BIRDSEDGE

Birdsedge School held its Harvest Festival at the church. Pat Wood took the service and children played drums and musical instruments. A packed church was very appreciative. Gifts of dried and tinned goods will be given to help people in Africa.

Dave Tucker took the service at Birdsedge Church on Sunday. His theme was covenants, which are agreements of various kinds. He told the children about a salt covenant in which two people would exchange grains of salt and mix them with their own supply – never to be reversed. For the adults he moved onto blood covenants – all believers in Jesus have His blood on them through which they are redeemed.

A Birdsedge Hospice Support Group coffee morning was held in the church school room to sell cakes, home produce and Hospice Christmas cards and £300 was raised.

The monthly Village Hall meeting was held at Mrs Mears’ house when discussion about Festival 2009 events took place. Afterwards, management of events whilst the Hall is closed was discussed. A coffee morning, to be held in the church school room on November 8, will be the first time that next year’s calendar will be on sale along, with Birdsedge Christmas cards. The hospice support group will also have a stall selling Christmas cards. The next group meeting will be next Tuesday (November 4) at the same venue.

CLAYTON WEST

The monthly coffee morning was held last week at the Methodist Church. The 'Traidcraft' stall with Fairtrade goods and Christmas cards was well supported, as was the home-made cake stall. Bacon sandwiches were cooked by Rosalyn Beevers and proceeds were for church funds.

Sunday morning worship was jointly led by Joan Bond, Rosalyn Beevers and Wendy Barber. George Hargreaves preached the sermon about Faith. Stewards were Maxine Lodge and Rosalyn Beevers, flowers were a gift from Anne Crowe. Coffee was served after the servce.

DENBY DALE

To celebrate the Centenary of the current building Zion Wesleyan Reform Chapel, in Denby Dale, held a three day Harvest Celebration. On Saturday a Harvest Flower Festival was held and refreshments were served all day. On Sunday the well attended services were led by Jan and Stuart Shepherd Jan speaking at the afternoon family service about knowing Jesus and Stuart speaking about the harvest of souls at the evening service. On Monday members presented a entertainment of songs, flute solo’s and poetry. Derek Booth conducted the auction, supper was served and the sum of £850 was raised for chapel funds.There will be a Sankey evening with the David Hambleton Singers on Sunday November 9 at 6pm.

EMLEY

Holy Communion at Emley Parish Church was celebrated by Father Thierry Guillemin on Bible Sunday at 9.15am. Rev John Marsh gave the sermon based on the bible, questioning the congregation as to the number of books in the bible. There are 39 in the Old Testament and 66 in the New. John suggested that, as Christians, we need to know it well in order to share it and a scheme to read the bible in one year is on offer. Jayne Ryder and Katharine Moorhouse read the bible, Gill Marsh led prayers and Paul Renshaw played the organ.

On Saturday November 8 a Christmas Fayre in aid of the East African School Project will be held in church at 10am. On Remembrance Sunday November 9, a service in church at 9.45am will be followed by a service at the War Memorial at 10.45am. All are welcome.

KIRKBURTON

There were two services in All Hallows Parish Church last Sunday. Mrs Meg Tibbott welcomed the congregation to the morning service of Sung Eucharist which was led by the curate, the Rev Robert Chambers. Mr Malcolm Tibbott gave the reading for the day from the second chapter of the first letter of St Paul to the Thessalonians. Mr Chambers read the gospel from the twenty-second chapter of Matthew and preached the sermon. During the service Mr Chambers baptised and welcomed into the fellowship of the Church, James William Corker and William Taylor. The chalice and paten were taken to the altar by Mrs Marjorie Goring and Mrs Joy Smith. The sacrament was distributed by Mr Chambers and the Rev L Elsworth and they were assisted by Mr Tibbott and pastoral minister, Mrs Betty Cross. Mr Dennis Goring and Mrs Shirley Lingwood were sidesmen and took up the collection. Organist was Mrs Doreen Barraclough and after the service the worshippers enjoyed refreshments served by Mrs Pauline Pinder and Mrs Christine Rangeley. In the evening, reader Mrs Janet Roberts led a quiet reflective service of Encounter taking for her theme, Serving Christ and our (fellow) neighbours. Readings were given from the first chapter of St Paul’s letter to the Ephesians and the twenty-fifth chapter of the Gospel according to St Matthew. Music was provided by churchwarden, Mr John Keighley on guitar and Mrs Doreen Barraclough on keyboard.

Members of the Burton Friendship Club met for their regular meeting at The Hub where they were entertained by member, Miss Sandra Spivey who gave them a quiz and regaled them with stories and jokes.There was a bric a brac stall to raise money towards their Christmas Party and tea and biscuits were served by Mesdames Maud, Calvert and Ellis.

SHELLEY

Shelley over 60s held their meeting in the village hall last Thursday. The bingo line was shared by Lilian Armitage and Ruth Sheffield and the full house by Joan Cope.The first three numbers on one card was not won and the prize carried over. The whist high of 89 was won by Rose Colburn and the low of 72 went to Beryl Hutchinson from eight tables.Birthday wishes and a bouquet were given to secretary Olwyn Berry in appreciation of all her hard work. The raffle winners were Robin Small, Bessie Usher, Ken Briggs, Lilian Armitage and Nancy Lear.

SKELMANTHORPE

Sung Mass at St Aidan for the Feast of St Alfred the Great was celebrated by the Rev Philip Reynolds. Philip spoke of the compassion and deep faith of St Alfred. Biblical readings were given by Frank Fisher and Margaret E Fisher. Refreshments were served by Anne Dyson and Sue Haines. Corey Mckenzie Chapman, Owen Dylon Preston, Maddison Grace Marian Preston and Amin Tristan Ahwazi were baptised at later services. The Annual All Souls Requiem Mass takes place this Sunday evening.

Mr Robert Nuttall of Denby Dale was preacher at the Wesleyan Reform Church last Sunday. The Bible reading was from Daniel. Organist was John Orton.

STOCKSMOOR

Recent results from Stocksmoor Bridge Club were: Thursday, October 16, 20 players - 25 boards. Winners: north/south, 1 Peggy Pogson and Andrew Stephens, 2 John and Maureen McGee, 3 John Morris and Bill Sharman; east/west, 1 Margaret Barrow and Chris Brett, 2 Dallas Cliff and Walter Dowlen, 3 Maureen Russell and Enid Covell. The director was John McGee.

Thursday, October 23, 24 players - 24 boards played. Winners: north/south, 1 Peggy Pogson and Andrew Stephens, 2 Dallas Cliff and Cynthia Bolland, 3 Margaret Bailey and Aina Mitchell; east/west, 1 Ed Pearson and Kate Morley, 2 Liz Cooper and Lorna Mallinson, 3 Enid Covell and Maureen Russell. The director was Dallas Cliff.

THURSTONLAND

The centenary of the Mothers’ Union was celebrated at a special service at St Thomas’s Church on Wednesday evening, led by the Rev Sean Robertshaw, assisted by the Rev Geoff Banks. It was a very special night for two members – current branch leader Glenda Mellor and Edna Gaunt – the date of the service coinciding with the date they joined the MU 53 years ago. At the service, new branch leader Joan Battye was commissioned and Margaret Stears, diocesan MU president, read the sermon. Organist was Dr Graham Cummings of Huddersfield University.