Bradford North Circuit

Report: Sept – Dec 14 Drop in/Open Access on Wednesday evenings: On Wednesday evenings, we are seeing very good development through activities and numbers attending. We had the first real incident in September, when we had to close and re-assess our aims and objectives. This was the first time in two years, which I thought was pretty good. Since then, the young people have responded to the rules, which were put together by them to give them a bit of self-ownership. We see a regular attendance of 30 young people and we have good relationships with each of them. The partner organisation working with us is ‘One in a Million’, who have given a 2-3 year commitment to the area and are bringing good youth work and resources to enhance the project. We have just started a School of Rock where we have drums, guitars and keyboards and this is being taught to the young people in six weeks. This has had an excellent start and will also be a boost for Friday Live. Friday Live on Fri...

On Saturday 13th December, we held a Christmas coffee morning at St Andrew's to support one of our families at church, in raising money to send to their family in Zimbabwe to set up a chicken run. It was a brilliant morning and as well as raising an amazing amount, there was so much more to celebrate. It felt like the whole church was supportive from the very start, with so many people offering so many gifts. Yes, people were generous with their gifts of money but it was also a wonderful time when people shared the gifts which God has given them. Some talents were shared openly like the 100 carol piano play, the Christmas entertainment and crafts on sale by the children. Other people shared their talents in the background, by baking for the cake stall, serving teas and coffees, washing and clearing up, listening and talking to others and the setting up and organising the event. I know that none of this could have taken place without many praye...

Carols in the Park is always popular with the Calverley community and always well attended. This year it was led by Ruth Hall, assisted by Phil, the new vicar at St Wilfrid’s. The singing was followed by refreshments in the Church Hall - hot pork sandwiches, hot drinks and mince pies, with craft activities for the children. A positive community event, giving the people of Calverley a chance to get to know us. Rodney D, Calverley

All the churches at Wrose and from the Circuit were invited to the switching on of our Christmas lights on Saturday 22 nd November 2014. The partnership of Wrose Methodist Church with Wrose Parish Council is a successful way of encouraging church people to get together and a short service with carols was arranged before the count down to the lighting of our nativity scene.   Rev. Nick Blundell and Martin Humphreys, Wrose Parish Council Chair, led the worship and David Jessop and Ellen Imeson took care of the practical arrangements. We estimated there were around 70 people standing round the wall outside and singing, including people from the churches at Wrose and from the Circuit.  Also this year we had a group playing guitars and leading...

St Andrew’s 42 nd Annual Family Weekend was held on 14 – 16 November at Green Gables, Scarborough. It was enjoyed by several generations of St Andrew’s folk and members of other Bradford North churches, as well as some Anglican and Baptist friends. In four sessions, ably led by our new minister, Rev Christine Crabtree and her husband Stephen, we were brought into the presence of “God who knows me and loves me still (A look at Psalm 139)”. In Session One, there was quickly established an atmosphere in which people were happy to share something significant in their personal lives, despite the challenge of the title “Who are you really?” and the realisation that only God knows us fully and completely (verses 1 – 6). In Session Two, Christine graciously shared with us some of the disappointments and struggles she herself had experienced, in which nevertheless God had found her and blessed her. The title: “You can run, but you can’t hide” (verses 7 – 12) Session Three on S...

What an inspirational day we had when 3 classes from Park Side Primary School joined us to make Christingles. With the numbers involved, we decided to have three separate services: 2 groups of 30 children in the morning and a group of 60 children in the afternoon. Firstly, we had a workshop in the church hall, where Kim explained the meaning of the Christingle and what the various components stood for. Then the children set about making their own Christingles. When they were completed, we went into church for a short service, which concluded with the lighting of their Christingles and the singing of Silent Night. What a treat we had when the children sang Silent Night for us in german (!) which they had been rehearsing for their Nativity production at the school. Rodney D, Calverley