Stanwick Group of Churches Benefice Website

Aldbrough St John, Forcett and Melsonby

Please note that the Diocese has decided that our benefice only warrants a half-time clergy post, so our vicar needs 3 days off each week. These areTuesday, Wednesday and Saturday to fit in with her family and other commitments.

Occasionally there are urgent calls for her attention on her days off, but she asks that contact on non-urgent matters is confined to Monday, Thursday and Friday.

She has the full support of the PCCs in making this request. Please contact a Churchwarden or other church offficer to help, if necessary.

This site is primarily an additional information source for the people of the three parishes of Aldbrough St John, Forcett and Melsonby, but we hope that if you are from outside the area you will get a flavour of an area that is pleasant to live in.

You'll find out why it's called the Stanwick Group of Churches on our Welcome page.

We hope you'll find the information you are looking for on who we are and what we do as a benefice. If you feel that anything is missing, please contact the webmaster

If you want to ask about a wedding, please do not use the 'webmaster' link. Go to Contact Information where there is a specific email link direct to the vicar.

If you are a member of one of our parishes and want to be involved in our activities at any level, under GDPR we now need your signed consent to be allowed to contact you specifically. To give this please see the appropriate parish section in the Benefice Administration menu above and download the form.

Safeguarding

If you have any Safeguarding concerns involving anyone in the Benefice, please click on the poster to see details of who to contact in a larger version.

The parishes in the Benefice have also adopted this document from the House of Bishops regarding Safeguarding.

Further information about poliies and practice at Diocesan level can be found here.

Stanwick Group of Churches Elsewhere on the web

You can also follow us on Facebook

and Twitter

Our Polls

The poll in the column below right is for fun rather than a serious enquiry so please feel free to take part. It only records the number of people who have voted. There will be no catastrophic events as a result of it. We know of one former benefice resident who regularly participates, not necessarily with his actual opinions but does like to stir a bit!

Events outside our Benefice

The Diocesan Office and our Cathedral at Ripon plus other parishes and benefices in the area often send us details of events of interest. We now have a section specifically for Lay Training sessions, usually organised by the Diocese but occasionally by other bodies. For those events which are for interest or enjoyment, please look in the section From the Diocese and Wider Church where we have another folder with details of events.

In most cases the information we publish is a copy of their poster which is linked to the appropriate website with fuller information.

News and Information

Safeguarding - please see scroll down panel to the right.

SERVICES

As we come slowly out of Covid-19 restrictions our service pattern within the Benefice is changing.

This LINK will take you to the page with details of up-coming services.
The information is usually updated on Friday before the service.
Nightly Compline details are also included there.

We still offer services on Zoom as well as in our churches.

Evening Hymns - new Aldbrough service

On the third Sunday of the month starting 19 September, there is an informal service based on singing well-known hymns and learning new ones at 4.00pm in St Paul's. The service will be followed by tea and cake in the narthex. If you enjoy singing, even if you think you don't know many hymns, this could be a good service to try.

Bishop Helen-Ann's St James Sermon

Several people who were at the Blessing Service for the new facilities at Melsonby have said how much they enjoyed Bishop Helen-Ann's sermon for the occasion. It is available to read here.

If you would like to watch the recorded service then click here. Unfortunately a technical hitch prevented Zoom access at the time.

Donations to our churches

If you would like to donate to our churches at this time when normal collections are not possble, please click here. The donations details for all three parishes plus the benefice as a whole can be found there Thank you. But please see also the next paragraph.

Parish Giving Scheme

The best and easiest way to give to your church, however, is with the Parish Giving Scheme. Once you have signed up there is no need to worry about forgotten collections, the wrong notes / coins or Gift Aid envelopes. Our three parishes have registered to use it and our Treasurers think it is wonderful.

Please see our page about it to see more about PGS in our parishes.

Thanks, Celebration, Commemoration

Take a look at our Thanks, Celebration and Commemoration pages. If you would like to give thanks, or celebrate or commemorate a person or event, we can add a short message there.

Nunc Dimittis

Do have a look at this video of St James, Melsonby with a lovely setting of the Nunc Dimittis sung by Churchwarden Ian Black

Harvest Festival video

Our Harvest Festival in 2020 was a bit different, taking the form of an exhibition in celebration of harvest and God's goodness generally.

The diplays not only showed farming and food but some local history. care of the environment, food from across the world and the journey of barley from field to firkin. Click on the picture to see the video of the Stanwick Group of Churches Community Harvest Festival Celebration.

Foodbank Donations

We support the Richmond Storehouse Foodbank with donations. See this page about the foodbank. When you come to church, please consider bringing a tin, jar or packet of something suitable for the foodbank collection. There are boxes for your food bank donations in Aldbrough, Forcett, Melsonby and East Layton churches and donations are taken regularly to the food banks in Richmond and Darlington.

Teddy Church

Teddy church returns to Melsonby on 10 October in the upstairs meeting room.

Lay Training

Our Lay Training page has links to a number of current courses availible from the Diocese that may interest you. They are currently being carried out via Zoom conferencing software.
You may find these links easier to use than going directly to the Leeds Learning site and searching for courses there.

Prayer Circle

If you have anything at all that you would appreciate prayer for in the strictest confidence,
our Prayer Circle would be delighted to support you in this way.

All requests are in the strictest confidence and will remain within the small group of people who make up the Prayer Circle.

No prayer request is too small (or large!)

If you would like to request prayer support or to join the circle, please contact us by email at

stanwickprayers@gmail.com

or speak to Rev’d Camilla Campling-Denton

Vocations

If you wwould like to know more about a vocations and ordination in the Church of England, please see this video from the Diocesan Ordinations Team.

Bell-ringing in the benefice

There is now a band in Melsonby. If you have rung or are interested in learning, see here

A group has now started ringing under the tutelage of Rob Kirby. They meet on Tuesday evenings from 6.30 to 8.30pm. New ringers, either experienced or learners, are welcome.

BELL RINGING IN THE BENEFICE IS NOW BACK IN BUSINESS so go along if you are interested.

News and Information

Safeguarding - please see scroll down panel to the right.

SERVICES

As we come slowly out of Covid-19 restrictions our service pattern within the Benefice is changing.

This LINK will take you to the page with details of up-coming services.
The information is usually updated on Friday before the service.
Nightly Compline details are also included there.

We still offer services on Zoom as well as in our churches.

Evening Hymns - new Aldbrough service

On the third Sunday of the month starting 19 September, there is an informal service based on singing well-known hymns and learning new ones at 4.00pm in St Paul's. The service will be followed by tea and cake in the narthex. If you enjoy singing, even if you think you don't know many hymns, this could be a good service to try.

Bishop Helen-Ann's St James Sermon

Several people who were at the Blessing Service for the new facilities at Melsonby have said how much they enjoyed Bishop Helen-Ann's sermon for the occasion. It is available to read here.

If you would like to watch the recorded service then click here. Unfortunately a technical hitch prevented Zoom access at the time.

Donations to our churches

If you would like to donate to our churches at this time when normal collections are not possble, please click here. The donations details for all three parishes plus the benefice as a whole can be found there Thank you. But please see also the next paragraph.

Parish Giving Scheme

The best and easiest way to give to your church, however, is with the Parish Giving Scheme. Once you have signed up there is no need to worry about forgotten collections, the wrong notes / coins or Gift Aid envelopes. Our three parishes have registered to use it and our Treasurers think it is wonderful.

Please see our page about it to see more about PGS in our parishes.

Thanks, Celebration, Commemoration

Take a look at our Thanks, Celebration and Commemoration pages. If you would like to give thanks, or celebrate or commemorate a person or event, we can add a short message there.

Nunc Dimittis

Do have a look at this video of St James, Melsonby with a lovely setting of the Nunc Dimittis sung by Churchwarden Ian Black

Harvest Festival video

Our Harvest Festival in 2020 was a bit different, taking the form of an exhibition in celebration of harvest and God's goodness generally.

The diplays not only showed farming and food but some local history. care of the environment, food from across the world and the journey of barley from field to firkin. Click on the picture to see the video of the Stanwick Group of Churches Community Harvest Festival Celebration.

Foodbank Donations

We support the Richmond Storehouse Foodbank with donations. See this page about the foodbank. When you come to church, please consider bringing a tin, jar or packet of something suitable for the foodbank collection. There are boxes for your food bank donations in Aldbrough, Forcett, Melsonby and East Layton churches and donations are taken regularly to the food banks in Richmond and Darlington.

Teddy Church

Teddy church returns to Melsonby on 10 October in the upstairs meeting room.

Lay Training

Our Lay Training page has links to a number of current courses availible from the Diocese that may interest you. They are currently being carried out via Zoom conferencing software.
You may find these links easier to use than going directly to the Leeds Learning site and searching for courses there.

Prayer Circle

If you have anything at all that you would appreciate prayer for in the strictest confidence,
our Prayer Circle would be delighted to support you in this way.

All requests are in the strictest confidence and will remain within the small group of people who make up the Prayer Circle.

No prayer request is too small (or large!)

If you would like to request prayer support or to join the circle, please contact us by email at

stanwickprayers@gmail.com

or speak to Rev’d Camilla Campling-Denton

Vocations

If you wwould like to know more about a vocations and ordination in the Church of England, please see this video from the Diocesan Ordinations Team.

Bell-ringing in the benefice

There is now a band in Melsonby. If you have rung or are interested in learning, see here

A group has now started ringing under the tutelage of Rob Kirby. They meet on Tuesday evenings from 6.30 to 8.30pm. New ringers, either experienced or learners, are welcome.

BELL RINGING IN THE BENEFICE IS NOW BACK IN BUSINESS so go along if you are interested.

text
Stanwick Group of Churches Benefice Website

Aldbrough St John, Forcett and Melsonby

Please note that the Diocese has decided that our benefice only warrants a half-time clergy post, so our vicar needs 3 days off each week. These areTuesday, Wednesday and Saturday to fit in with her family and other commitments.

Occasionally there are urgent calls for her attention on her days off, but she asks that contact on non-urgent matters is confined to Monday, Thursday and Friday.

She has the full support of the PCCs in making this request. Please contact a Churchwarden or other church offficer to help, if necessary.

This site is primarily an additional information source for the people of the three parishes of Aldbrough St John, Forcett and Melsonby, but we hope that if you are from outside the area you will get a flavour of an area that is pleasant to live in.

You'll find out why it's called the Stanwick Group of Churches on our Welcome page.

We hope you'll find the information you are looking for on who we are and what we do as a benefice. If you feel that anything is missing, please contact the webmaster

If you want to ask about a wedding, please do not use the 'webmaster' link. Go to Contact Information where there is a specific email link direct to the vicar.

If you are a member of one of our parishes and want to be involved in our activities at any level, under GDPR we now need your signed consent to be allowed to contact you specifically. To give this please see the appropriate parish section in the Benefice Administration menu above and download the form.

Safeguarding

If you have any Safeguarding concerns involving anyone in the Benefice, please click on the poster to see details of who to contact in a larger version.

The parishes in the Benefice have also adopted this document from the House of Bishops regarding Safeguarding.

Further information about poliies and practice at Diocesan level can be found here.

Stanwick Group of Churches Elsewhere on the web

You can also follow us on Facebook

and Twitter

Our Polls

The poll in the column below right is for fun rather than a serious enquiry so please feel free to take part. It only records the number of people who have voted. There will be no catastrophic events as a result of it. We know of one former benefice resident who regularly participates, not necessarily with his actual opinions but does like to stir a bit!

Events outside our Benefice

The Diocesan Office and our Cathedral at Ripon plus other parishes and benefices in the area often send us details of events of interest. We now have a section specifically for Lay Training sessions, usually organised by the Diocese but occasionally by other bodies. For those events which are for interest or enjoyment, please look in the section From the Diocese and Wider Church where we have another folder with details of events.

In most cases the information we publish is a copy of their poster which is linked to the appropriate website with fuller information.

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This Week
Sun
17
Oct
09:00 - 09:45 Zoom Morning Worship
10:30 Family Communion

Sun
24
Oct
10:30 Holy Communion
10:30 - 11:45 Holy Communion

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  Shaking hands for the Peace

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	Votes
Singing hymns	1
Full Communion	1
Coffee and chat	2
Shaking hands for the Peace	1