Page revised 04-May-2009
| Harrogate Readers
Page revised 04-May-2009 |
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General news and requests
Events for this year are ...
4 February 2009 - 2.00pm Stonefall Crematorium visit
Thank you to Steve Pillar from Stonefall Cemetery for his time and expert narrative on our tour of the Cemetery and Chapel. From the very first grave in Stonefall to the graves of three Russian soldiers (honoured by the Russian ambassador at the time of glasnost) we learned something of the layout, history and class status (!) of the burial plots and monuments. Of particular and practical interest to the group was the Chapel and cremation process which was objectively and professionally described. Gordon, Sarah, Rachel, John and I appreciated the great care and dignity with which the process is conducted, and the information gained should answer many of the questions that relatives have at the time of bereavement. If Readers not able to attend have any questions about the tour, I'm sure any one of those named will gladly help. Incidentally, there is a wealth of literature in the Office (right immediately inside the main gates on Wetherby Road) available if you're interested. |
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11 February 2009 - 7:30pm at Diocesan office - Leeds Branch meeting. Janet Henderson, Archdeacon will be our guest of the night.
Saturday 7 March 2009 - 9.30am - 4pm - Reader Training Day St. Mark's, Harrogate
Wednesday 6 May 2009 - 10.30am visit to the Sikh Temple, Chapeltown Road, Leeds
19 June 2009 - 7pm-9pm Reader Social evening Hollin House Weetwood Avenue Leeds LS16 5NG
5 October 2009 - Reader licensing at Bowes
Saturday 28 November 2009 - Communion/Breakfast at St Mark's 8.30am
Please let me know at least seven days in advance if you would like to attend any of the above.
| Services needing a Reader
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| Date | Time | Church | Notes | Result |
No Service requested at present If you are able to take one or more of these
services, please email david@violinman.co.uk or
telephone | ||||
Daily Prayer provided by the official Church of England web site, © The Archbishops' Council of the Church of England, 2002-2004
Reader links
National Reader
website http://readers.cofe.anglican.org/
Diocese
of Ripon and Leeds http://www.riponleeds.anglican.org/
Church
of England services http://www.cofe.anglican.org/services/
This G&S parody was written very expertly by one of our number. I am sure it will amuse ...
The Modern Rural Deanery
Ours is the very model of a modern Rural Deanery
We're famous for our climate and our very lovely scenery;
We're blest with a profusion of extremely well-run parishes
All well-equipped for baptisms and funerals and marriages.
Our Rural Dean's a paragon of management methodical
To which we add his genius at chairmanship synodical,
He quotes (in the original) all verses of the Pentateuch (rhyme for Pentateuch??? Aha!!)
And if he needs a V.I.P to speak he'll try to 'Rent-a-Duke'.
With all his many gifts we think he'll feel a trifle cosier
When honoured with the status of a mitre and a crosier,
But still, until the summons comes to move to pastures greener, he
Controls the very model of a modern Rural Deanery.
He knows the Saints of England and he quotes the dates canonical
Of our religious history he's quite a living chronicle,
He's 'up' in all the dicta of authorities liturgical
His bearing and demeanour are at all times strictly 'clergical'.
He'll spot a good soprano in the choir and quickly win her for
The Parish Hall production of that dreadful nonsense 'Pinafore'.
In counselling a nervous bride he's steady as a rock with her (rhyme for 'rock with her'??? Aha!!)
With many apt quotations from the books of the Apocrypha.
He'll solemnise a marriage with unparalleled dexterity,
He'll preach a sermon redolent with genuine sincerity,
And so, until the summons comes to move to pastures greener, he
Remains the leader of a very modern Rural Deanery.
And one other - though it couldn't be an accurate reflection nowadays ... or could it?
The Reader (after "Tommy Atkins" with apologies to Rudyard Kipling)
I went into a Parish Church that's not so far from here -
The message there was very plain 'We don't need Readers here!'
We've acolytes, sub-deacons yes and every sort of leader,
We've preachers and epistolars but no use for a Reader.
Oh it's 'Reader this' and 'Reader that' and 'no, we don't need you!'
But it's 'This way Mr Reader' when the Vicar's down with flu!
Yes, it's
'This way Mr Reader' when the Vicar's down with flu!
I scanned the Parish Magazine to find out who did what.
They'd Clery listed bold and clear but Readers there were not.
They'd listed nearly everyone from Sunday coffee-makers
Through wardens, sidesmen, sweepers-up and tea-fight rockcake-makers
They'd flower-arrangers, organists, they'd cubs and brownie leaders,
They'd very nearly everyone, but not a sign of Readers!
Oh it's 'Reader this' and 'Reader that' and 'Reader, what are you?
We never see you in the Mag, we don't know what you do!'
Well, we don't look for publicity, for boost or ballyhoo,
We only want to carry on with what we're called to do:
To read the Scriptures, visit sick, to lead the intercessions,
To preach, to take a funeral, to read the Sunday lessons.
We don't seek praise or deference, still less the Halo's gleam!
We only want to see ourselves as members of a team.
And (though of course it doesn't really matter very much)
It would be nice if sometimes we were recognised as such.
Still, it's 'Reader this' and 'Reader that' and 'Reader? Don't need you!'
And we find our comfort knowing that Our Lord knows what we do!
David Andrews
Harrogate Readers' Secretary
100 Duchy Road
Harrogate HG1
2HA