Otley Parish Church
December 2016 / January 2017
Hark!
The herald angels sing
Hark! the herald angels sing
“Glory to the new-born King!
Peace on earth and mercy mild
God and sinners reconciled”
Joyful, all ye nations rise
Join the triumph of the skies
With the angelic host proclaim:
“Christ is born in Bethlehem”
Hark! the herald angels sing
“Glory to the new-born King!”
Charles Wesley
£1
or donation
Otley Parish Church
Who Are We?
Otley Parish Church – the oldest building in Otley – is at the
heart of our town and, for over 1,000 years, people have been
gathering here for worship and significant family and
community events. There is a place for everyone, with Christ
at the centre of it all.
We are a gathering place for pilgrims on a journey of discovery,
kindling hope as we go, helping one another to be more fully
alive to the wonders, joys and sorrows of life. We’d love you to
share the journey with us.
We want to grow in numbers, in spiritual commitment to Christ
and in service to our local community.
Join us in worshipping God together on Sundays and in daily
life; be with us as we study and discern how to use the Bible in
the 21st century; learn with us what it is to be 21st Century
disciples following Jesus and help us, with the other Churches
in the town, to bring good news to Otley and far beyond.
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Contents
December 2016
1
3
6
9
12
13
16
17
18
19
31
Letter from the Vicar
Advent reminds us Jesus is coming
In the Hot Seat
Philip Lionel Bidnell
An Unexpected Connection
Most
A recent visit to India is the link
Getting the Message Across
It was nailed to the church door
Pray on Fridays
Praying for the town of Otley
New Series: Heritage Tour
Our church building and its artefacts
Craftynuts
Who we are and what we do
Christmas Music is Coming
The Otley Parish Church Choir
Ode to a Haggis
All about the bells
The Christmas Supplement
Enjoy Christmas
Who’s Who?
Key contacts at Otley Parish Church
otleyparishchurch.org
[email protected]
parishchurchotley
@otleyallsaints
OTLEY PARISH CHURCH
Kirkgate  Otley  West Yorkshire  LS21 3HW
Vicar:
The Reverend Graham Buttanshaw
Registered Charity Number 1153498
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Letter from the Vicar
Dear Friends,
“Christ the King” is the focus of the last Sunday
before Advent. The readings set for the day help
us think what kind of a king Jesus the Christ is.
The prophet Jeremiah promises “A king who will
reign wisely and do what is just and right.”
The reading from Colossians chapter one offers a
bigger and fuller picture of Jesus as Christ the
King. His story starts before the creation of the
universe. He is supreme over everything and
holds all things together. Through his death on
the cross, Jesus has brought us forgiveness and
our relationship with God is restored. He has
rescued us from darkness and brought us into his
kingdom.
In doing this, Christ has broken down the walls
that divide us from each other. We serve a king
who trumps every human authority. We all belong
in one human family, with one God and Father of
us all. God’s kingdom is for all peoples and
nations. Heaven is multi-ethnic. And we
Christians are called to live that reality now and
not retreat into narrow nationalism or only relate
to “people like us”.
The end of any story is crucial. Only then do you
see the whole story. I know someone who checks
the last pages of any book before she will read
the story. To check it has a happy ending! Once
she knows that, she can engage confidently with
the twists and turns and joys and pains of the
story.
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“
God has
come. He is
with us. It’s
a great
story. A
story to
base your
life upon.
In Advent, we are reminded of the end of the
story: Jesus is coming again to establish his
eternal kingdom of justice and peace. At
Christmas, we celebrate the birth of Jesus
because of ‘what happens next’: his life, death
and resurrection. Jesus’ earthly life is at the heart
of a much bigger story that began before the
world was created, and will continue until he
returns.
In the light of the ending to the story, we have the
confidence to engage with all the twists and turns
and joys and pains of this present age. We are
people of hope, celebrating the light, nurturing the
light and shining as lights to the glory of God the
Father.
And best of all, we are not alone. God has come. He
is with us. It’s a great story. A story to base your life
upon.
“
Have a wonderful Christmas!
With love.
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In the Hot Seat
HELLO!
I’m
Philip
Lionel
BIDNELL
Hello Philip,
Many people at Otley Parish Church know you well. Equally,
many people only know you by sight as they see you in church
Sunday by Sunday. We’d all love to know a little more about
you, so we hope you won’t mind answering a few questions
about yourself. Thank you!
Q. When were you born and where did you grow up? Do you have
brothers and sisters?
A. I was born in Hitchin, Hertfordshire, in June 1921. I had 2 sisters and 3
brothers, but sadly none are alive today.
Q. Where did you go to school?
A. I went to the local grammar school in Hitchin until I was 18 years old.
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Q. What about church?
A. My parents weren’t churchgoers. But I started going to church when I
was about 13. Firstly, for a short while I went to a Methodist Church near
home, and then to the local C of E church. I have been a Christian for as
long as I can remember.
Q. Where did you meet your wife Madeline and where did you get
married?
A. I met Madeline while on holiday in the Lake District in 1951. We got
married just 6 months later in Menston, where Madeline used to live.
We’ve now been married for 65 years.
Q. What was your occupation?
A. After school, I had a variety of short-term jobs before enlisting in the
RAF during the Second World War at the age of 20. Within a very short
time I was posted overseas to Ambala, India. I left the RAF at the end of
the war and went into Local Government where I stayed until I retired in
1981. I worked in various parts of the country until I was married. At that
time I was working in Beverley, East Riding, where we lived until we
moved to Otley in 1965. Between 1965 and 1974 I was Treasurer for Otley
Urban District Council.
Q. How many grandchildren do you have?
A. I have 8 grandchildren (2 boys and 6 girls) and 8 great-grandchildren.
Q. Why did you choose to live in Otley?
A. Madeline had grown up locally in Menston. I had wanted to find a job
somewhere in this part of Yorkshire and was fortunate to get a job locally
in Otley.
Q. Where did you worship before coming to Otley Parish Church?
A. Silly question! I’ve worshipped at Otley Parish Church for more than
half of my 95 years! I came to the Church here with Madeline after moving
from Beverley 50 years ago! I was Churchwarden here for about 8 years
between 1984 And 1993. When we were first married we attended St
Mary’s Church in Beverley.
Q. Do you have a favourite Christian hymn or song?
A. I don’t have a special favourite, but love most of all the hymns that were
In the original ‘English Hymnal’, published in 1906. I’m not a huge lover of
the modern hymns and songs that we sing in church today!
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Q. Do you like classical music? Do you have a favourite piece?
A. I love classical music but don’t have any favourite piece. My favourite
composer is Mozart.
Q. What about modern songs or music?
A. No! I’m not a fan and don’t understand it.
Q. Do you play a musical instrument?
A. I have never played a musical instrument – not even a mouth organ!
Q. Do you have a favourite part of Yorkshire that you like to visit?
A. My favourite place is just around the corner from Otley – or rather, up
the hill from Otley on the Chevin. It’s ‘Surprise View’ – the best view in the
whole of Yorkshire – not on a misty day though. I also love the
Kirbymoorside area of North Yorkshire.
Q. Is there somewhere you would like to go on holiday where you’ve
not been before?
A. No – I’d rather stay at home!
Q. Do you have a hobby or something you enjoy doing to relax?
A. No! Madeline says he likes to potter. Way back in his younger days
Philip enjoyed making things, one of which was an electric motor – and it
worked!
Q. What is your favourite meal or food?
A. After a lot of thought – Christmas pudding with custard.
Q. If you were to spend a whole year on your own on a desert island
what luxury would you take with you?
A. A portable radio – and lots of batteries.
Q. Which one word best describes your life right now?
A. Content.
Sunday’s preacher’s little boy inquired, “Dad, I notice every Sunday
morning when you go to the front of church to preach, you bow your
head. What are you doing?”
The father explained, “I’m asking the Lord to give me a good sermon.”
The little boy said, “Well, why doesn’t he?”
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An Unexpected Connection
Between
Philip Bidnell
John Simkins and India
A
few weeks ago, I gave Philip and Madeline Bidnell a lift to church.
Philip remembered that we had had a conversation about India a few
months ago. Knowing my interest in India – I have been there many
times for Christian mission since the 1970s – Philip told me that he had been
posted there in the Second World War. I asked him where he had spent his
time. “Ambala”, he replied.
Ambala is in NW India as
you head from Delhi towards
the Pakistan border, though
Pakistan didn’t exist in those
days. Philip had joined the
RAF and served in Ambala
from 1941 to 1945. He was
based in the Ambala
Cantonment – the British
military base. It is a city not
visited much by tourists but it
was very strategic for the
Philip Bidnell at home in Otley
British throughout the Raj
years.
November 2016
Those of
you who have read Rudyard Kipling may know his book
‘Kim’ which is based there. I have often been there to
help teach in a small Bible School. I was about to visit
India again with my eldest son, Steve. Ambala was on
the itinerary!
Philip attended the British built church at the
Cantonment called St Paul’s. His mates made a bit of
fun of his churchgoing and dubbed him ‘The Bishop
Philip Bidnell
of Hitchin’ (his home town)! I had seen St Paul’s
1941
tower on a previous visit. I promised him I would try
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and find it
again. So, with
the help of my
friends and
along with
Steve, we went
to see it.
Ambala
Cantonment is
still a very large
military base –
partly Indian
Army and partly
Indian Air
Force. Sadly,
due to the
current IndiaPakistan
St Paul’s Church, Ambala, India, 2016
dispute they
were very sensitive and did not allow us into the compound. However, the
church tower is clearly visible over the wall – so we got a good snap! Also,
a son of the pastor of the church I visit had been a student at the high
school, which is now based in the compound next to the church. He had
recently been inside and taken pictures.
Sadly, though, only the tower now stands; the
rest is in ruins. In 1965 there was an IndiaPakistan war and the church building was
targeted. It has never been rebuilt.
Philip had little chance to leave the camp.
However, he had had two opportunities to go up to
Shimla, the British summer capital set at 7000 feet.
We were planning to visit Shimla again on our trip!
He also described a journey, when he had a leave
break, to go by bus over the hills to beautiful
Kashmir, to the state capital Srinagar. I had also
been over these hills on a bus to Srinagar in the
Philip Bidnell
1970s. If he and his friends did get leave from the
1936
camp locally they would try and get some fish and
chips in the city!
It has been delightful to chat to Philip about his India experiences and
to hear him coming out with his Hindi language and other memories as we
talked!
John Simkins
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Christmas Greetings and Thanks
From Joanna and Sahaara
As members of the Christian global family, OPCers are amazing. Thank
you so much for your great support this year for the vulnerable women –
and often their children, in Leeds and Mumbai.
The Team at Joanna, Leeds
(L to R) Emma Flint, Molly Ovendon (Administrator)
Fiona Grundy, Naomi Mashinter. The Project Manager,
Jackie Hird, was behind the camera taking the photograph.
The recent Curry Night raised £285. Not only that, but the evening
enabled Georgina Drew to tell other diners at the Red Pepper about the
project and why we were all so jolly! The result of her chatting to them was
a further £30 donated by two couples. This brought the total for the
evening to £315. The even greater news is that we have reached our 2nd
year target of giving. Hopefully, if the pattern of giving continues, we
should be able to raise the overall target of £10,000 for the two charities,
Joanna and Sahaara, by January 2018.
I think this demonstrates the Lord taking all sorts of opportunities to tell
of His love!
And there’s more! We applied to have a tree for both projects at the
Christmas Tree Festival, and we’re delighted to have been awarded one.
Look out for it and pray that visitors will be generous. Again, there will be
opportunities to tell of God’s love shown by the birth of His Son.
The Local to Global group wish you all a joy-filled Christmas.
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Getting the MESSAGE across
by nailing it to the church door
by John and Gisela Moulds
Otley Parish Church members, John and Gisela Moulds, recently
visited the Lutheran Evangelical Church in Erfurt, Germany, with
Bishop Nick Baines and members of the Leeds Diocese-Erfurt Link.
Communication in the 16th Century was very
different to how it is today. Whereas nowadays it is
easy to communicate immediately with a vast
number of people through the internet, Martin
Luther, Professor in Theology at the University of
Wittenberg and a Roman Catholic Priest, had no
such opportunity. By 1517, Luther had become
extremely concerned about some of the practices
and teachings of the church and particularly, the
sale of indulgences, which promised the remission
of sins for a cash payment. Based on St Paul’s
Letter to the Romans, chapter 3, verses 23-25, he
had also come to believe that salvation is not
earned by good deeds but is received as the free
gift of God’s grace through the believer’s faith in
Martin Luther (1483-1546)
Jesus Christ as redeemer from sin.
Luther expressed his views and beliefs through 95 points or theses. In a
bid to publicise these views, he is said to have nailed his “95 Theses”
prominently to the door of Wittenberg church on 31st
October 1517. His choice of date was deliberate as it
was his intention that they would be seen by
churchgoers on the following day, November 1st - All
Saints’ Day. This event is widely regarded as the
beginning of the Reformation in Germany. Luther’s
theses were written in Latin, but they were quickly
translated by supporters and printed copies were
widely distributed. Within two months, copies were
made available throughout Europe and within two
years, they had reached England. The issue of how we
spread the Good News was one topic discussed by
The door of the
Wittenburg church members of the Leeds Diocese-Erfurt Link and Bishop
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Nick, during our recent visit to Erfurt in the former East Germany. Erfurt is a
beautiful city, with buildings dating back to the Middle Ages. It was here that
Martin Luther was a monk and lived at the Augustinian Monastery for five
years. It is still possible to see the room he is said to have used as a study and
view early copies of his 95 theses in the library.
Our visit included many interesting and memorable experiences. Iin
particular, three visits made a lasting
impression. The first, was our visit to the
village of Schmira on a sunny Saturday
afternoon. It is a small place, with a
population of about 700. The congregation
of St Nikolaus Church welcomed us
enthusiastically and were keen to tell us
how they had reached out to the local
community by getting involved in local
festivities. St Nikolaus is also a Pilgrim
The logo of St Nikolaus
Church, where pilgrims can stay overnight
Church, Schmira
on their journeys from Goerlitz in East
Germany to Santiago de Compostela in Spain. One pilgrim wrote in the
Visitors Book, ‘Three pilgrims found open hearts and an open door here.
Thank you very much for your hospitality in this wonderful place. God’s
blessing on all who enter and leave.’ We also enjoyed that hospitality.
There was much laughter and at the end we chatted together over ‘Kaffee
und Kuchen’ - coffee and cake.
In complete contrast, the second memorable visit was to a former
prison, now a museum, of the East German Secret Police known as the
Stasi. One aim of the Stasi was to know everything about everybody. To
do this they used a vast number of informants to spy on their neighbours,
colleagues, friends and even their own families. Many people taken to the
prison did not know why they had been arrested. The prison was designed
to dehumanise anyone unfortunate enough to be incarcerated there. The
cells contained three sets of bunks – for six people, a toilet and a wash
basin. Nothing else; no partitions and no privacy. There was a small
outdoor exercise area, where prisoners had to be totally silent. Any
attempt at communication, by speaking or whistling, or making any sound
at all, was forbidden. The whole experience for prisoners was one of
psychological torture. It is a horrific demonstration of man’s inhumanity to
man.
The third visit lifted the spirits again. We attended the service for
Reformation Day, Reformstag, held in the church of the Augustinerkloster, the
Augustinian monastery, where Martin Luther had made his vows as a
novice monk. The church was completely full and there was standing
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room only when the
service began. We were
informed that an
estimated four hundred
people were in the
congregation and that
certainly seemed likely.
Bishop Nick preached the
sermon and there was a
performance of a Bach
Cantata, with high pitched
trumpets and woodwind
giving a spine tingling
Baroque edge to the music.
It was both a spiritual and
The Church of the Augustinerkloster
emotional experience. From
the mid-1930s, the church in Germany experienced hostility and repression,
first from the Nazis and then under the Communist East German regime. Here
was the exciting proof that not only had it survived, but it was growing again
and looking outwards.
Next year is the 500th anniversary of Martin Luther nailing his 95 Theses
to the church door and several events are planned to mark the occasion.
These include the introduction of a new version of the Luther Bible and the
‘Kirchentag’ in May 2017 when 250,000 people are expected to gather for a
series of discussions, talks, musical events and services. In England, the
Reformation is closely connected with Henry VIII and Thomas Cranmer. In
Germany and in Europe, the Reformation and Luther’s part in it had a widereaching effect. The celebrations in 2017 will therefore be an opportunity for
us to look at the very beginnings of the Reformation and discuss Luther’s
original ideas. His message is still getting across.
A Diocesan link was set up in 1997 when Erfurt was still part of the
German Democratic Republic. It differs from other diocesan
overseas links because it involves a non-Anglican church in Europe.
Some of the link’s aims are:



To share and learn from experiences in increasingly secularised
societies
To explore the role of the Church in the future of Europe
To discuss the differing insights, traditions, and worship styles in
Protestantism
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PRAY ON FRIDAYS
 FOR OTLEY 
The idea of “Pray on Fridays for Otley” is that each of us takes an
opportunity on a Friday, wherever we might be, alone or with others, to
ask God to bless Otley with His presence and salvation. We might pray,
“Father, your kingdom come, your will be done in Otley as it is in
heaven!” We might pray for a street, for our neighbours or for the Town
Council or some institution in the town. The cards are ‘credit card sized’
and on one side is the ‘Prayer for Otley’ written by Rev. Graham
Buttanshaw. Carry one with you or stick it on a kitchen cupboard! This is
an act of unity and trust that God will bless our town. Pick up a card from
the back of church. They’re not only for use by our own church members
but are also offered to other Christians throughout Otley.
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Over the coming months in the church magazine, there will be a
Heritage Tour series of articles by Allan Boddy and Margaret Parkin.
These will explore many aspects of the history and heritage of the
church building and its artefacts. This month, Allan Boddy looks at
Fonts.
The word ‘font’ comes from the Latin word fons,
meaning a spring of water and reflects the fact that
the font is the container for the water used in
baptism. The font is usually positioned somewhere
near to the main door of a church, as it is now at
Otley Parish Church, to emphasise the idea that
when you are baptised you are entering into the life
of the church and becoming a member of the
community of faith. In fact, our stone font
(Illustration 1) has only rarely been used for
baptisms since it was decided that baptisms would
take place as part
of
a
Sunday
Illustration 1
service and that
the ceremony of baptism itself would take
place at the front of the church so the
congregation could take a full part in it.
One famous person’s baptism is recorded
in the Parish Register for 1718: “5th June
1718 Thomas son of John Chippendale of
Otley, joyner.” We have a diagram
(illustration 2) of what the font used for
Thomas Chippendale’s baptism looked like,
drawn by Fred Morrell, a local historian,
based on an old photograph. We also have
a rather grainy photograph (illustration 3)
Illustration 2
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showing this font centrally sited at
the west end of the church under
the gallery that was constructed
there in 1757. The organ, which is
clearly shown in the photograph,
was moved to this gallery in 1851.
During the major reordering of the
church in 1867 the west end gallery
was taken down and a new
baptistery was constructed in 1868
at the north side of what is now the
Parish Room. A memorial plaque in
the Parish Room tells us that this
baptistery was erected by Francis
Darwin of Creskeld Hall in memory
of his mother, Ann Rhodes, who
hailed from Bramhope Hall, the
home of the Rhodes family.
Unfortunately, the ‘Chippendale’ font
is believed to have disappeared from
the Church during this restoration in
1867 and its whereabouts remains a
mystery.
Illustration 3
According to the researchers from the National Association of Decorative
and Fine Arts Societies (NADFAS) who made a record of church furnishings
between 2009 and 2012, the present font actually dates back to the early
19th century. The font itself is made of limestone whilst the font cover is
made of oak and is much more recent, dating back to the second quarter of
the 20th century. The cover is dedicated to the memory of Harriet Maston,
who was a teacher in the Sunday School and who died in 1933, aged 72.
Until 1990 our baptistery was sited at the west end of the church but,
following the decision to sell off the church hall on the south side of Burras
Lane, it was proposed to build a meeting room at the back of the church
and to move the baptistery and the Saxon crosses to the south transept
alongside the Fairfax tomb. The font was moved there in 1990 and that was
where the baptistery was sited until the recent reordering (2015).
As mentioned above, the stone font is not now regularly used for baptisms
and instead we use a small wooden font (illustration 4), but this wooden font
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Illustration 4
has its own story. It was made along with several other artefacts by Edwin
Dale, Ken Dale’s father (Church member), from the Victorian oak pews
which became surplus to requirements when the Parish Room was built.
Recycling pews is not a recent phenomenon! It was made for use at the
Weston Estate Family Church which had opened in 1967 and it came to the
Parish Church when WEFC was finally closed.
WEFC was the brainchild of Patrick Ashe who was Vicar of Otley from 1956
to 1964. When the Weston Estate was built, he was concerned that the
inhabitants would find it difficult to get to the Parish Church so in 1960 he,
his wife Marion and his six children erected a temporary home at the far end
of the estate so they could meet and get the views of the residents. In
another part of the estate a large marquee was erected in which services
were held for two weeks. The result of Rev. Ashe’s researches was the
building of a church on the Weston Estate which opened in 1967. But the
full story of WEFC is one for another time.
 NEXT MAGAZINE COPY DATE 
Sunday 15th January
The February issue of our church magazine will be published on
Sunday 29th January 2017. News and feature articles will be gratefully
received. Please submit them to Margaret Turner. Her contact details
are on page 32.
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[or the Craft Group]
Once again, the craft group have enjoyed a busy and productive year. We
usually have about 14 members present but have over 20 on our “books”.
We began the year making a “Cross in a Pocket” a little cross made from
plastic canvas inside a little plastic canvas pocket which pops nicely into a
handbag or indeed one’s own pocket. We tried our hands at Macramé, Card
making, Tea bag folding and made fabric wreaths ready for Christmas. We had
a summer “Christmas meal” at the Rose and Crown and enjoyed two full craft
days, the first making flower balls from paper and the second book folding! At
both we had our usual faith lunch which is always a huge success.
We joined in the celebration of the church rededication weekend where we
displayed some of the things we had made over recent years to encourage
others to join us.
Currently we are working on our display for one of the church windows for
Christmas and cutting tags for the ‘Christmas Tree’ prayer tree. Last Christmas
we displayed fabric baubles we had made on another full day. We meet the first
and third Wednesday each month 7pm-9.30pm in the Chestnuts and anyone is
welcome to drop in. You will find a friendly welcoming group and a cuppa other
than that it’s pot luck!
For further info Lynne Barber 466493
SCRAPBOOKING
You may have noticed the window display we put up for harvest festival. It is
always a challenge and this is the third year / third hymn that we have visually
displayed. We need a good harvest hymn for 2017 please!
Many of you may not be familiar with modern scrapbooking. I remember
sticking scraps in a book as a child but scrapbooking nowadays should really be
called memory book making. Using photographs, text and memorabilia (tickets,
maps, leaflets, etc.) to make a display book shows anyone who sees it what you
might tell them about the photos without you having to tell anyone anything. You
can preserve memories for your children and grandchildren or for other
extended members of your family. Meeting together gives us all inspiration and
ideas and we can also share materials and tools. If you would like to know more,
please feel free to drop in on the third Friday of any month, 1.30pm to 3.30pm in
the Chestnuts, or ring Lynne Barber 01943 466493. A hot cuppa and a warm
welcome are guaranteed
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Christmas Music
is on its way!
The members of Otley Parish Church Choir resumed
rehearsals in September.
At the end of that month, we visited Teal Beck House to
sing some of our anthems and lead the residents in the
singing of some harvest and other well-known hymns.
There were many appreciative comments from the
residents and we shall be back there again on Christmas Eve.
We are now approaching our busiest period of the year with the
Victorian Fayre opening our Christmas singing on 4th December.
We shall be singing in church from 3.15pm and
performing many of the choir pieces that we have
been learning, along with traditional carols.
On 11th December we shall be taking part in the
Christmas Tree Carol Service at 4pm, followed
on 18th December by the Carols by Candlelight service, also at 4pm. Finally, on
Christmas Eve, we shall be making our traditional visits to
Spring Gardens and Teal Beck House, which are always greatly appreciated.
Pam Beck
Page | 17
Ding Dong Merrily
Ode to a Haggis
As Christmas approaches, Otley Bell Ringers will be busy ringing on
Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve. How wonderful to
be able to ring over our town to announce the church’s presence in the
community and to celebrate these joyful occasions with all people in Otley
– at least those within earshot!
Fundraising towards the refurbishment of the bells is going well, thanks to
many generous donations from church members, the local community and
from visitors to the tower and the town. A very big ‘thank you’ with bells on
from the bell ringers to you all! We are over a third of the way towards the
final figure required to restore the bells to their full glory. If you would like to
know more about the bells and our fundraising efforts there are leaflets at
the back of the church and in various spots throughout Otley.
As part of the fundraising efforts we are planning
a Burns Night Ceilidh in the New Year. It will
take place in the Church on Saturday 28th
January with live band ‘Village Hop’ and a supper
of Haggis with ‘tatties and neeps’. I hear there will
even be a barrel or two of Mr Briscoe’s excellent
beer and maybe a line or two from the bard
himself!
Tickets can be obtained from any of the ringers, or contact me on
[email protected] or 07743330264. We would love to see you there!
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12-page
CHRISTMAS
Supplement
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Praise God for Christmas
Praise Him for the Incarnation
For the word made flesh
I will not sing of shepherds watching flocks
On frosty night
Or Angel choristers
I will not sing
Of stable bare in Bethlehem
Or lowing oxen
Wise men
Trailing distant star
With gold, frankincense and myrrh
Tonight I will sing
Praise to the Father
Who stood on heaven's threshold
And said farewell to His Son
As He stepped across the stars
To Bethlehem
And Jerusalem
And I will sing
Praise to the infinite eternal Son
Who became most finite
A baby
Who would one day be executed
For my crimes
Praise Him in the heavens
Praise Him in the stable
Praise Him in my heart
From ‘Psalms of My Life’ by Joseph T. Bayly
(1920-1986). This poem is based on Malachi 3:2.
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Is Father Christmas real?
What do I tell my children about Father Christmas?
I can still recall, as a child, that feeling when
my eyes were tightly shut and I was
pretending to be asleep. I heard footsteps in
my bedroom, a rustle of paper and a creak of
the door, then silence. I savoured the joy and
excitement of knowing that Father Christmas
had visited me again.
Then comes the inevitable time when all
is revealed and the truth dawns on you. He’s
not real. I don’t remember being devastated, but I am sure that Christmas
had lost a bit of its sparkle after that, until I had that realisation that Jesus
was real, and then the season took on a whole new meaning for me.
My mum told me recently that her mother had told her that Jesus was
real and that Father Christmas was based on St Nicholas, a kind man who
gave out gifts to the poor. She had told me and my sisters the same, and
said we seemed happy with that.
After my children were born, I wanted them to feel the same feelings of
joy and wonder that I remembered, but I felt it was important for them to
know that the season was about the birth of Jesus, the Saviour of the world.
I have always had a nativity scene and made this a central part of our
decorations. I read them the Bible verses about Jesus’ birth: Luke 2:1–20,
and Isaiah 9:6–7: “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the
government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful
Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
Then came the story of Father Christmas, who would come to our
house in the middle of the night and put stockings at the bottom of their
beds and presents under the tree. The excitement about him coming was
part of the whole Christmas package with the tree, carols, our Christmas
service and food. St Nicholas was a good Christian man, and a good role
model, and so is Jesus. It is a good idea to centre on that theme and this
will help when the inevitable moment comes and one realises that all is not
as it seems.
The important thing for me to convey to my children was that
Christmas was all about Jesus, that he was real and that everything else
was a part of the celebrations. One year, I went to Midnight Mass and so
the next day we didn’t go to church, and my son said: “It doesn’t feel like
Christmas if we don’t go to church.” That’s how it should be, I believe, that
Jesus and worshipping him come first and everything else afterwards.
Article by Trisha Foote, extracted from ‘Woman Alive’ magazine, published by
Christian Publishing & Outreach (CPO), Worthing, West Sussex.
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Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a
sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall
call his name Emmanuel!
Matthew 2:10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced
exceedingly with great joy.
Isaiah 9:6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the
government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be
called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father,
Prince of Peace.
Matthew 1:21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name
Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.
Matthew 5:4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be
comforted.
Luke 1:30,31 And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid,
Mary, for you have found favour with God. And behold, you will
conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his
names Jesus”.
Luke 2:11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a
Saviour, who is Christ the Lord.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only
Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have
eternal life.
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of
God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
2 Corinthians 9:15 Thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift.
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Recipe for:
Ingredients:
 450g cooking apples, peeled, cored
and chopped.
 450g firm pears, peeled, cored and
chopped
 1 large onion, peeled and chopped
 124g sultanas
 75g fresh or frozen cranberries
 50g stem ginger, finely chopped
 Zest and juice of 2 oranges
 1 tsp salt
 A few whole cloves
 1 cinnamon stick
 400ml malt vinegar
 450g granulated sugar
Method:
1. Place the apples, pears, onion,
sultanas, cranberries and stem
ginger in a large pan. Stir in the
orange zest and juice, salt, cloves,
cinnamon and vinegar and bring to
the boil. Reduce the heat and
simmer for 10-15 mins until the
apples and pears are tender,
stirring occasionally.
2. Add the sugar and stir until
dissolved. Boil the chutney for 2030 mins, stirring occasionally, until
the mixture is thick and pulpy and
most of the liquid has evaporated.
Remove the cinnamon stick.
3. Spoon the hot chutney into clean,
warm and dry jars and seal with
airtight vinegar-proof covers. Label
and store in a cool dark place for at
least 2 weeks before eating to allow
the flavour to develop and mellow.
This spiced Christmas chutney is full of seasonal flavours and is ideal for serving
on Boxing Day with platters of cold cuts or cheese and biscuits. Christmas chutney
also makes a delicious gift for a foodie friend decorated with a festive ribbon and
label or as part of a Christmas hamper.
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COLOUR ME IN AT
CHRISTMAS
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‘Tis the
SEASON
Christmas Quotes:
The Son of God became a man to enable men to become
the Sons of God.
C. S. Lewis
The greatest and most momentous fact which the history of
the world records is the fact of Christ’s birth.
Charles H. Spurgeon
Who can add to Christmas? The perfect motive is that God
so loved the world. The perfect gift is that He gave his only
Son. The only requirement is to believe in him. The reward
of faith is that you shall have everlasting life.
Corrie Ten Boom
Love came down at Christmas, love all lovely, all divine.
Love was born at Christmas. Star and angels gave the sign.
Christina Rossetti
The giving of gifts is not something man invented. God
started the giving spree when He gave a gift beyond words,
the unspeakable gift of His Son.
Robert Flatt
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Christmas Word Search Puzzle
 The Birth of Jesus 
Angels
Baby
Bethlehem
Birth
Christ
Crib
Jesus
Joseph
Manger
Mary
Messiah
Nativity
Oxen
Saviour
Shepherds
Stable
Star
Virgin
How many words can you find?
Words can be found by reading forwards, backwards, diagonally,
vertically or horizontally. No prizes – just for fun!
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A Christmas Poem
Catherine, daughter of John and Anne Simkins, who lives in Cape
Town, has been leading a series of poetry workshops at the
International School in preparation for their Christmas celebration.
The Year 6 class, 11-year-olds, have produced this thoughtful poem.
Part 1: The Journey
One footstep following another
following another.
It is going to be a long five days,
But this is for my master,
For every time he looks at me I see
his soul;
His worry for his wife,
His pity for me,
And every time I see him it reminds
me,
I am chosen,
I have a big role to play.
And so, I continue walking,
For the sake of my rider.
One footstep following another
Following another.
When we rest I'm too tired to think
When we walk I'm too focused to
care.
But I obey my master
And carry my mistress,
Hearing tales of how a king will be
born.
It's a miracle
They say.
Time passes slowly,
One footstep following another
Following another.
Dust blinds,
The heat bakes,
Another fly buzzes Irritation.
I want to give up.
But then I hear the noises of Mary
crying.
And the whispers of Joseph
encouraging her.
And I know I have to carry on; for a
baby has to be born,
In Bethlehem.
It is planned and I can’t stop it.
Part 2: The Arrival
I said to myself, ‘you can do it!’
And I have.
Here I am
Standing in the middle of a busy
road.
We have arrived,
Finally.
After the long journey,
We have arrived.
But we haven’t come upon luxury,
Just crowded streets, filled with
tourists,
To the point I cannot breathe.
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All the inns are full,
And everyone is bumping into me,
Paying me no heed.
A trough with hay.
Where the biggest star in the sky
shines brightly overhead.
Arrogant donkeys
Pushing past me, with insults.
Nearly dropping my cargo,
Mary.
I stop.
There stands a lady,
Then a man, then a child.
And many more.
A mystic and winding line.
Men, women and children
Frustrated drunks brawling,
A man,
A kind man,
Is leading us there.
Space.
The need of space is immense,
My back bent,
My hooves scuffed.
How much longer?
And when I cannot take another
step
Another voice is saying
‘there is no room'.
No space for a poor little donkey.
Inn to inn
But everybody repeats
The same silly word,
Full!
My heart feels sorry for them.
Will this baby have a place to be
born?
A warm, cosy place,
A king, son of God born on the side
of the street,
That doesn't sound right.
There is one last place.
I knew there would be a place!
There!
At the far end of the street
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The door opens with a creak
But it is no inn
It is a stable,
Just a stable.
A dirty stable.
I don’t understand
Probably because I am just a
donkey,
Only an animal.
I can’t understand everything,
That would be impossible.
Part 3: The Stable
The sun is setting in the distance.
Stars rise from below.
At last, I have a moment.
Inhale.
Exhale.
As the doors shut,
Darkness washes over us.
Its fingers limiting us
To what we can and cannot see.
It is rough,
With the smell, the noise.
Bothering all of us,
Yet there is relief that we can rest.
Suddenly, all the animals gather
together
From far and wide,
As if they are waiting for a miracle
to happen.
They say that our king is coming.
And now I see him!
Just by looking I can tell
He has eyes of light,
A heart of gold
And soul of compassion.
Jesus, they say.
And now the stars have vanished,
And the sun will rise
To welcome our new king,
For this one would lead us to
greatness.
The Angels and shepherds and the
three wise men
Are far behind us
I can’t see them
But I know they are coming too.
And now I, after the long journey
can rest,
Me, a poor little donkey
Me, a mode of transport.
Me, a mere witness
Of a king being born.
BELIEF IN THE CHRISTMAS STORY
In a survey done by YouGov in 2014 they found more than around
50 per cent of people don't believe the following aspects of the
Christmas story:

An angel of the Lord appeared to shepherds to announce the
birth of Jesus (51% don't believe it, 20% don't know and 28%
do believe it)

Wise men were guided by a star and bought Jesus gold,
frankincense and myrrh (44% don't believe it, 19% don't know
and 37% do believe it)

The newborn baby Jesus was laid in a manger (47% don't
believe it, 24% don't know and 29% believe it)
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Otley Parish Church
Groups and Activities
Bell Ringers
Meg Morton
01943 461836
Craftynuts
Lynne Barber
01943 466493
Newall Ladies Fellowship
Val Tait
01943 464032
Men’s Group
Robert Sharp
01943 513017
Knit and Natter
Jo Briscoe
01943 466515
Steel Magnolias
Shirley Parker
01943 466596
Beer Festival
Allan Boddy
01943 466182
Local to Global
(Leeds and Mumbai)
Georgina Drew
01943 465086
The Sustainability Group
Dave Cherry
01943 463896
Flower Arranging
Val Tait
01943 464032
Music Groups
Worship Singing Team &
ACTIVATE Band
Jamie Hudson
07539 118695
Church Band &
Church Choir
Pam Beck
01943 462283
Little Rascals / Baby Rascals
Eileen Barr
Jean Boddy
01943 464382
01943 466182
Sunday Club
Janet Buttanshaw
01943 462240
Messy Church
Janet Buttanshaw
01943 462240
Uniformed Groups
Bev and Mark Rothery
01943 467016
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Otley Parish Church
Kirkgate ● Otley ● West Yorkshire
Church Office: “The Chestnuts”, Burras Lane, Otley LS21 3HS
Church Administrator: Linda Sharp
Telephone: 01943 465927
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.otleyparishchurch.org
Vicar
Revd Graham Buttanshaw [email protected]
01943 462240
Curate
Revd Jimmy Lawrence
[email protected]
Honorary Curate
Revd John Parkin
[email protected]
01943 466895
[email protected]
[email protected]
01943 467540
01943 464106
01943 464146
Reader
Jackie Hird
[email protected]
01943 462858
Churchwardens
Barry Milner
Allan Boddy
[email protected]
[email protected]
01943 462472
01943 466182
Associate Priests
Revd Roger Dedman
Revd Stewart Hartley
Revd Tony Keddie
Deputy Churchwardens
Kevin Keefe
[email protected]
Barbara Nicholls
[email protected]
07753 982719
07747 848074
PCC Secretary
Liz Walker
[email protected]
01943 463846
PCC Treasurer
Norman Barr
[email protected]
01943 464382
Baptism Co-ordinator
Glynis Milner
[email protected]
01943 462472
Magazine Editor
Margaret Turner
margaretandstephenturner
@gmail.com
01943 467099
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