BIRDSEDGE

The Birdsedge Festival meetings at the village hall are now held on a regular monthly basis. The next one is on Wednesday February 1 at 8pm in the village hall bar. Anyone interested in helping will be welcome.

A Live music night is organised for Saturday January 21 from 7pm. Several local bands will be playing with bar and food available.

Pat Wood took the family service with a very good congregation on Sunday . Pat talked about home and what it means to each of us. A home is prepared for us in heaven for anyone that asks, she said. She talked about parents and read some interesting tongue-in-cheek letters – one from a son to his father and one from a mother to her son. “God our father is always there for us”, she added. The reading was from Matthew 7 verses 7-12 – ‘Ask, seek, knock’. The ‘master’s card’, which we can all apply for is better than any credit card – it gives us unlimited grace, greatest love, lasting peace, it’s reliable, never expires and membership lasts for eternity. There was a memory verse – ‘So, in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and Prophets’ – from Matthew 7 verse 12. The next service will be a worship service.

CLAYTON WEST

On Wednesday January 4 Clayton West WI held their meeting. After a quick business meeting there was a beetle drive, followed by refreshments and a raffle. The next meeting will be the AGM and a Faith Supper and is on Wednesday February 1. A special date to remember will be Wednesday March 7 when guest speaker will be Joe Maiden, the gardening expert.

Morning worship at the Methodist Church was a service of the annual renewing of members’ covenant with God. It was a personal commitment to serve him whatever he calls them to do in the coming year along with fellow Christians, not just a kind of new year’s resolution which so often gets broken. The service included Holy Communion, which was led by Rev David Priestnall, who spoke of a new beginning for all in this new year and reflected on the things we agreed before God to do in his service for the community. Stewards were Diana Hunt and Maxine Lodge who also prepared and assisted at Holy Communion. Bible readings were given by Les Barber and Jean Heath. A gift of flowers for the communion table was from Linda Flack, and after the service Lucie Froggatt served coffee and biscuits.

DENBY DALE

Churches Together in and around Denby Dale is having its regular annual ceilidh next Saturday, January 21, at 7.30pm in the Pie Hall. This is an ecumenical social event which includes the Anglican, Methodist and Zion Wesleyan Reform Churches of Cumberworth, Denby and Denby Dale. Everyone from the parishes is very welcome to come along and join the fun! There will be a caller who leads the ceilidh and encourages people to get upon to their feet and attempt the dances, which range from very easy to moderate, depending on the capability of everyone! Food is available during the interval.Adult tickets are £7, children £4 and family tickets (two adults and two children) for £20. They are available from church members or contact Sarah Robinson (864565).

On Friday January 6, Denby Dale and Cumberworth Senior Citizens’ Gathering enjoyed a visit to a pantomime at the Lyceum Theatre in Sheffield. The trip was organised by Philip and Sarah Robinson who are members of the Denby Dale and Cumberworth Senior Citizens’ Gathering Committee. A coach picked up people at various places in the surrounding villages and transported them to Sheffield to see Sleeping Beauty which everyone enjoyed, especially the ice cream at half time. Many thanks go to Philip and Sarah for a lovely afternoon, also to the coach driver Tony, of Stotts coaches.

Sunday school members of Zion Wesleyan Reform Chapel, Denby Dale enjoyed their annual new year’s party on Saturday afternoon.The theme of Sunday morning’s Sunday School was the visit of the wise men. Robert Nuttall led the Sunday evening service when he spoke about following Jesus. The service included Holy Communion when the steward was Carol Mosley. On Sunday there will be a Family Service at 10.30am and Robert Booth will be leading the evening service at 6pm.

KIRKBURTON

Mrs Sue Whitcroft welcomed the congregation to a service of Sung Eucharist in All Hallows Parish Church on the first Sunday of Epiphany: The Baptism of Christ. The leader was reader, Mrs Janet Roberts and the preacher, the Rev Graham Whitcroft. He took for the theme of his sermon The Wise Men. Mrs Lorraine Lockwood projected images to illustrate the service. Mrs Sue Whitcroft read the prayers of intercession and Mrs Gwen Lodge gave the readings from the third chapter of the letter of St Paul to the Ephesians and the second chapter of the Gospel according to St Matthew. The chalice and paten were taken-up by churchwardens Mr Glyn Phillips and Mr John Keighley and Mr Whitcroft was assisted at the distribution by Mrs Roberts and Mrs Hilary Berry. The duties of sidesmen were performed by Mr and Mrs Russell Smith who also took up the collection. Mrs Doreen Barraclough provided the music for the service. Refreshments were served by Mrs Joy Elson and Mrs Christine Rangeley. Please note: there are no evening services in All Hallows during January.

SHELLEY

Shelley Over 60s held their first meeting of 2012 at the Village Hall last Thursday. Before the start of the usual activities members held one minute’s silence in respect at the sad loss of three members – Walter Downs, Barbara Fawcett and Hilda Holmes – who had passed away since the last meeting before Christmas. The meeting then carried on and the bingo line was won by Elaine Shaw and the full house by Robin Small. There was no winner for the first three numbers on one card, so the prize carried over until next week. The whist high of 97 was won by Barry Jessop and the low of 64 went to Vera Wilkinson from eight tables. Members wished a happy birthday to Janet Brook. Raffle prizes were won by Molly James, Sylvia Stevenson, Jean Peck, Jean Jessop and Margaret Schofield.

SKELMANTHORPE

On Epiphany Sunday, Stuart Merry led the All-age Worship at Skelmanthorpe Methodist Church. The theme of the service centred on the Sunday Club Prize Giving and a few members of the congregation showed prizes which they had received in the 1940s and 50s. Stuart encouraged everyone to keep faithful to God. Bible lessons were read by Margaret Firth and John Senior. The music group accompanied one of the hymns and the organist was Frances Priestnall. Refreshments after the service were served by Ailsa Horton and Lin Pearson.