St John the Baptist

In the Wilderness

Cragg Vale

Drawing by Mrs Patricia Lees

Benefice of Erringden

Newsletter

MAY 2012

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CHURCH SERVICES in May 2012

CW1 = Yellow book CW2 = Green book

6 May Easter 5 09.30 Family Communion Service

13 May Easter 6 09.30 CW 1 Holy Communion

Rogation Sunday

20 May Easter 7 09.30 CW 2 Holy Communion

Sunday after Ascension

27 May Pentecost 09.30 CW 1 Holy Communion

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A prayer in preparation for the 2012 Games

Eternal God,

Giver of joy and source of all strength,

we pray for those

who prepare for the London Olympic and Paralympic games.

For the competitors training for the Games and their loved ones,

For the many thousands who will support them, For the Churches and

others who are organizing special events and who will welcome many

people from many nations.

In a world where many are rejected and abused,

we pray for a spirit of tolerance and acceptance, of humility and respect

and for the health and safety of all.

May we at the last be led towards the love of Christ who is more than gold,

today and forever. Amen

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Out of the Ordinary - Chairs

Pews are one of those things like Marmite that you either love or hate. The passion of those who love them has led me to ponder what it is that people like about them. Certainly they are not the most comfortable of seat, echoing a sentiment on a sign I saw on an American church I visited: "Our church seats are comfortable for about an hour, after which you want to get up and do something... which is the point of church really." In all other parts of life 60 years ago we would have sat on

Pews or benches in other parts of our lives. You would have sat on a bench at school; you would even have sat on benches in some cinemas. My mum remembers going to the aptly named Flea Pit in Shipley where the usherettes would shove people up on the benches to squeeze a few more in. For a long time now chairs have been the common seat in our houses, our schools, our cinemas, taking over from the bench or pew. The exceptions of course are the park, where we still have benches, and the church where we have pews. Funnily enough when we put new benches on the square in Mytholmroyd some people were properly appalled by us putting some of them opposite each other... "you might have to talk to someone!" Despite this, people have got used to it and one or two have actually said they like it. When it comes to the church and our love hate relationship with the pew, what is the attraction? The first thing is that you can choose how close you sit to people on a pew. With chairs you are forced to sit as close to the people as the chair designer allows. I once went to an exhibition of church chairs; yes I do have a very exciting life! "Where are you from?" asked the salesman. "Cragg Vale, near Mytholmroyd, near Hebden Bridge... The Pennines." His eyes lit up "We have special big chairs for Pennine bottoms'!" Choosing how close you sit to someone is an interesting thought, but not one we pursue in other parts of our life, I don't think I have ever been on a plane where I have been allowed to leave a seat free around me, although on a bus you do get a bit of lea way. The second thing about pews is that if you are tired you can sleep on them, although I can testify, after trying this at a youth group sleepover, they are not very comfortable. I suspect that the real reason we like them is that they allow us to imagine that the church is the one place in a changing world where things don't change. Which is of course a fantasy: we now have an organ not a band; electric lights not candles; microphones, women vicars, English language, and even buildings - given that many churches began meeting in houses. Our buildings change; our homes change, our church changes, but despite this it remains a place where people meet with each other and God. All of this, whether we sit on regular or Pennine bottoms.

Canon James Allison 2012

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Churchwardens’ Report

Once again, we have been re-elected to be your Churchwardens, and we are

honoured to serve. However this will be the last year with this team, because

there is a limit of six years, and this is Ed's last year.

We have a busy year ahead of us; there will be repairs required to the roof of

the Tower which should keep us watertight for the future, and we are planning

that they are done during the summer. The re-ordering of the Church will be a

major project and we are still awaiting the decision of the Diocesan Advisory

Committee, which is seeking further information before making a

recommendation to the Chancellor. Hopefully, we will get moving before too

long.

We are very pleased to report that David Baker, the organist from St.

Michaels, Mytholmroyd, has agreed to play at our Services whenever he is

available. We are very grateful to him and know that his playing is well

appreciated by the congregation.

When the re-ordering does take place we are hopeful that the present organ

will be rehoused in another Church and we will have a smaller instrument.

There will be a digital electronic organ coming for a trial and staying for about

three weeks, so that it can be experienced by many of us.

We remind you to support Spa Sunday, May Day festival and the Dock

Pudding breakfast, all of which are coming up this month

Ed Talbot Geraint Harris

Book Club

The next meeting of the Book Club will take place on Tuesday, 28th May 2012 at 7.15pm in the Erringden Room at St. Michaels when the group will discuss - Before I go to Sleep by S.J. Watson.

Anne Beard

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SPRING SONG

Hark, I hear a robin calling!

List, the wind is from the south!

And the orchard-bloom is falling

Sweet as kisses on the mouth.

In the dreamy vale of beeches

Fair and faint is woven mist,

And the river's orient reaches

Are the palest amethyst.

Every limpid brook is singing

Of the lure of April days;

Every piney glen is ringing

With the maddest roundelays.

Come and let us seek together

Springtime lore of daffodils,

Giving to the golden weather

Greeting on the sun-warm hills."

Lucy Maud Montgomery

How true!:

This is a little story about four people named Everybody, Somebody, Anybody and Nobody. There was an important job to be done and Everybody was sure that somebody would do it. Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it. Somebody got angry about that because it was Everybody‟s job. Everybody thought that Anybody could do it, but Nobody realised that Everybody wouldn’t do it. It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have done . . . .

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Yorkshire Countrywomen’s Association, Cragg Vale Branch

The speaker for the April meeting was Mr Ivan Foo is Consultant Plastic Surgeon at the BUPA Hospital in Elland. Mr Foo informed us that the first person to attempt any sort of re-constructive plastic surgery was Gaspare Tagliozzi who was called the Father of Plastic Surgery. The next major influence was Sergeant McIndoe in the British Army, in 1941 he had a “Guinea Pig Club” of servicemen he had treated with re-constructive surgery on faces. This led to surgery on babies with hare lips and cleft paletes which now transforms these babies lives. Mr Foo, after years of training and treatments, does lots of re-construction on skin cancers using own body parts on fingers, mouths etc., with bones from legs, tissue from back and micro fat transfer to build up and back fill. He also does micro surgery, breast implants, Face Lifts and Botox injections repairing damage done by smoking and the sun. He also does tummy tucks after loss of weight. Mr Foo said that he enjoys his work, knowing he can make his patients look and feel much happier with their bodies. Muriel Morgan thanked Glenda for a very interesting and informative talk. Supper this evening was a Jacob‟s Join. The speaker next month will be Barbara Atack whose subject is Dating Old Photographs. The competition will be an old family photograph.

Muriel Morgan

After giving a young woman a full medical examination, the doctor explained his prescription as he wrote it out. “Take the green pill with a glass of water when you get up. Take the blue pill with a glass of water after lunch. Then just before going to bed take the red pill with another glass of water.”

“Exactly what is my problem, doctor?” the woman asked.

“You‟re not drinking enough water!”

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SPA SUNDAY

Sunday 6th May.

Meet at St John‟s Church at 3 pm to walk to the Spa, which Rev Canon James Allison will bless at approximately 4 pm. Weather permitting this will be followed by a Picnic in the Park. If the weather is inclement we will meet in the Robin Hood. Cragg Vale Spa Revisited Below the old stone bridge almost forgotten, water gurgles quietly from subterranean fault , the surface air scented with sulphurous stink. Contrasting with earthy woodland and river mix, the nose turns towards the Spa lending its name to nearby cottage row and farm. Celebrated in past times with „Spaw Sunday‟ Religious and Political gatherings drew crowds in hundreds. After the confinement of winter, a time of Cleansing, Parents and children dressed for the occasion „Taking the Waters‟ with a little Spanish to stop the Retch “Get it down, it‟ll do you good” Black Crow and Grey Heron watch from a distance Speeding Dipper stitches the ripped river with a fizzing silver thread, Brown Trout pushes against the flow avoiding the throng.

Graham Ramsden 2010

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Praying for a brother

A small boy badly wanted a baby brother, so his dad suggested he pray every night for one. The boy prayed earnestly, night after night, but his prayers seemingly weren‟t answered. After a few weeks he didn‟t bother to ask any more.

Some months later, his dad said they were going to see mum in the hospital and he was going to get a big surprise. When they got to the room the little boy saw his mother holding two babies. “Well, what do you think about having twin brothers?” his dad asked. The little boy thought for a moment and replied, “It‟s a good job I stopped praying when I did.”

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Past Times in Cragg Vale

The spa is situated in the grounds of Spa Laithe Farm. The picture above, taken probably around 1900, is of the old farm. In the Telegraph and Argus of 7th May 1909 there was the following report on Spa Sunday “Spa” Sunday, specially favoured in point of weather, was as popular as ever on the hills surrounding the town. The Hebden Bridge Brass Band were out early, and discoursed music on the Erringden hillside. Blackstone Edge and Cragg Vale were as usual visited by hundreds of people. And in Sam Hellowell‟s History of Cragg Vale he gives this account of the event in 1913 It being a nice day the crowd during the afternoon was a very large one, being many hundreds in excess of last year’s and the scene was of an animated character. Testing the pungent water was much more generally observed than formerly. The scene, however, contrasted very favourably compared with the very rough and rowdy conduct of generations gone by. The local branch of the Independent Labour Party was represented with speakers. The Hebden Bridge Brass Band was also present, as was the Steep Lane Mission Band.

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CRAGG VALE NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH Do you want to belong to the local Neighbourhood

Watch scheme? It's basically a way of alerting folk

to incidents and break-ins in Cragg, but it's also

been very successful in finding lost pets!

Thankfully we don't have too many incidents,

although the reservoir works have attracted a lot

of serious theft. There are 3 areas, managed by

Lynne, Viv and myself and we all have email groups that swop information. If

you are interested give me a ring on 882555 or email thescarfs@hotmail.com

Jackie Scarf

CRAGG VALE FELL RACE: WEDS JUNE 27

Every year we run the local fell race, which can attract

over 100 runners and raise over £700 for Cragg

church. The race is sponsored by Little Valley

Brewery.

Your HELP is needed!

Could you marshall a gate or stile? The race is

only 4 miles [6.4k] and starts from Cragg church at

7.30pm. The course record is only 26.27mins! It goes

past the tennis courts and up via High Green on to

the moor, then back down through Sunderland

pasture, to finish at the Gatehouse. There are also

children‟s races in the woods by the river.

Perhaps you could bake a cake or help with the

refreshments in church or help with registration of the runners.

Do get in touch with Jackie Scarf 882555 email thescarfs@hotmail.com

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THANK YOU from Sylvia

Many thanks to the Flower Arranging Team for the Easter

Flowers. The Church looked really pretty and bright and

because of the presentation of many of the arrangements

we were able to distribute them to the octogenarians of our

congregation after the Easter Day celebrations. Hopefully,

the flowers would be enjoyed all week long and were much

appreciated.

Ladies, thank you.

The Children of Israel In Sunday School one morning young Joseph raised his hand and proceeded to ask a question that had perplexed him for some time. “There‟s something I can‟t figure out. According to the Bible, the Children of Israel crossed the Red Sea, right?” “Right”, said his teacher. “And the Children of Israel beat up the Philistines, right?” “Er, right.” “And the Children of Israel built the Temple, right?” “Again you‟re right.” “And the Children of Israel fought the Egyptians and the Children of Israel were always doing something important, right?” “All that is right, too,” agreed the teacher. “So what is your question?” “Well, what were all the grown-ups doing?”

Saturday 7th May – Annual May Day Fete

Cragg J & I School, the Steiner School and St John‟s

Church join together for this fun event.

Stalls, bouncy castle, duck race, refreshments,

Maypole dancing and lots more.

Date Sidesmen Readers Prayers Servers Flowers Coffee

6 May Barry & Dorothy Shepherd

James Russell Sylvia Maudsley

Gordon Nelson

Jean Smith Doris Wheelwright

13 May Margaret Greenwood & Pam Talbot

Gordon Nelson Ministry Terry Wilkinson

Anne Beard Carol Taylor

20 May Gordon Nelson & Amy Harris

June Mowbray Victoria Macdonald

Victoria Macdonald

Sue Dixon Anne Beard & Beryl Horsfall

27 May

Sylvia Maudsley or Anne Beard & Doris Wheelwright

High Morgan Ministry

Margaret Greenwood

Pat Benson Dorothy & Barry Shepherd

3 June Betty Disley & Beryl Horsfall

Ed Talbot Sylvia Maudsley

Mary Hey Pam Talbot Doris Wheelwright

10 June Barry & Dorothy Shepherd

Pat Benson Ministry Gordon

Nelson Beryl Horsfall Carol Taylor

17 June Margaret Greenwood & Pam Talbot

Sylvia Maudsley Volunteer please

Terry Wilkinson

Carol Wolstenholme

Anne Beard & Beryl Horsfall

24 June Gordon Nelson & Amy Harris

Gordon Nelson Ministry Victoria Macdonald

Sylvia Maudsley Dorothy & Barry Shepherd

Rotas for May and June

Conscience is that small, still voice that is sometimes too loud for comfort

Published by St John the Baptist in the Wilderness, Cragg Vale, in the Benefice of Erringden.

Parish Contacts

Vicar

Rev Canon James Allison BA, BSC

01422 883130

Assistant Minister

Rev Sandie Maude 01422 355856

Rev Martin Macdonald 01422 881543

Churchwardens

Geraint Harris 01422 885183

Ed Talbot 01422 884435

Editor

Ann Kilbey 01422 882858

ann.kilbey@btinternet.com

Quick Guide to Forthcoming Events

7 May May Day Celebrations at St Johns Centre

14 May YCA, 7.30 pm

Barbara Atack, Dating Old Photographs

21 May PCC meeting, 6.30 at the back of church

27 May Dock Pudding Breakfast - The Famous, the one and only, 9.30am – 2.30pm

For more information about what’s going on in our Benefice

Log on to www.erringdenbenifice.org.uk

Deadline for contributions for the June magazine is May 21st please.