From the Vicarage - May

A year ago, the present Diocese of Leeds was celebrating its 10th Anniversary – ten years earlier the Dioceses of Ripon and Leeds, Bradford and Wakefield having been amalgamated.  The Rt Rev’d Nicholas Baines (Bishop Nick) has been our Diocesan Bishop throughout that period, leading us through a decade of change and challenges. Two weeks ago, the following announcement from Bishop Nick dropped into the mailbox of the clergy and leaders in our Diocese: -

“I write…to inform you that I have submitted my resignation to the King

and he has accepted it. I will retire as Bishop of Leeds on 30 November 2025

after nearly twelve years in post.”

Just a couple of days ago we, at St Oswald’s, held the Church’s Annual Parochial Church Meeting.

As part of my address to those present, I quoted some words which Bishop Nick had used to speak to a Diocesan wide audience, at the last Synod: -

“The world is changing …not necessarily for the better. While uncertainty becomes more real than ever, we must lift our eyes to what might be called ‘the point of it all’. The church, committed to territory, fired by a gospel of repentance, prophetically defiant when faced with trouble, has a vocation to bring hope, courage, love, mercy and joy…”

I used these words, alongside my own, to be thankful for and to encourage, those who at St Oswald’s work and serve year-round to keep the Church’s presence – as a place and a people – present and active in our villages. At our Annual Meeting we elected our 2 Churchwardens, and

5 other members to our Parochial Church Council (PCC) to assist those continuing to serve on the PCC. We commit anew to working with one another and to undertaking a whole range of necessary tasks and roles, without which St Oswald’s would not be here. But primarily we commit to keeping our focus on what is ‘the point of it all’. Bishop Nick’s words give us some pointers as to what the point of Church is…

1.     To be “committed to territory” - being ‘here’, ‘in this place’, ‘for you’…

2.     To be “fired by a gospel of repentance” - whilst the world at large may not be changing for the better, we believe that people, each and every one of us when touched by God’s love and forgiveness, can change…

3.     To be “prophetically defiant when faced with trouble” - bearers of hope in the face of hopelessness and faith in the face of doubt…

4.     And primarily, “to bring hope, courage, love, mercy and joy!”

By the time this magazine is in your hands the church will be in the midst of a 50-day-long season of Eastertide.

The Song of ‘Alleluia’ which marks this season from beginning to end is both a Song of Joy, and a Song of Defiance in today’s troubled world.

I continue to be immensely grateful to those who share the singing of that song here in our communities and we continue to invite others to come and sing it too!

With Love & Prayers for Eastertide.               Carolyn  (Vicar)