The fun doesn’t stop once Christmas is over. Please keep these dates free in your diaries…

• 25 January, 4.00 pm: Assembly Bangers – come and sing all your primary school favourites.
• 31 January, 3.00 pm: Lantern-making for Candlemas – come and make a lantern in the Community Centre. Refreshments available. Followed by a lantern parade into the church. Primarily aimed at primary-aged children.
• 17 February, 5.30 pm: Pancake Party, in the Community Centre.

Terry Foster RIP

Please note the arrangements for the funeral of Terry Foster. Terry will be received into church at 4.30 pm on Friday 9 January. His Requiem Mass will be at 11.00 am on Saturday 10 January, followed by a reception in the Community Centre. All who knew Terry are very welcome to attend any part of this commemoration of his life.

Crib Service: Christmas Unwrapped

This Wednesday 24 December at 5.00 pm
St Mary's Church, Whitkirk

Don’t miss our legendary Crib Service at 5.00 pm on Christmas Eve, when we will once again be playing a Christmassy pass-the-parcel. Fun for all the family.