Remembrance Sunday
Sung Eucharist for Remembrance Sunday
Today at 9.30 am · Watch the service · View the order of service
Other services
Messy Church
Today at 4.00 pm
Said Eucharist
This Wednesday 12 November at 10.00 am
Sanctuary
This Thursday 13 November at 6.30 pm
Sung Eucharist for the second Sunday before Advent
Next Sunday 16 November at 10.00 am · Watch the service · View the order of service
Posada at St Mary's
Would you like to be a part of Mary and Joseph’s journey around the parish during Advent this year?
Traditionally posadas are a celebration of the Christmas story. Posada at St Mary’s is the journey of the figures of Mary, Joseph and the donkey travelling round the parish, spending a night in a different home each night of Advent. The figures will begin their journey on Advent Sunday, where they will be given to the family hosting them for the first night. They will then journey round the parish until Christmas eve, when the last people to host them will bring them to the Crib service.
If you would like to host Mary, Joseph and the donkey for a night in Advent, sign up after the 10.00 am service today or next week, or at the November Messy Church. You’ll be given everything you need to take part.
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.
Advent Course 2025
Our Advent Course for 2025 will be using the Archbishop of York’s Advent Book, Listening to the Music of the Soul by Bishop Guli Francis-Dehqani. The book reflects on the interweaving of the story of faith, our personal story, and music. If you have not listened to Bishop Guli’s Desert Island Disks programme, we recommend that you do so (even if you are not able to follow the Advent Course). You can access this online at wkrk.uk/ac25. We will be running four sessions in the weeks commencing 24 November, 1 December, 8 December, and 15 December. A sign-up sheet is available at the back of the church. Please let us know when you are able to attend and we will sort out the groups accordingly and publicise them as soon as we can.
Advent and Christmas at St Mary's
We know how busy the run-up to Christmas can be, so here are some dates for your diary, just to ensure that you don’t miss anything. More details will be shared in due course, but here are the highlights.
- December 7th, 6pm: Advent Carol Service, ‘The one who is to come…’
- December 13th, 7pm: Svitoch Ukrainian Choir, an Advent concert
- December 14th, 4pm: Messy Christingle: Messy Church for Christmas, with a short Christingle service
- December 18th, 6pm: The Longest Night: a chance to reflect and remember
- December 19th, 7pm: Carol Singalong in the Brown Cow with Altofts and Normanton Brass Band
- December 21st, 7pm: Festival of Lessons and Carols
- Christmas Eve, 5pm: Crib Service
- Christmas Eve, 11pm: Midnight Mass
Colton Lodges
A group of parishioners from St Mary’s visits Colton Lodges on the 2nd Thursday of every month to offer residents a short service based on familiar hymns, prayers and readings. We are always happy to have new people join us. If you would like to come along, there’s no need to let anyone know, just meet in the car park at Colton Lodges at about 10.20 on the 2nd Thursday of the month. Our next session is this Thursday, 13th November, when we will be thinking about Remembrance. If you need a lift, please let Rev’d Claire know.
This Tuesday 11 November at 10.45 am
St Mary's Church, Whitkirk
Although our main act of Remembrance is taking place today, the church will be open on November 11th between 10.45 am and 11.15 am for prayer and reflection, with the observation of a 2-minute silence at 11 am. All are welcome to drop into church to remember at this time.
This Saturday 15 November at 5.00 pm
St Mary's Church, Whitkirk
A charity Concert of Beautiful Music in aid of ‘Touchstone’
Join us at 2.00 pm for around an hour of uplifting solo songs and duets with piano and flute. Sung by Anne Parker & Heather Woodhead, accompanied by Sue Wanty on piano and Alison Battye on flute.
Entry is free, with a retiring collection and refreshments afterwards. All proceeds will support Touchstone’s Community Support Team, providing intensive outreach to people living with complex mental health needs.
This special concert will include the premiere performance of Heather Woodhead’s brand-new commissioned work The Woodnook Suite. Composed by Tim Knight with Words by Joe Woodhead. Come and enjoy wonderful music – and help make a difference.
Saturday 29 November at 10.30 am
St Mary's Church Whitkirk Community Centre
We are looking ahead to our Christmas Fair on 29 November and would appreciate donations of the following items for our stalls: prizes for tombolas (chocolate, and small prizes suitable for adults and children), prizes for the grand raffle (toiletries, scarves, unwanted gifts, wine, etc.), hand-knitted items, children’s gifts (sweets, books, etc.) and cakes (to be brought on the day). Items can be left on the stage on Sundays in the run-up to the Christmas Fair. Thank you for your generosity.
