Saturday 27 October 2012

Website

Longcauseway Church Dewsbury

has a shiny new website.

Click


to be transported away from my blog

Sunday 21 October 2012

BranchFM

Welcome to Branch FM - Radio For Life!

Broadcasting on 101.8FM & on the Internet 24 hours a day.

Contemporary Christian Radio from Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, United Kingdom

Website

Rev John Jenkinson

From The Reporter archives

Published on Sunday 5 August 2012 07:00

A MINISTER who was a founding member of his church has retired from his post in Dewsbury.

The Rev John Jenkinson was the first minister at the country’s first United Reformed Church in Altrincham, near Manchester.
On Sunday – his 65th birthday – he led his last ever service at Longcauseway United Reformed Church in Dewsbury.
Mr Jenkinson worked in Altrincham after training as a minister in Manchester. He later worked in Halifax, then as a chaplain in Bradford’s hospitals before coming to Dewsbury in 1996.
“I didn’t know Dewsbury before I came, but I knew about the markets,” he said. “I felt at home almost from the beginning. I have a real fondness for Dewsbury and its people.”
One of Mr Jenkinson’s proudest achievements has been the opening of a vestibule ministry four days a week in an extended Longcauseway URC.
He was a founding member of Churches Together in Dewsbury and a key figure in the Spen and Calder Enterprise (SPACE) group of churches.
He has led services at Heckmondwike, Norristhorpe, Gomersal, Earlsheaton, Ravensthorpe and Hopton URCs.
In retirement, Mr Jenkinson will continue to live in Brighouse as he takes up a post as on-call chaplain for the Mid Yorkshire Hospitals Trust

West Yorkshire Ecumenical Council

Website

Click above for a link to the website

Ladies Fellowship fundraising day


Sunday 18th November

Service at 10.30

Led by Rev. Mark Robinson

Followed by Communion

Sunday 11th November

Remembrance  Sunday

Sunday 4th November

Service at 10.30

Led by Rev. Mark Robinson

Bible studies in Earlsheaton, Dewsbury

Saturday 13 October 2012

Pilots 31st October

Pilots Meet at Longcauseway

18.30 until 19.45

All children between the ages of 5 and 11 are welcome

Pilots 24th October

Pilots Meet at Longcauseway

18.30 until 19.45

All children between the ages of 5 and 11 are welcome

Contact Details

Longcauseway Church
Longcauseway
Dewsbury
WF13 1NH

Vestry Telephone Number 01924 485845

URC Ministers;

Rev Alison Termie 01274 861561
atermie@yahoo.com

Rev Mark Robinson 01924401340
markrobinson@cantab.net

Rev Sue Macbeth 01484 480838
susanMacbeth06@aol.com

Methodist Minister

Rev Judith Satchell

Secretary

Mrs S Speight 01924 494708
sespeight@yahoo.co.uk

We are here - A




Halloween in Dewsbury

Dewsbury Market and town centre – Wednesday 31 October

• Cut and Colour Workshop on the market from 10.30am

• Professor MacGonagall performs magic on the market from 11am

• Trick or Treat Trail starts from the market gates at 11.30 am

• Fancy Dress Competition and tea party at Dewsbury Sports Centre at 2.00pm

• Free face painting on the market
  Fancy dress competitions are for under 7s and under 12s only
Parents must accompany children at all times

Thought for the week-12th October

Traditionally this is the season when folk gathered to give thanks that crops were gathered in for the winter. Things are different today but this is still a time to thank God for His blessings. Many will express gratitude by bringing gifts of food to Harvest Services.  For many churches this will be a case of stocking up supplies to feed those in need in our communities. However we also have responsibility to those who live in the poorer areas of the world who live without the simple commodities of clean water and toilets which we take for granted therefore we are raising to help Tear Fund improve sanitation in these places and help save the lives of some of the 1.8 million people who die due to poor sanitation. -
Jesus tells us to love our neighbours – I believe that this is a call to show our love in action not only to those in our own community but also to those we might never meet - our efforts may seem like a drop in the ocean but the ocean is made up of many drops.By Rev Kathy Robertson – Dewsbury Team Parish.  Representing Churches Together in Dewsbury.  To contact CTiD please ring 01924 454750 or 457057.

Dewsbury - Blue Plaque Trail


Longcauseway Church is on Dewsbury's Blue Plaque Trail.




The Blue Plaque Trail was initiated by Dewsbury Matters local history group to celebrate interesting historic buildings in our town. Dewsbury Matters was set up in 1998 to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Wellington Road Railway Station. The plaques and this leaflet have been funded by the Dewsbury Area Committee. Photographs were taken by Porl Medlock & Andrew Stone.

The trail begins at the Town Hall in the centre of Dewsbury and takes approximately 1 hour at a gentle stroll.



More details Here

Sunday 30 September 2012

Sunday 28th October

Sunday 28th October at 10.30

Service led by Rev. Alan F. T. Evans


Followed by Church Meeting

Wednesday 26 September 2012

Beyond Belief 24th September

Ernie Rea and guests discuss religion in Putin's Russia.

The recent jailing of three young women for staging a political protest in a cathedral in Moscow has highlighted the relationship between the Government and the Russian Orthodox Church. Ernie Rea's guests today are Canon Michael Bordeaux from the Keston Institute for the Study of Religion and Communism, Father Andrew Phillips,a Russian Orthodox priest, and the BBC's former Moscow correspondent, Martin Sixsmith.

Podcasts

Monday 24 September 2012

Sunday 21st October

Sunday 21st October at 10.30

Service led by Rev. Judith Satchell

Churches together in Dewsbury

Website

Thought for the week
September 21
Writing these few thoughts my mind is still thrilled with
Olympic glory – the gold medals Team G.B. achieved notwithstanding silver and bronze and all the personal best achievements; Mo Farrah, Jess Ennis, the Brownlees etc. 
Then the Paralympics – again men and women seeking to perform to their very best ability – trained so hard, and now the fulfillment of their dream to receive the very highest accolades in sport; often going far beyond personal pain barriers, striving ever harder and refusing to give in or up.
But what about us in our daily life are we struggling, hitting barriers that we feel too hard to get over or through? Life sometimes seems so rotten and hard – impossible to bear – is there any answer? 
Psalm 23 talks about the Lord God being our shepherd, our helper, our guide through life, making us to rest up at times, restoring and refreshing us, being with us in even the very toughest of times, yes even when faced with bereavement and death. 
Our Lord God wants to be with us – ask Him – don’t give up – let Him help. 
By Chris Battye, Mount Tabor Community Church – Shawcross. Representing Churches Together in Dewsbury.  To contact CTiD please ring 01924 454750 or 457057

McMillan Trust

The Worlds biggest coffee morning.

Join the McMillan Trust on Friday 28 September 2012 for their biggest event of the year and help people living with cancer.

Website

Many coffee mornings are being held around Dewsbury.

There is one at;

Tentercroft Court
Crackenedge Lane
Dewsbury
West Yorkshire
WF13 1PX.

and also at Westmoor School


Saturday 22 September 2012

Rooms to let - Dewsbury

Longcauseway Church, Dewsbury has a number of rooms to let (see Below)


For further details contact;


The Lettings Secretary
c/o Longcauseway Church
Princess of Wales Precinct
Dewsbury
WF13 1NH.


Phone: 01924 450028


Monday 17 September 2012

Beyond Belief - Treatment of civilians in armed conflict

Treatment of civilians in armed conflict

Special edition live from the Imperial War Museum North on civilians in armed conflict.

First broadcast: 17 Sep 2012

In a special edition of Beyond Belief Ernie Rea discusses the morality of the battlefield and the treatment of civilians in armed conflict. Increasingly news reports detail the casualties of civilians caught up in fighting in many countries around the world. Are we witnessing something new as civilians are targeted or used as shields by rebel forces and opposing armies or has this always happened? Will the use of unmanned drones make life safer or worse for civilians? Is it time to rethink the Just War Theory in the light of modern warfare? These are some of the moral and ethical issues Ernie Rea will be debating with Lord Dannatt, former Commander in Chief of the General Staff of the British Army, Canon Dr Alan Billings, former Director of the Centre for Ethics and Religion at Lancaster University, Imam Ajmal Masroor and Dr George Wilkes, Director of the Religion and Ethics in the Making of War and Peace Project at Edinburgh University. The programme was recorded in front of an audience at the Imperial War Museum North for the BBC's RE:Think Festival in Salford.

Podcast

Sunday 16 September 2012

Highfield Garden(ing) Party

Boys Toys

Before 
 During
After


 

Back to Church Sunday - Details



The History of Longcauseway



The 19th century saw the large Non-conformist chapels being built in Dewsbury. There were six Wesley and Methodist, and a Friends' Meeting House, but no Congregational chapel before 1815. A Congregational Sunday School was, however, started a year before this in Solomon Hindle's Chamber, which was an upper room in a building on the corner of Church Street. It has not been possible to find out if Solomon Hindle was the name of the man who started the Sunday School or if he owned the building. One can assume he was the owner as there is no mention of his name in the records of the first chapel.
Solomon Hindle's Chamber
Solomon Hindle's Chamber.
The Congregationalists, or Independents as they were known, had to walk to Hopton on Sundays. They took their dinner with them and stayed for morning and afternoon services, and so a number of friends got together and started canvassing for subscriptions. When they had collected £300 they started to plan their chapel.
They purchased the land in Longcauseway for £225 from Mr. Halliley, and in the spring on 1814 the foundation stone was laid by Mr John Hemingway of Earlsheaton. The architect was Mr Thomas Marriot of Dewsbury. The building would accommodate 700 people, pews would be fitted in the gallery but the ground floor would only have loose benches. The cost was estimated at £900. The next year, on Thursday, 29th June 1815 the first Congregational chapel was opened, and was called Ebenezer. The final cost doubled the estimate, it was £1800, mainly due to changing the plans and furnishing the whole of the chapel with pews.
Three services were held that day: morning worship at 10.30 was led by Rev. Parsons of Leeds, afternoon worship at 2.30 by Rev. Cochin of Halifax and evening worship at 6.00 by Rev. Toothill of Hopton. There was a collection at each service, the total raised being £46. The original deed was dated 16th August 1815, and the chapel was freed from debt in 1829.
The name 'Ebenezer' was given to the chapel as a devout and heartfelt recognition of the goodness of God, by whose providence the people had so far prospered in the undertaking.
The first Ebenezer chapel
The first Ebenezer chapel.
For nearly two years after the opening of the chapel the pulpit was supplied by neighbouring ministers and students from Rotherham and the Heckmondwike Academy. The first minister, Rev. G Waterhouse, came from Rotherham and for some years his salary was small and obtained with difficulty, so he started teaching at a school near the wells on the way to Earlsheaton. In 1823 a resolution was passed asking all persons having a pew or sitting, to make quarterly payments in addition to their pew cent, as the present income was insufficient to pay the minister's salary.
In 1822 the Sunday School had grown too large for Solomon Hindle's Chamber, so a plot of ground behind the chapel was purchased from Mr. Mathews. Plans for the new school were prepared by Mr Thomas Marriot and would hold 250 persons. The trust deed was dated 29th May 1822.
Land at the side of the chapel was bought from Mr. Thomas Eastwood to provide additional burial space. The deed was dated 14th February 1835.
By 1838 the congregation and Sunday School had steadily increased, and the decision to enlarge the chapel was taken on 13th April 1838. Mr. Jeremiah Marriot prepared the plans. The side walls remained and a new front was erected and 150 more sittings were made available. The second Ebenezer was opened on 11th July 1839. Rev. T Raffles of Liverpool preached at the morning service, and Rev. R Hamilton of Leeds in the evening. On the first Sunday, 14th July, Rev. J Lorraine of Wakefield preached at the morning service, Rev. G Waterhouse in the afternoon and the Rev. J Ely of Leeds in the evening. The collection at the two days totaled £246.
The alterations had cost £750 and the debt was cleared in April 1846. The large oval title stone inscribed 'Ebenezer 1814' was built into the wall of the side graveyard. The organ, built by Mr. F. Booth of Wakefield and costing £200 was opened on 29th September 1839. The organ was enlarged and improved in 1853.
The second Ebenezer chapel
The second Ebenezer chapel.
At a meeting on the 27th March 1848 it was decided to enlarge the school rooms. Mr. J Marriot prepared the plans. The land was purchased from Mr. Daniel Lee for £140, and new classrooms and a ministers' vestry was built, at a cost of £800. The deed is dated 7th February 1850, and cleared of debt 27th October 1850.
In 1855, it was decided to build a new chapel in Halifax Road, as all the sittings in Ebenezer were then taken. 137 members withdrew. While waiting for the chapel to be built, they held services on Sundays and weekdays in the old Cloth Hall. It has not been possible to find out exactly where this was, but quite likely it was in Cloth Hall Street. The new chapel was called Springfield and opened on 20th November 1856, the foundation stone having been laid the previous year by Mr. Edward Bains of Leeds. Springfield could seat 1000 people and classrooms in the school could take 500 children. The total cost was £3300.
In February 1856 land was bought in Leeds Road from Messrs W. Tolson and W. Harwood to build a house for the minister. Plans were drawn by J. Marriot and Sons, and the house was completed by the Autumn of 1856. The house was called 'Woodville' and cost £860.
Woodville
Woodville.
As the number of Congregationalists in Dewsbury increased, another chapel was needed. The large numbers of people who walked down from Earlsheaton felt they had first claim to a new building, so once again the subscription lists were opened and plans were made.
On 21st January 1861 Mr. J Hogg of Halifax, the architect, invited scaled tenders for the building of the new chapel and school. The foundation stone was laid on 1st April 1861 by Mr. John Crossley of Halifax who was a friend of Mr. Hogg, and who had recommended him as architect. He was well known in the district for his Christian sympathy and liberality.
For the stone laying, a procession formed at 2.00pm outside Ebenezer and marched up the hill for the ceremony, after which they returned, and between 400 and 500 people sat down to tea.
The estimated cost was £3500 for the chapel and school rooms. The final cost was £6425.15.5d. The chapel would seat 740 people, and the school rooms would take 400 children. It was opened on 24th September 1862 and was called 'Highfield'.
Still the congregations at Ebenezer and Springfield grew, and the decision was taken to build a new chapel in the town centre. This was to be Trinity Chapel, and in the meantime services were held in the old Public Hall, which had previously been a theatre and had been repaired, renovated and suitably furnished. The foundation stone of Trinity Chapel was laid by Mr. T Firth, J.P., of Heckmondwike. The site was on the corner of Halifax Road and Wellington Road. The chapel was opened in January 1864 and could seat 1000 people and had large class rooms for Sunday School scholars. The cost was over £7000 and the debt was cleared in 1882.
In 1866 a great demonstration was held to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of the Sunday School. On Sunday June 10th 1866, two sermons were preached, morning and evening, and in the afternoon a Jubilee address was given. A collection was taken at each service.
On Monday June 11th a tea meeting was held at 5 o'clock, 1000 persons sat down. The food was supplied by Mr Thornton of the Market Place. We believe this to be the largest number of persons to sit down at one celebration in Dewsbury. (Another report says the tea was taken in three sittings). At 7 o'clock a public meeting was held in the Chapel. To serve as an enduring memorial a medal was struck bearing the inscription "1866 Jubilee Ebenezer Independent School, Dewsbury, established 1815. Suffer little children to come unto me." Some of the medals were of white metal and others of bronze, a medal was given to each of the scholars They had 400 scholars on the books and 50 teachers.
In 1867 the Rev. Henry Sturt, who was minister at Ebenezer, was concerned that areas of densely populated residential districts had no pastoral cover. He founded an Evangelical Mission. House to house visiting was carried out, and on 11th August 1870 the first Mission Hall was opened in Boothroyd Lane, followed on 17th January 1875 by the Mission Hall in Batley Carr. Both of these had large numbers of children in the Sunday schools. There was a book published called 'Dewsbury's Evangelical Mission', but I have not been able to find a copy.
Mission Hall, Boothroyd LaneMission Hall, Batley Carr
Mission Hall, Boothroyd Lane ……………………Mission Hall, Batley Carr
In 1882 they were again making plans for a new chapel. A subscription list was opened and donations of £1000 came from Mr. J. Walker, J.P., and Mr. J. Blakeley. The ladies committee passed a resolution to raise money.
Mr. W. Hanstock of Batley was appointed as the architect and Mr J. Hall_Thorpe of Leeds was the builder. The closing service in the old building took place on Sunday 11th June 1882.
The cornerstone of the new building was laid on 26th September 1882 by Mr. Crossley, J.P., of Halifax. Three memorial stones were laid by Miss F. Walker, Miss A. Blakeley and Miss A. Day, all of whom were members of the church. They were presented with mallets made from the roof timbers of the old chapel. A bottle containing newspapers and other documents was buried beneath the corner stone. The title stone from the second chapel was also built into the graveyard wall. Lunch was served in the school room at 1 o'clock and the ceremony started at 2 o'clock.
The third Ebenezer Chapel was opened on 15th January 1884. It cost £8891 and could seat 800 people. It was cleared of debt in April 1890, it is the building in use today (2003).
The third Ebenezer chapel
The third Ebenezer chapel.
The Ladies sewing society was formed in January 1843, to make articles for sale at the bazaar. The Dorcas society was established in October 18.43 to make clothing for the poor.
After the Rev. M Anstey was inducted in May 1896, the local paper reported: 'The chapel is a fine Gothic structure with all modern improvements and seats 800 people, whilst the exterior has a grand and imposing appearance, the interior is exceedingly comfortable. The congregation comprises some of the leading men of the town and the elite of Dewsbury Nonconformity".
The Nonconformist chapels were all solidly square or rectangular, with two aisles and galleries on three sides. All the seating faced the pulpit, most of which could accommodate several persons. The pulpit was made of wood and built high to give the preacher a commanding view of the congregation and vice versa. One exception to the rectangular building is the Methodist Chapel in Gomersal built in 1827: It is octagonal and is known locally as the 'Pork Pie Chapel'.
Often a double-decker pulpit was built, the upper deck for the preacher and the lower deck for the presenter who read out one or two lines which the congregation then sang. This was necessary as most of the people could not read. It is still usual for the first verse to be read out when the number of the hymn is announced.
The decoration of the chapels relied on the money available, and the views of the members. Some had beautifully carved woodwork on the pew ends, choir stalls and pulpit, or ornamental wrought iron work and polished brass. Others were unadorned and austere. The organ became a status symbol and a dominant visual feature, centrally placed and great emphasis was placed on singing.
Many chapels were two storied buildings, with school rooms below the chapel, which made economical use of a small site. Chapels then started to be called churches, perhaps they thought it gave them greater social acceptability. Nonconformists exerted quite an influence in the town. Many of the prosperous businessmen and mill owners belonged to the chapels and also to the Liberal Party, they were councilors and aldermen, and some became mayor. They also did much to encourage education (the prime purpose of the early Sunday Schools) and social welfare.
Many of the men whose names were on the old subscription lists, who opened bazaars or laid foundation stones, had names that are still familiar in the town today. Mr. George Day and Mr. Mark Oldroyd who were mill owners, Mr. Crawshaw who owned the leather works, Mr. Joseph Ward who was a printer, Mr. Thomas Burnley of Cleckheaton and the Firth family of Heckmondwike. Attendance at chapel on Sunday was often obligatory for employment.
The Poor Children's Breakfast was started at Ebenezer in 1906 and as many as 450 children would come at 9 o'clock on Christmas morning for breakfast served by the ladies of the church. It consisted of sandwiches and cake, and the children were given an apple, orange and a newpenny to take home The last breakfast was served in 1953.
With the twentieth century began the decline of the chapels. On 26th November 1907 an offer of amalgamation was made to Trinity Chapel, the offer was accepted on 5th December 1907. The first service of the United Congregational Church (Ebenezer) was held on 5th January 1909. The Rev. A Hogg became the first minister of the United Church. Trinity Chapel was sold and for many years it was a cinema, later it became a bingo hall, and was demolished in 1985 to make way for the ring road.
New school rooms were built at Ebenezer in 1914. Foundation stones were laid by Sir Mark Oldroyd and the Mayor, Alderman P J Walker, LP., on 18th April 1914. Two large halls could each hold 200 people, and there were ten smaller rooms and two kitchens. Some of the rooms had beautiful wood paneling and large fireplaces. The church parlour had a large mahogany fireplace with a mirrored overmantle and ornamental surround.
In 1940 the church allowed the Y.M.C.A. to have the large ground floor hall for a canteen for the forces. The War Department later took over the rest of the building for army billets. During the war the Sunday School was held in the church, the second Sunday service, normally held in the evening, was held in the afternoon, until the blackout restrictions were relaxed in 1944. The Y.M.C.A. let the ladies of the church use the hall once a year, for the children's Christmas breakfast. The building was returned to the church in December 1945.
In 1961 the church was informed by Batley Corporation of the effect of redevelopment on the Batley Carr Mission Hall in King Street, and a new site was offered. The dedication of the new building took place on Saturday 27th June 1964. The name was then changed to Batley Carr Congregational Church.
In 1961 Springfield closed, the building had become unsafe and was demolished, and the members joined with Ebenezer to become the United Congregational Church. The name Ebenezer was then dropped. The following year Boothroyd Mission closed, and the members returned to the United Church.
In 1950 the grave stones in front and at the side of the church were removed and gardens laid out. In 1970 the caretaker's house was demolished. The two title stones from the first and second chapels were used to form the sides of a compost heap and finally disappeared during the redevelopment of 1982.
On 5th October 1972 most of the Congregational churches in England and Wales united with the Presbyterian Church of England to form the United Reformed Church, the first ever coming together of denominations in England. Dewsbury United Congregational Church was among them, and so became Dewsbury United United Reformed Church! This was so clumsy that in 1989 It changed its name to become Longcauseway United Reformed Church.
Highfield Chapel was demolished in 1978 and a modern sanctuary, was developed within the old school rooms.
In 1964 Dewsbury Borough Council published plans for the redevelopment of part of the town centre, including Longcauseway. The whole area would be razed and the church re-housed in a prominent position on Longcauseway.
In 1970 different plans were published by a new development company. The row of cottages, including the caretakers house at the church gates, had already been demolished. The Masonic Lodge, on the other side of the church, stood empty and the bus station would soon move to its new site on Aldems Road. In September 1973 the developers applied for a compulsory purchase order for the church. In August 1977 a preservation order was placed on the church by The National Heritage. It is now a Grade II listed building.
On Easter Sunday 1981, the United Church building closed. The stained glass windows were boarded up, the surrounding area was demolished and a new shopping centre built. The congregation worshipped in the Parish Church of All Saints, until the reopening service on 18th December 1983. The outside stonework had been cleaned, the interior painted and a new carpet laid. The church hall and meeting rooms are now above the adjacent shops.
The opening service in July 1983 was conducted by Rev. Alasdair J Walker, the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Yorkshire Province. This service was held in the hall, and the first one in the church being the Harvest Thanksgiving on 18th September, conducted by Rev. B Moss.
A service of thanksgiving for the reopening of the church was held on Sunday 18th December 1983 at 2.30pm in the presence of the Mayor of Kirklees, Councillor A Ramsden. It was conducted by Rev. J Norman Beard, our Interim Moderator, and the act of dedication was led by Rev. Alasdair J Walker.
In March 1976 the ladies of the church opened the school room to shoppers for them to sit and rest and enjoy a cup of tea and home made scone. This service to the town has continued in the new building.
During the redevelopment of 1982, the gardens at the front of the church were replaced by a paved area, which gives the building a most impressive appearance. It is prominent on most of the 'official' picture postcards of the town, and it is the obvious focal point for ecumenical Christian activities in the town,
Current view of the church
Current view of the church.
Batley Carr Church closed on Saturday 11th November 1995. The closing service on Sunday 5th November was conducted by Rev. Michael Heard who had been their Oversight Minister for 22 years.
In November 1997 plans were made to modernise the vestibule and ministers vestry. Mr Neville Brooksbank, an architectural designer, was engaged to carry out the initial costing and planning, and later to oversee the redevelopment of the premises. In March 1999 the tender offered by Walter West Ltd. was accepted work started in April.
Four rows of pews were removed from the back of the Church and the vestibule enlarged. The dividing wall has large glass panels, the wooden frames match the original woodwork in the Sanctuary. The heavy swing doors have been replaced with light wooden doors with glass panels.
Two small rooms lead off the vestibule, available for private prayer or just to sit and talk, someone will always be there to listen. The old wooden partition with coloured glass has been utilised in the sides of these rooms.
Sliding glass doors at the main entrance can be closed, giving a clear view into the Sanctuary when the Church is closed.
There is now a large, bright welcoming area, with a Traid Craft stall and a book stall and the opportunity to mount displays to inform visitors about the church and its history. These stands can be wheeled, away if necessary and will not intrude at weddings or funerals.
The official opening on October 16th 1999 was performed by Baroness Lockwood, also present the Rev. Arnold Harrison, the Provincial Moderator, the Mayor of Kirklees, Councilor Harry Fox, Mr Neville Brooksbank, the architect, and Mr Ian Spedding, managing director of Walter West.
In July 2005 we received a letter from the Central Methodist Church asking if we would consider forming a joint Church. After a long period of discussion, a covenant was agreed. A service of Inauguration and Celebration took place on Sunday 1st April 2007, in the presence of the Mayor and Mayoress of Kirklees, Councillor Donald Firth and Mrs Firth. The presiding ministers were Rev. John Jenkinson, Minister of the United Reformed Church , and Rev Ray Trezise, a retired Methodist Minister.
We are now Longcauseway Church, United Reformed and Methodist.
The members of the church today are proud of its history, and humbly yet confidently accept the challenge of using our heritage, the wonderful building and impressive site, to tell others the Good News of Jesus Christ.
Doris Gledhill

Lunch Club

Last Tuesday in every month at 12.30

25th September

30th October

27th November











Games and Tea Afternoon

Second Tuesday in every month - 14.00

Cost £1.50

10th October

14th November

12th December

Samaritan's Purse - Operation Christmas Child

Website - Link

Operation Christmas Child

 Operation Christmas Child is the world’s largest children’s Christmas appeal with a heritage of 21 years. Every year Operation Christmas Child is made possible through the amazing support of thousands of children and adults in the UK and Ireland. Last year alone we had the joy of sending nearly 1.12 million shoeboxes bursting with joy from the UK to children living in parts of Africa, Central Asia and Eastern Europe.
What's more, Operation Christmas Child can help your church connect with its community, your schoolchildren connect with other children overseas and your workplace connect with a common cause - a child in need.

From you to a child in need

Operation Christmas Child works by taking your gift-filled shoebox - packed, wrapped and taken to one of local drop off points - and hand delivering it to a child in need, asking nothing from them in return.
All shoeboxes are given to children in need, with no regard to their background or beliefs. We work with local partners on the ground to ensure that your gift-filled shoebox is delivered with integrity and with respect to the local culture.
Where culturally appropriate, our overseas partners will make available a booklet of Bible stories, which gives a message of hope and an explanation of the true meaning of Christmas - God's gift of His Son, Jesus.

Get Involved


Come join our Operation Christmas Child campaign this year and bring a smile to the face of a child through a shoebox bursting with joy. Getting involved is as easy as 1-2-3..
  • 1. Get hold of your FREE Operation Christmas Child resources
  • 2. Check out our new Operation Christmas Child video
  • 3. Pray for the children receiving shoeboxes
Find out more by visiting the Operation Christmas Child website. Link

 





Details of where you can drop off your shoeboxes will be available - from October 1st 2012.

The deadline for dropping off shoeboxes is Sunday November 18th.

N.B. If you are part of a group with more than 50 shoeboxes, someone will contact you around mid November to arrange collection.



 

Saturday 15 September 2012

Beyond Belief - Women in Hinduism

Mon 10 Sep - 16:30 BBC Radio 4


Women in Hinduism

Ernie Rea and guests discuss the place of women in Hinduism. First broadcast: 10 Sep 2012 The story of Ram and Sita - told in the Hindu epic, the Ramayan - is known to every Hindu and - more indirectly - to the millions who have seen the film Slumdog Millionaire. The hero of the film, like Ram, takes control and conquers in adversity. The heroine - the love interest - is a passive figure , in need of rescue.

There are around a million Hindus living in Britain and they take many of their values from the story of Ram. But are some of those values demeaning to women? There are many gods and goddesses in Hinduism but do they provide good role models for modern women? What does Hinduism teach about how women are supposed to live their lives?
Joining Ernie Rea to discuss a woman's place in Hindu society are Atreyee Sen, Lecturer in Contemporary Religion and Conflict at Manchester University; Shaunaka Rishi Das, Director of the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies; and Padma Anagol, Senior Lecturer in History at Cardiff University.


Podcast - (click on podcast for direct link)

Wednesday 5 September 2012

Beyond Belief - Depression

Depression

Ernie Rea and guests discuss the relationship between religion and depression.
First broadcast: 30 Jul 2012

Ernie Rea explores the relationship between religion and depression with expert guests: Sabnum Dharamsi, a Muslim; Dr John Swinton, a Christian; and Ed Halliwell, a Buddhist. They look at what different religious traditions teach us about the experience of sadness and despair; how having a religious faith can be a source of support for some people suffering from depression; but they also consider how religious communities don't always get it right.

Beyond Belief - 3rd September

BBC Radio 4

Beyond Belief

Debates exploring the place of religion and faith in today's complex world. Ernie Rea is joined every week by a multi-faith panel who discuss how their religious traditions affect their values and perspectives on a variety of topics, often revealing hidden and contradictory truths. In each programme guests listen to a personal story which challenges their point of view and forces them to place their faith and values within the context of real life experiences
Latest episode

Listen now

Egalitarianism


Ernie Rea and guests discuss religious responses to economic inequality.

Sunday 2 September 2012

Harvest Festival Lunch

Sunday 7th October at 10.30

Service led by Mr Michael Littlewood

Catering will be done by;

Longcauseway Youth Group

Back to Church Sunday

Details of the back to Church Sunday website can be found Here

For those new to blogs & blogging, click on the word HERE and the web page should open in a new window or tab (always assuming that I have done the link correctly)

Back to Church Sunday is on 30th September

What is Back to Church Sunday?

Back to Church Sunday has grown beyond all expectations since the first day in Greater Manchester in 2004. It is now the largest single local-church invitational initiative in the world, taking place in churches across denominations worldwide.
Seeking to unlock the potential in personal invitation, Back to Church Sunday is an opportunity to act together each year and take the simplest and shortest step in evangelism; inviting someone we already know to our church.
"Back to Church Sunday is a fantastic opportunity for us to grow the church. We know there are at least 3 million people in England who would come back to church if they had an invitation. And we know there are hundreds of thousands of Christians who want to invite their friends."
Paul Bayes, Bishop of Hertford, St Albans Diocese 

Back to Church Sunday has, and continues to have, a significant impact. Not only does it see tens of thousands of people come back to church on one Sunday in September, but it also sees many becoming regular attenders and active members of their local churches.

Welcome

In addition to the flag counter at the bottom of the home page, I have access to some different statistics through blogger. I'm not sure why there is a difference, maybe it's to do with the location of servers, not that I have any idea what I'm talking about.

However, a warm welcome to our American, Russian, Swiss and German viewers.

I have omitted Spain as this would have been me whilst on holiday, but just in case, welcome to the Spanish



Friday 31 August 2012

Beyond Belief Radio 4 - September 3rd

An excellent series on Radio 4. (my opinion)

Listen 'Live' on your radio or computer, or download the podcasts and listen at your leisure.

Ernie Rea explores the place of faith in today's world, teasing out the hidden and often contradictory truths behind the experiences, values and traditions of our lives.

The next episode on Monday will be on;

Baptists

Image for Baptists

Duration: 30 minutes

Ernie Rea is joined by three prominent Baptists: Dianne Tidball, Ruth Gouldbourne and Peter Morden to discuss the history of the Baptist Church and its significance today. This year marks the 400th anniversary of the first Baptist congregation in England and Baptists form the biggest Protestant denomination in the world but what do they stand for? Ernie's guests discuss the often bloody history of the Baptists from their origins as a persecuted dissenting movement in the seventeenth century. And they consider what Baptists contribute to Britain today. Are they still a voice of protest, speaking out for justice and for religious freedom?

Episode Guide

Click on episode guide as a link to the website

Ernie Rea

Ernie Rea presents Radio 4's discussion series Beyond Belief, which examines the place of faith in today's complex world.

He joined the BBC in 1978 as a producer in the Religious Broadcasting Department and for the next 23 years worked for the BBC in a variety of capacities. He spent three years as Head of Network Radio for the South and West of England, responsible for, among many other programmes, Any Questions?. But his most significant and challenging role was as Head of Religious Broadcasting (later renamed Head of Religion & Ethics), responsible for all of the BBC's religious programmes across radio and television, which he took up in 1989.

During the 12 years he was Head of Religious Broadcasting the department won many awards for outstanding programmes. In 1997 he was personally awarded the Gold Medal of the International Council of Christians and Jews for his outstanding contribution to Inter- Faith Understanding.

In 2001 he resigned from the BBC to pursue a career as a freelance writer and broadcaster and consultant on inter-faith issues.

Since leaving full-time employment with the BBC, he has led a project commissioned by the North West Government Office to investigate the reporting of the disturbances in Burnley and Oldham in the summer of 2001. His final report was delivered in July 2003. He is a member of the Advisory Board of the Three Faiths Forum which exists to foster understanding between Muslims, Christians and Jews. He continues to broadcast and is a regular presenter on Radio 4's Act of Worship and contributor to Radio 2's Good Morning Sunday.

Ernie was born in Belfast in 1945. He graduated from Queens University Belfast with a First Class Honours degree in Theology. In 1971 he was ordained into the Presbyterian Ministry and served for three years on the Shankill Road in Belfast at the height of "The Troubles".

Wednesday 29 August 2012

Quiz Answers

1. True or False? - It is often said there are more acres in Yorkshire than letters in the Bible
True, 3,906,940 acres (3,566,840 letters)

2. Which Yorkshire Dale takes its name from a village rather than a river?
Wensleydale

3. What did the Romans mine in the Yorkshire Dales?
Lead

4. Where in Yorkshire can you find a waterfall nearly twice the height of Niagara?
In the Gaping Gill pothole

5. Which town was once known as 'The Queen of the Watering Places'?
Harrogate

6. Which Leeds woman gave her name to a light fruit loaf or tea-cake?
Sally Lunn

7. Besides cricket, what did Leonard Hutton and Herbert Sutcliffe have in common?
Both born in Pudsey, Leeds

8. To which saint is York Minster dedicated?
St Peter

9. Which pen-names were first used by Charlotte, Emily and Anne Brontë, respectively?
Currer, Ellis and Acton Bell

10. 'I was born in the year 1632 in the city of York' - is the opening line from which book?
Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe. He wrote part of the book in the Rose & Crown in Halifax

11. Which famous actor collapsed and died whilst playing Becket at the Theatre Royal in Bradford?
Sir Henry Irving

12. John Harrison of Pontefract invented what important instrument?
The ship's chronometer

13. Which Prime Minister was born at Morley, Leeds?
H H Asquith

14. How many steps lead up to Whitby church and Abbey?
199

15. Sydney Bridge was built in which Yorkshire Town?
Middlesbrough

16. Where in Yorkshire did the murderers of Thomas à Becket take refuge?
Knaresborough Castle

17. Which famous villain was hanged in York in the year 1739?
Dick Turpin

18. How long is the Pennine Way?
270 miles (110 in Yorkshire)

19. What novel begins with the line 'There was no possibility of taking a walk that day'?
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë

20. Which Hull woman made the first solo flight to Australia in 1930?
Amy Johnson
Score:
16 - 20:   You are a true Tyke, Yorkshire Born & Bred!
11 - 15:   Award yourself a Yorkshire Pudding!
6 - 10:   You are in danger of being mistaken for a Southerner!
0 - 5:   You should be exiled to Lancashire!

Friday 24 August 2012

Yorkshire quiz

Stolen from http://www.yorksview.co.uk/index.html

All questions relate to Yorkshire

1. True or False? - It is often said there are more acres in Yorkshire than letters in the Bible

2. Which Yorkshire Dale takes its name from a village rather than a river?

3. What did the Romans mine in the Yorkshire Dales?

4. Where in Yorkshire can you find a waterfall nearly twice the height of Niagara?

5. Which town was once known as 'The Queen of the Watering Places'?

6. Which Leeds woman gave her name to a light fruit loaf or tea-cake?

7. Besides cricket, what did Leonard Hutton and Herbert Sutcliffe have in common?

8. To which saint is York Minster dedicated?

9. Which pen-names were first used by Charlotte, Emily and Anne Brontë, respectively?

10. 'I was born in the year 1632 in the city of York' - is the opening line from which book?

11. Which famous actor collapsed and died whilst playing Becket at the Theatre Royal in Bradford?

12. John Harrison of Pontefract invented what important instrument?

13. Which Prime Minister was born at Morley, Leeds?

14. How many steps lead up to Whitby church and Abbey?

15. Sydney Bridge was built in which Yorkshire Town?

16. Where in Yorkshire did the murderers of Thomas à Becket take refuge?

17. Which famous villain was hanged in York in the year 1739? 

18. How long is the Pennine Way?

19. What novel begins with the line 'There was no possibility of taking a walk that day'?
20. Which Hull woman made the first solo flight to Australia in 1930

Which leads nicely to


if you like quizzing

National Day of Prayer

Details of the event at Wembley.

29th September
 
http://ndopwembley.com/ 

If you can't make Wembley there's always the Kirkwood hospice fundraiser

Fundraising for Kirkwood Hospital

Do you have items at home that you no longer use but which are too good to throw away?
Do you have a hobby making goods and would like to be able to sell them?

If so, why not rent a table for £10.00 at our

"table-top sale"

on 

Saturday 29th September

Open from 9.45 to 15.30

Tea, coffee & Light lunches available

All proceed to Kirkwood Hospice

Contact;

Gill Beckett 01924 510401
Margaret Paylor 01924 462320
Christine Fox 01924 450028




Ladies Fellowship

Meet on the first Monday of every month at 13.45

1st October

5th November

3rd December

Parent and Toddlers

Every Friday 10.00 until 11.30

Midweek Concerts

First Wednesday in every month at 14.00

Pilots at Longcauseway

Pilots

Pilots is a Christian organisation for all children and young people. It is part of the United Reformed Church and sponsored by the Congregational Federation. Pilots companies exist in a variety of denominations and can be opened in any denomination or in situations of ecumenical co-operation.
Pilots has been in existence since 1936. There have been many changes over the years which have kept the organisation relevant to those involved, but its core belief in the value of each Pilot and the respect for individual nurture and growth has remained fundamental to the development of the organisation throughout its history.

Pilots mission statement...
Pilots believes that children and young people matter. Therefore, Pilots gives local churches the chance to share the love of God in the ongoing life of Jesus Christ by inviting children and young people on an exciting journey.

There's more here

 


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