News and Notices

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 25 June at 10.00 am

Sacred Space
This Thursday 26 June at 6.00 pm

Sung Eucharist for the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul
Next Sunday 29 June at 10.00 am · Watch the service · View the order of service

Confirmations

Bishop Arun will be visiting Whitkirk to carry out confirmations on 19 October. If you would like to be confirmed at that service, have a word with Rev’d Claire.

Community Centre Spring Clean

This Saturday 28 June at 9.00 am
St Mary's Church Whitkirk Community Centre

Could you help us spruce up the Community Centre? On Saturday 28 June we will be giving our beloved Community Centre a Spring Clean. If you’re able to help (even if just for a short time during that period – you don’t have to stay all morning), please sign up on the list available in the Community Centre after today’s service. Many hands make light work! Thank you for your help.

For more information, see Amy Lyons.

Open Church

This Saturday 28 June at 2.00 pm
St Mary's Church, Whitkirk

Don’t forget that St Mary’s is open every Saturday afternoon until the end of September for anyone to come in and look around. This may be an easy way for you to invite friends and neighbours who are not churchgoers to come in and find out more, so please do spread the word and encourage people to pop in. Refreshments will be available.

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 18 June at 10.00 am

Sung Eucharist with Benediction for Corpus Christi
This Thursday 19 June at 7.30 pm · Watch the service · View the order of service

Sung Eucharist for the first Sunday after Trinity
Next Sunday 22 June at 10.00 am · Watch the service · View the order of service

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 UHT milk, biscuits, tinned fruit, tinned or packed mashed potatoes, and cereal.

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.

Confirmations

Bishop Arun will be visiting Whitkirk to carry out confirmations on 19 October. If you would like to be confirmed at that service, have a word with Rev’d Claire.

The Creeds: Pilgrim Course

Following our series of Lent Talks, marking the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea and the Nicene Creed, which we say almost every week at our Sunday Eucharist, we are going to run a short course looking at the Creed in small groups, allowing for lots of time for discussion and debate. The courses will run on Monday and Tuesday evenings and Thursday afternoons. Locations to be confirmed. There are provisional lists at the back of church today. Feel free to add yourself to a group if you’d like to attend. Groups will be confirmed next week and will begin to meet during the week commencing 23rd June. We know that it’s holiday season, so don’t worry if you have to miss a session here and there. **Those preparing for confirmation are strongly advised to attend if at all possible.  **

Christian Aid Week: Thank you!

Thank you to everyone who donated to this year’s Christian Aid Week campaign. Together St Mary’s was able to raise £1,154 towards funding tools and training to help farmers and communities fight the effects of climate change.

If you missed Christian Aid Week but still want to contribute, don’t worry! Just head to wkrk.uk/ca to donate online.

Sung Eucharist with Benediction for Corpus Christi

This Thursday 19 June at 7.30 pm

On Thursday we will be celebrating Corpus Christi, or the Day of Thanksgiving for the Institution of the Holy Communion. This festival goes back to the 13th century, but it celebrates something far older: the institution of the Sacrament of Holy Communion at the Last Supper. For centuries, the festival was celebrated with a Eucharistic procession, in which the Sacred Host was carried throughout the town, accompanied by hymns and prayers. The faithful would venerate the Body of Christ as the procession passed by. In recent years, this practice has almost disappeared, though some parishes still hold a short procession around the church. At the end of this Eucharist, we will process around the church before blessing the congregation with the host (Benediction). We hope that you will enjoy this service. As always, all are welcome.

Open Church

This Saturday 21 June at 2.00 pm
St Mary's Church, Whitkirk

Don’t forget that St Mary’s is open every Saturday afternoon until the end of September for anyone to come in and look around. This may be an easy way for you to invite friends and neighbours who are not churchgoers to come in and find out more, so please do spread the word and encourage people to pop in. Refreshments will be available.

Community Centre Spring Clean

Saturday 28 June at 9.00 am
St Mary's Church Whitkirk Community Centre

Could you help us spruce up the Community Centre? On Saturday 28 June we will be giving our beloved Community Centre a Spring Clean. If you’re able to help (even if just for a short time during that period – you don’t have to stay all morning), please sign up on the list available in the Community Centre after today’s service. Many hands make light work! Thank you for your help.

For more information, see Amy Lyons.

Pentecost

Sung Eucharist for Pentecost

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 June at 10.00 am

Sanctuary
This Thursday 12 June at 6.30 pm

Sung Eucharist for Trinity Sunday
Next Sunday 15 June at 10.00 am · Watch the service · View the order of service

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.

Confirmations

Bishop Arun will be visiting Whitkirk to carry out confirmations on 19 October. If you would like to be confirmed at that service, have a word with Rev’d Claire.

Volunteers Week

The last week has been Volunteers Week, so we would like to take this opportunity to say a huge thank you to everyone who volunteers in this church in any way, whether as a welcomer, a server, a chorister, a flower-arranger, a sacristan or verger, a tea-/coffee-maker, behind the bar, in the office, on the PCC, in the churchyard, or in any other way. Your work is seen and appreciated. You are not only helping the mission of St Mary’s but also serving God, and we thank God for you!  

The Creeds: Pilgrim Course

Following our series of Lent Talks, marking the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea and the Nicene Creed, which we say almost every week at our Sunday Eucharist, we are going to run a short course looking at the Creed in small groups, allowing for lots of time for discussion and debate. The course will run through the second half of June and into July. Sign-up sheets are available today at the back of church. Please tick the times and days that you can manage and we will arrange groups according to how many people sign up and the times available. There will be an online group, so if you join us online you need not miss out. If you are not in church today to sign up for a group, please email [email protected] to let us know that you are interested in attending.

Anointing

In the course of this service, anointing with Oil of Chrism will be offered. Pentecost is sometimes referred to as ‘the birthday of the Church’, marking the disciples’ sending-out, inspired by the Holy Spirit, to ‘make disciples of all nations’ (Matthew 28.19). Oil of Chrism is the oil of discipleship, used after baptism and at confirmations and ordinations. It is therefore appropriate to use it on this day as we are sent out as disciples of Jesus for our own time and place. Just as we are marked on our foreheads with the sign of the cross on Ash Wednesday, as a sign of repentance and turning to Christ, so, as this season of remembering Jesus’s death and resurrection draws to a close, we are marked with the sign of his cross and sent out in the power of the Spirit. If you would like to be anointed, come to the Holy Trinity Chapel, following the directions of the stewards, after receiving communion.

Sanctuary

This Thursday 12 June at 6.30 pm
St Mary's Church, Whitkirk

A new monthly contemplative Eucharist: This week, a service for Pentecost

We are delighted to announce the launch of a new monthly service which will be take place at 6.30 pm on the second Thursday of every month, beginning on Thursday 12 June. ‘Sanctuary’ is a contemplative Eucharist, using Taizé-style music and silence to create space for prayerful reflection. Come along and find out more. Tell your friends. All are always welcome.

Concert Season: The Wesley Singers

This Saturday 14 June at 2.30 pm
St Mary's Church, Whitkirk

Our concert season continues as we welcome The Wesley Singers, a Methodist choir based in the Yorkshire West District. Founded in 1985, the choir hopes to bring joy and renewal through its Christian mission of music. Their concert programmes are generally based on church music, but also include secular items, solos, readings and humorous monologues. This year, the choir will celebrate its 40th anniversary. Coffee, tea and biscuits will be available in the Community Centre after the concert. Tickets are £7, available on the door or they can be purchased today in the Community Centre after this service.

Community Centre Spring Clean

Saturday 28 June at 9.00 am
St Mary's Church Whitkirk Community Centre

Could you help us spruce up the Community Centre? On Saturday 28 June we will be giving our beloved Community Centre a Spring Clean. If you’re able to help (even if just for a short time during that period – you don’t have to stay all morning), please sign up on the list available in the Community Centre after today’s service. Many hands make light work! Thank you for your help.

For more information, see Amy Lyons.

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

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

Said Eucharist
This Wednesday 4 June at 10.00 am

Compline by Candlelight
This Wednesday 4 June at 8.30 pm

Sung Eucharist for Pentecost
Next Sunday 8 June at 10.00 am · Watch the service · View the order of service

Messy Church
Next Sunday 8 June at 4.00 pm

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.

Tots' Corner

You will see that Tots’ Corner has now returned to its usual position, near the main door of the church. We have loved having our children nearer the front of church, but we recognise that it may be easier for parents to be nearer the back and the door. Please, though, do not ever feel that you need to go out if your child is making a noise or needs to move around – we love having them in church. If your child would like to come and see what is happening up at the front at any time, please just let them come: they can gather round the altar during the Eucharistic Prayer if they would like to see what we are doing. They are very welcome (but do bear in mind that the area around the altar will be visible on the livestream).

Confirmations

Bishop Arun will be visiting Whitkirk to carry out confirmations on 19 October. If you would like to be confirmed at that service, have a word with Rev’d Claire.

Parcevall Hall and Poetry Retreat

Parcevall Hall is the Diocese of Leeds’ retreat house, set in beautiful countryside in the Dales. There are some leaflets available at the back of church with details of Quiet Days and Retreats available: do take one if you’d like to. On Friday 4 July, Claire will be attending (and celebrating the Eucharist at) a Poetry Retreat, led by the acclaimed local poet, Hannah Stone. The day does not require you to be an expert poetry-writer and no-one will be forced to share anything that they have written. It is ‘pay as you can’ and open to all. Two people from St Mary’s have already signed up to attend, but Claire has room in her car for one more passenger if anyone else would like to come along. Please just speak to her after the service.

Sanctuary: A new monthly contemplative Eucharist

We are delighted to announce the launch of a new monthly service which will be take place at 6.30 pm on the second Thursday of every month, beginning on Thursday 12 June. ‘Sanctuary’ is a contemplative Eucharist, using Taizé-style music and silence to create space for prayerful reflection. Come along and find out more. Tell your friends. All are always welcome.

Open Church

This Saturday 7 June at 2.00 pm
St Mary's Church, Whitkirk

Don’t forget that St Mary’s is open every Saturday afternoon until the end of September for anyone to come in and look around. This may be an easy way for you to invite friends and neighbours who are not churchgoers to come in and find out more, so please do spread the word and encourage people to pop in. Refreshments will be available.

Concert Season: Svitoch Ukrainian Choir

This Saturday 7 June at 6.00 pm
St Mary's Church, Whitkirk

Our 2025 concert season continues as we welcome the Svitoch Ukrainian Choir. The choir brings together talented singers from the Ukrainian diaspora in the UK and refugees who have escaped the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Its members include conservatoire-trained and seasoned performers, some of whom have previously sung in prestigious venues across Europe and America.

Tickets are £10, available on the door. All proceeds go to support charities in Ukraine.

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

Said Eucharist
This Wednesday 28 May at 10.00 am

Sacred Space
This Thursday 29 May at 6.00 pm

Sung Eucharist for Ascension Day
This Thursday 29 May at 7.30 pm · Watch the service · View the order of service

Sung Eucharist for the seventh Sunday of Easter
Next Sunday 1 June at 10.00 am · Watch the service · View the order of service

Choral Evensong
Next Sunday 1 June at 6.00 pm · Watch the service · View the order of service

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.

Tots' Corner

You will see that Tots’ Corner has now returned to its usual position, near the main door of the church. We have loved having our children nearer the front of church, but we recognise that it may be easier for parents to be nearer the back and the door. Please, though, do not ever feel that you need to go out if your child is making a noise or needs to move around – we love having them in church. If your child would like to come and see what is happening up at the front at any time, please just let them come: they can gather round the altar during the Eucharistic Prayer if they would like to see what we are doing. They are very welcome (but do bear in mind that the area around the altar will be visible on the livestream).

Confirmations

Bishop Arun will be visiting Whitkirk to carry out confirmations on 19 October. If you would like to be confirmed at that service, have a word with Rev’d Claire.

Thank you

Following our APCM on Tuesday and the election of a new PCC, I would like to thank all those who have served the church as Churchwardens, PCC members, or in any other role, during the last year. Special thanks are due to Adam Kelly and Joan Williams, who have stepped down from the PCC, for all their service. Thanks, too, to Nick Jackson, whose term of office on the PCC has come to an end, but who has agreed to be co-opted back on as Data Protection Officer. I welcome Amy Lyons and Carl Murphy as new PCC members and thank them for their willingness to serve.

— Claire

Parcevall Hall and Poetry Retreat

Parcevall Hall is the Diocese of Leeds’ retreat house, set in beautiful countryside in the Dales. There are some leaflets available at the back of church with details of Quiet Days and Retreats available: do take one if you’d like to. On Friday 4 July, Claire will be attending (and celebrating the Eucharist at) a Poetry Retreat, led by the acclaimed local poet, Hannah Stone. The day does not require you to be an expert poetry-writer and no-one will be forced to share anything that they have written. It is ‘pay as you can’ and open to all. If anyone would like to go, Claire could offer a lift to up to three people from the congregation: just contact her to ask for more information.

Open Church

This Saturday 31 May at 2.00 pm
St Mary's Church, Whitkirk

Don’t forget that St Mary’s is open every Saturday afternoon until the end of September for anyone to come in and look around. This may be an easy way for you to invite friends and neighbours who are not churchgoers to come in and find out more, so please do spread the word and encourage people to pop in.

Concert Season: Svitoch Ukrainian Choir

Saturday 7 June at 6.00 pm
St Mary's Church, Whitkirk

Our 2025 concert season continues as we welcome the Svitoch Ukrainian Choir. The choir brings together talented singers from the Ukrainian diaspora in the UK and refugees who have escaped the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Its members include conservatoire-trained and seasoned performers, some of whom have previously sung in prestigious venues across Europe and America.

Tickets are £10, available on the door. All proceeds go to support charities in Ukraine.

The fifth Sunday of Easter

Sung Eucharist for the fifth Sunday of Easter

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

Other services

Said Eucharist
This Wednesday 21 May at 10.00 am

Sung Eucharist for the sixth Sunday of Easter
Next Sunday 25 May at 10.00 am · Watch the service · View the order of service

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.

Junior Choir

Our Junior Choir are practicing once again, culminating in a performance for a music-themed Messy Church on 13 July. Rehearsals will be on the following Tuesdays at 4.00 pm in the Community Centre and all are welcome (up to Year 6): – Tuesday 20 May – Tuesday 3 June – Tuesday 17 June – Tuesday 1 July

Tots' Corner

You will see that Tots’ Corner has now returned to its usual position, near the main door of the church. We have loved having our children nearer the front of church, but we recognise that it may be easier for parents to be nearer the back and the door. Please, though, do not ever feel that you need to go out if your child is making a noise or needs to move around – we love having them in church. If your child would like to come and see what is happening up at the front at any time, please just let them come: they can gather round the altar during the Eucharistic Prayer if they would like to see what we are doing. They are very welcome (but do bear in mind that the area around the altar will be visible on the livestream).

Confirmations

Bishop Arun will be visiting Whitkirk to carry out confirmations on 19 October. If you would like to be confirmed at that service, have a word with Rev’d Claire.

Concert Season: Svitoch Ukrainian Choir

Saturday 7 June at 6.00 pm
St Mary's Church, Whitkirk

Our 2025 concert season continues as we welcome the Svitoch Ukrainian Choir. The choir brings together talented singers from the Ukrainian diaspora in the UK and refugees who have escaped the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Its members include conservatoire-trained and seasoned performers, some of whom have previously sung in prestigious venues across Europe and America.

Tickets are £10, available on the door.

The fourth Sunday of Easter

Sung Eucharist for the fourth 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 14 May at 10.00 am

Sung Eucharist for the fifth Sunday of Easter
Next Sunday 18 May at 10.00 am · Watch the service · View the order of service

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.

Junior Choir

Our Junior Choir are practicing once again, culminating in a performance for a music-themed Messy Church on 13 July. Rehearsals will be on the following Tuesdays at 4.00 pm in the Community Centre and all are welcome (up to Year 6): – Tuesday 20 May – Tuesday 3 June – Tuesday 17 June – Tuesday 1 July

Tots' Corner

You will see that Tots’ Corner has now returned to its usual position, near the main door of the church. We have loved having our children nearer the front of church, but we recognise that it may be easier for parents to be nearer the back and the door. Please, though, do not ever feel that you need to go out if your child is making a noise or needs to move around – we love having them in church. If your child would like to come and see what is happening up at the front at any time, please just let them come: they can gather round the altar during the Eucharistic Prayer if they would like to see what we are doing. They are very welcome (but do bear in mind that the area around the altar will be visible on the livestream).

Confirmations

Bishop Arun will be visiting Whitkirk to carry out confirmations on 19 October. If you would like to be confirmed at that service, have a word with Rev’d Claire.

Jean Noble's funeral

The funeral of Jean Noble will take place on Wednesday 14 May at 2.30 pm at Cottingley Crematorium. The funeral tea will be held in our Community Centre from about 3.30 pm and all are welcome (even if you are not able to attend the funeral). During the tea, the church will be open for anyone who would like to go in and pray for Jean and light a candle in her memory to do so. 

Trip to National Memorial Arboretum

This Tuesday 13 May at 8.00 am

If you are coming on the trip to the National Memorial Arboretum on Tuesday, please be at the Community Centre at 8.00 am prompt for an 8.15 am departure. Thank you.

The third Sunday of Easter

Sung Eucharist for the third 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 7 May at 10.00 am

Compline by Candlelight
This Wednesday 7 May at 8.30 pm

Service of Remembrance to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day
This Thursday 8 May at 7.00 pm

Sung Eucharist for the fourth Sunday of Easter
Next Sunday 11 May at 10.00 am · Watch the service · View the order of service

Messy Church
Next Sunday 11 May at 4.00 pm

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

This 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.

Exhibition to mark the 80th anniversary of VE day

This Saturday 10 May at 10.00 am
St Mary's Church, Whitkirk

An exhibition to mark 80 years since VE Day, with a collection of artefacts and memories from the local area and people.