GOLCAR

The annual general meeting was held at Golcar Baptist on Saturday.The treasurer was Hilary Lindsay, the secretary was David Howard and reports were given by the Sunday School (Michelle Thompson) and the Tuesday Forum (Connie Pearson).

On Sunday at Golcar Baptist Church it was Ladies Sunday, when the service was conducted by Mary Sykes. The children’s address was given by Michelle Thompson, the readings were by Noreen Haigh and Audrey Stott and Mrs Margaret Edgar gave the address. Her subject was Choices.

The Friendship Group at Golcar Providence Church held an opening evening. Jessica Tuck demonstrated bakeware utensils sold by the Pampered Chef Company. Refreshments were served at the close.

A Coffee Day was held at Holmfirth Parish Church. Morning coffees, lunches and afternoon teas were served. There was a cake stall, tombola, bric-a-brac and books and £746 was raised for Providence Church funds.

Morning worship at Providence Church included Communion and was led by the Rev Pam Ward, whose theme was Gratitude. Ian Day read the lesson and Margaret Israel was the organist.

For the Harvest weekend at St Johns Church a sop supper was held on Saturday evening followed with music and entertainment by church members. Marion led the Harvest service at St John’s and Chris Bamford gave the reading from Mathews 6 versus 26-33. In her talk Sylvia Hanson spoke about day-to-day life in Issenye and contrasted it with life in Golcar by asking Sunday club members how many of the mothers did their washing in the River Colne. Rainbows and Brownies helped to lead the prayers and Sunday Club gave a presentation of the steps that were involved from planting a seed of corn to the purchase of a loaf of bread in a shop. Ann Norton was the organist.

LINTHWAITE

Linthwaite Methodist Church celebrated Harvest time with a service led by David Harris. The service included the singing of the ‘old favourite’ harvest hymns, and the theme of David’s service was in two parts: the first related to the Blessings we have been given and how we use them. Mr Ian Baxter read from Exodus 23 v 14-16, Deuteronomy 16 8-12 & 13-15 which were interspersed with David’s talk which was the second theme, about various festivals – the Passover, the feast of weeks, and the Tabernacle. The church was decorated for the Harvest by Margaret Moriarty and Sue Howard, Linda Nuttall was the organist and Mairi MacKay operated the audio visual equipment. Gifts of dried foodstuff and educational equipment were collected to be give to the Central African Relief Trust (CART), to support those less well off than ourselves. There was also a retiring collection for Kirkwood Hospice.

Today, Saturday at Linthwaite Methodist Church there will be a prayer labyrinth from 10am – 4pm. Light refreshments will be served.

Next Sunday at Linthwaite Methodist Church morning worship will be a celebration of the Linthwaite Methodist Playgroup, which will change its name when it moves to purpose built premises at Linthwaite Clough School. A personal invitation is extended to everyone who has been associated with the playgroup over the last 40 years. This service will be led by Rev Jo Archer-Siddall.

The third tennis court at Linthwaite continues to progress with the stanchions going into place around the area.ŠThe children of Linthwaite Clough J I & EY School, who receive tennis coaching at the club, have been selling local produce provided by a local orchard to raise funds toward the new court – they have raised an amazing £45 –that’s a lot of jam, pickles and pies!

Morning service at Christ Church was led by the Rev Julian Perkins who celebrated Holy Communion and gave a blessing. He later baptised Mason Jacob Lees. Lessons were read by Margaret McQuillan and David Hyde, the Rev Jenni Honeyman preached and prayed and the organist was Derek Horne. Evening service was led by the Rev Jenni Honeyman who also gave a blessing. Lessons were read by Margaret McQuillan and Ann Leigh, the Rev Julian Perkins preached and prayed and the organist was Rhona Jepson.

LONGWOOD

The monthly Family Service at St Mark’s Church on Sunday morning was led by Parish Priest, Canon Martyn Crompton. The music was provided by Philip Turner and his group of musicians and choir. The service sheet, once again was a power point presentation on the big screen operated by Charles Ross. In his opening address Martyn welcomed the new Mr and Mrs Robinson – James and Alice – whom he had married the previous day, and they had brought their wedding cake to church to be cut and shared by the congregation, immediately after the service. The service continued with the first hymn All Things Bright And Beautiful. It was also the Harvest Festival and, during this hymn the harvest gifts were received by Martyn by the altar. Following his reading of the Gospel from Luke, Martyn gave his address based on his own memory as a boy, when his father severed his thumb in a circular saw accident. The thumb was surgically re-attached, but due to some damage, his father lost all sense of feeling to such an extent that, Martyn and his brother used to laugh at the smell of burning flesh when their father pressed in the lighted tobacco in his pipe. Martyn discovered, years later, that the disease of leprosy produced similar losses of feelings. This was a link to the Gospel which dealt with Jesus and a group of lepers. After his talk Martyn continued with intercession prayers. Sharing The Peace, he included the young people, from Sunday school and their leader Joan Morton, who were present for the whole service. An impromptu rendering of Happy Birthday prompted a round of applause for Margaret Whitwam, celebrating her 86th birthday and James Robinson his 79th. The congregation included members of the Scouts, who assisted with the collection, and Beaver Leader Stuart Hales-Taylor and Beaver Scout Daisy Brooke carried the bread and wine to the high altar where Martyn was assisted by server Pat Jessop. Before the final blessing Martin announced that a meeting in the Parish Centre, will discuss how St Mark’s will come into line with St John’s at Golcar and hold family worship on a monthly basis with a more informal format, where members of the church conduct the service without always having a licensed Vicar present. The final song, Syahamba, was followed with the Celtic blessing as Martin and the children processed to the west end of church.The events of the day continued with James and Alice Robinson cutting their wedding cake to be shared by every one as part of the refreshments, and a silent auction of the surplus harvest gifts with the funds raised to be shared between the link parish of Kowak in Rorya and the Lord Street Mission in Huddersfield.

MARSDEN

It was the Jazz Festival at Marsden last weekend and at the United Church on Saturday morning there was a table top sale and refreshments were served all day. In the afternoon there were two concerts by the Huddersfield Young Singers. At 2.30pm the Junior Choir and at 4pm the Senior Choir sang.

On Sunday morning was the annual Jazz Service at United Church with worship led by the Rev Jo Archer-Siddall, and music provided by New Orleans Wiggle Jazz Band. The vocal solos by John Hummerstone, Jerry Owen, and Pete Beaumont who are all members of the band. Tea and coffee was served afterwards.

A procession and service of Holy Communion was held last Sunday to mark the 115th anniversary of the dedication of St Bartholomew’s Church. The Rev Geoff Garside officiated, assisted by lay reader Joan Biggs. Carolyn Hansom read the lessons and prayers of intercession were offered by Christine Garside. Organist was Jon Robinson. Sidesmen were Pat and Kevin Purcell and Diane Ellis. Coffee was served in the hall afterwards by Noreen Carr, Jenny Mitchell and Audrey Armitage.

For Marsden Jazz Weekend, St Bartholomew’s was open on Saturday and Sunday for visitors and refreshments were served in the hall. On Saturday evening there was a concert by jazz singer Jacqui Wicks, with Kevin James and Quartet, compered by Peter Armitage.

The Operatic Society presents the musical Summer Holiday in the church hall on Tuesday-Saturday October 26-30 at 7.15pm. Tickets, priced £8.50 are on sale at Duncan’s Hairdresser, Warehouse Hill, Marsden. Telephone 845311 (shop hours only).

MILNSBRIDGE

At the Milnsbridge Christadelphian Bible Reading Group, on Tuesday, October 5, 20 attended and Mr Andrew Walker, of Doncaster, led the discussion. On Wednesday at the Bible Class, the Prophecy of Malachi was dealt with by Mr James Walker. On Sunday, October 10 the Bible Talk was given by Mr Rae Earnshaw of Leeds: “On one Bible many Churches - Why?”

PARKWOOD

A pleasant Wednesday afternoon meeting was held at Parkwood Methodist Church, when the guest preacher was Christine Johnson, a community therapist. In the chair Jean Johnson, pianist Kenneth Rothery, refreshments Betty Sykes and Mary Rothery and secretary Freda Lloyd. Marion Lloyd welcomed the congregation to the church on Sunday morning, when the guest preacher was Richard Hoyle, reader John Oldham, organist Kenneth Rothery. Coffee was served after the service by Margaret and Kenneth Fairclough. A community breakfast will be held this morning, Saturday, October 16, 9am-12noon.

SLAITHWAITE

St James’ Parish Church Mother's Union held a ploughman's lunch in the Church lounge followed by a short service led by branch leader Patricia Parkinson. The speaker was the Rev Jo Archer-Siddall, who spoke about harvest time after taking the Harvest Festival and Nields Infants and Junior School, telling them that 'store' and 'starve' are two words out of the word Harvest. She talked about her role as a Methodist Minister and then we had a question and answer session and she was thanked by Jacqueline Haigh.

At Slaithwaite Good Companions on Thursday Patricia Parkinson entertained instead of the booked speaker who was not well. She did poems written by Pam Ayres and talked about holidays and celebrations, thanked by Betty Whitwam, Margaret Cook was the pianist.

The Sunday morning service at St James’ Parish church was a service of Holy Communion, led by the Rev Robin Townsend, assisted by Raymond Denton. The lesson from Kings chapter 5 called The Curing of Naaman, read by the Rev Robin, also the Holy Gospel from St Luke Chapter 17 and his address was about The Thankful Samaritan. He also led the prayers. Children of the Sunday School with Simon and Alison Parkinson then acted out the Gospel readings and the organist was Rodney Pearson.

At Slaithwaite Methodist Church the first meeting of the new session of the Wesley Guild took place on Thursday evening. It was led by Gordon Ellis of the Devotional section. The speaker was the Rev Mike Smith of Marsden who spoke on Egypt as in the bible and who had brought along many artefacts to illustrate his talk. Supper was served by the committee ladies.

Sunday morning worship was led by the Mrs Wendy Blackburn. Get Better cards were distributed for passing on to needy friends. Wendy based her sermon on the theme Stop to Listen and Obey, with readings from Jeremiah by Beryl Smith, Chapter 13 from One Corinthians by Betty Robshaw and the gospel reading from Luke by Dawn Dyson. The organist was Wendy Redfearn.