Dear Subscriber,
Welcome to our combined July-August newsletter.
For those new to our newsletter: because many of our authors will be coping when the busiest part of the summer season is upon us, we do not publish an issue on August 1st. Additionally, for those who also receive our 'Holy Island Times', the latest issue is without editorial or calendars arising from last-minute IT failures. Fortunately, July and August are without any major Church Festivals until St. Aidan's Day on August 31st.
Throughout the world many joined in the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations. We were no exception with a residents' committee organising events for 'Fancy Dress & Sports', 'Jubilee Party & Disco', 'Sandcastle Competition' and even 'Songs of Praise' from St.Mary's - all successfully carried out amidst the thousands of daily visitors. Well done organisers!
And, if you were enjoying our lovely weather on 18th June, you might have noticed the community come together to celebrate a traditional 'Holy Island Wedding' in the parish church of St Marys. Those near the churchyard might have noticed the custom of jumping the petting stone, tying the gates and the 'gunners-arch' for the happy couple. I am sure you would join with us in wishing 'our' Jodie and Jonathan a wonderful life together.
Despite having a dose of Covid, Sarah has managed to send her monthly report; Ian K's article on Avian Flu and includes tear-jerking evidence; Ian J's article from across 'the pond' includes some cracking pictures and remarks on some shared geological features; Faith joins a group walking the 'St.Cuthbert's Way'; Heather's article, as always, illustrates how modern educational methods have changed since the "four-Rs" of the 20th century. We continue to miss Rachel and are grateful to Ann for filling in - but we long for news on Rachel's safe return. Nick includes castle history from the time of an early royal visit in 1679 to the 'Soldiers Barracks' of 1715 and Andy keeps us up-to-date on the Lindisfarne reserve. I'm always particularly struct by dimensions - like this issue when Max casually mentions the phenomenal gathering power of the JWST telescope on its million-mile journey. Unfortunately, the IT problem has, for this issue, delayed us from from Kate's series on the much-talented, medieval Abbott of Iona, Adomnan.
As I write, an email descends from a subscriber - a visitor since their honeymoon 28 years ago...
We hope that you enjoy our newsletter and thank all our writers who will be taking a break and look forward to getting in touch again at the beginning of September.
God Bless,
Geoff Porter
editor@lindisfarne.org.uk
www.lindisfarne.org.uk/ezine
PS: How are we doing so far? Do get in touch with feedback - if you can find a moment...
You might have seen us around the island a little more recently - we've been making the most of the incredible learning opportunities we have right here on Holy Island. Our geography, history, science and RE topics have enabled us to use what we have right on our doorstep!
Last week, we used St Cuthbert's Island as a backdrop for our art competition. We've been working with Snape Primary School in Suffolk who have a contact with the Arthur Fleischmann Foundation. Arthur Fleischmann was a Slavic sculptor who pioneered the use of Perspex in sculpture. Mr Fleischmann's son Dominique has organised a competition where we ask the children to use recycled materials to create either a spiral or a helix. Dominique knows and has visited Holy Island and asked that the children's creations be photographed on the island. So on Friday we went over to St Cuthbert's Island and took some magnificent photographs. It was really windy so that was quite a challenge! In fact, one of the girls had a natural helix in her hair as it swirled around in the gusts of wind! There are prizes to be won so I'll let you know how we get on!
As usual, our summer term is very busy - we've been planting and tending to the garden (we really enjoyed making and 'planting' seed bombs), we've planted a tree to commemorate the Queen's jubilee and we've had a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) day on the island. The focus was the environment and we used recycled materials (again!) to design and make turbines.
We had a super practical science day at Wooler Water with Patrick from the Tweed Foundation. He showed the children how to catch invertebrates in the shallow part of the river and the children caught a good range of little creatures which were returned to the water afterwards. They identified the invertebrates and then used the results to judge how clean the water is in the river. The verdict was that Wooler Water is very clean. Afterwards the children had the chance to identify four different kinds of fish using identification keys. There was great excitement when the young eel jumped out of the bucket! You'll be pleased to hear it was swiftly returned and all was well!
On 4th July it's our Summer Fair in the morning followed by our Sports Day in the afternoon. Please do come along in the morning and 'have a go' on the tombola stall, have a cup of tea or enter the raffle! I'm sure it will be fun! Thank you Jeanette for your kind donation for the tombola stall. Any other donations of prizes would be greatly appreciated - spread the word!
In a couple of weeks we will be visiting the Farne Islands. We are all very excited about this trip because we will get to see where St Cuthbert lived after living on Hobthrush (St Cuthbert's) Island. We'll be looking out for wildlife too. We'll be playing crazy golf at Seahouses in the afternoon so I'm sure we'll have a most memorable day. More on this in the next issue!
Heather Stiansen
heather.stiansen @ lowick.northumberland.sch.uk
After the successful Jubilee Celebrations in the Village Hall on 2nd June, the hall looks very bare with no bunting or balloons festooned around the main area. Thanks to the Jubilee Committee, their efforts have provided enough bunting to adorn the Village for years to come and also raised a donation for the hall for which the trustees thank you.
Business is still quite slow for the next two months. There are a couple of Pipe and Fiddle concerts, July and August. A small group of students studying Holy Island landscape will ,hopefully, be using the hall late June, early July.
The Enduro Race is going ahead on same basis as last year, that's on 9/10 July. The race is on Saturday, with medal presentation on Sunday.
There is a two day art exhibition and sale at the beginning of August in aid of a charity called 'Suzy's Fund' which helps to fund a feeding station in Ethiopia. The organisers are regular users of the hall and have, in the past, raised a great deal of money for Ethiopian famine relief, all credit due to them.
The Warm Hub use the hall weekly with their Tuesday coffee mornings and their twice monthly craft meetings. The Yoga classes have been put on hold until the autumn.
For our ninth stay on Lindisfarne we chose the month of June, the month in which 28 years ago we spent our honeymoon there. We have explored all over the island and love the topography, the geology, the architecture, the wildlife, the sights and sounds and of course the inhabitants. We repeat past walks, walk down the same lanes, visit the same headlands and beaches, sit of the same seats, visit the same hostelries and are totally thankful that we found this piece of paradise. The island is our most favourite place on the planet.
For our ninth stay on Lindisfarne we chose the month of June, the month in which 28 years ago we spent our honeymoon there. We have explored all over the island and love the topography, the geology, the architecture, the wildlife, the sights and sounds and of course the inhabitants. We repeat past walks, walk down the same lanes, visit the same headlands and beaches, sit of the same seats, visit the same hostelries and are totally thankful that we found this piece of paradise. The island is our most favourite place on the planet.
This year two elements have caught our imagination. The first were the wild flowers, the deep red poppies near St. Cuthbert Isle beach and in the field in front of the priory; the magical display of wild orchids, silverweed, purple vetch and other coloured delights just before the dunes; and also the sight of Lupin bushes near the harbour (we used to see them two decades ago in people's gardens), but this year we were happy to see the pale yellow spikes on these wonderful bushes again.
The second element was meeting so many interesting people and hearing their stories. Like the inhabitant who came nearly every week or so but who only stayed one or two nights in his cottage as he had to return to his farm - what an ornithologist might call a very regular short-term visitor. We met a lovely couple repairing and painting their bench near the castle gate, happy to give a resting place to us all who needed to sit in the morning shade behind the wall and have that amazing scene of the Ouse and the village. There was the man who stood with us on Little Belbow for a few minutes. He was on a charity six month walk along the entire British coastline, 4500 miles done and only 3000 miles to go back to Southampton. We remember the enthusiasm and passion of the gardener in the Castle garden who spoke so eloquently of Gertrude Jekyll and the design and history of the garden and the fragrant delights in its walled enclosure. Talking of skill and passion we were enthralled by the artist (Judy) in St Cuthbert's Centre who talked to us about her modern illuminations on vellum and paper.On our last day we met Carole and Clive from near Duns who often came over to the island to explore. Clive was in his wheelchair and together they had rounded the rocks at the base of the cliffs south of the Heugh and were ploughing through the sand on the little beach. We later saw them near Snook House and celebrated their achievement to get to the top of the dunes and see those amazing empty northern beaches. There was a couple who came two days running from their holiday cottage in Warkworth to sift the sands for St Cuthbert's beads. Finally, when we arrived at our cottage we had noticed there were wine glasses but they were very tiny. Mentioning this to Charlotte in a shop she immediately lent us 4 ordinary sized wine glasses for the week. How kind was that!!
As you see we love to stop and chat and collect the stories that matter. Such conversations support us for many months. We will look out for you next time...
Kathleen and Ron Rooney
County Durham
AVIAN FLUE STRIKES AT OUR SEABIRDS
One of the great joys of summer on our island is the opportunity it provides for a grandstand view of many of our seabirds as they stream past or pause close inshore to hunt for fish.
This time of year Gannets, our largest seabirds, are present in their hundreds and often thousands. Long lines of them are regularly passing north and south off the island, often providing great views off Castle Point, Emmanuel Head, Nessend and Snipe Point.
Occasionally, they are even more spectacular when they gather in feeding frenzies, scores of them gathering in tight groups and diving continually when they come across a big shoal of sand eels or other fish. Gannets can dive hitting the water at speeds up to 60mph so nature has equipped them with reinforced skulls to cope with the impact.
On these occasional dozens of birds at a time can be plunging down, disappearing underwater where they swallow their fish and then rising and having to clumsily flap to get airborne again. Such sights are one of the highlights of the season.
But now Gannets are among the latest groups of wild birds who are falling victim to the new highly pathogenic strain of bird flu and many hundreds have already perished.
Scientists believe that the H5N1 strain - to give it its official name - started in intensive poultry rearing areas of East Asia and then rapidly spread though movements of poultry and then to migrating birds who carried it across the continents.
Avian flu is, of course, no stranger to the island. It resulted in the forced destruction of hens and ducks at St Coombs Farm earlier this year with no re-stocking allowed for 12 months. It was also present out on the flats where it also affected the wintering Brent Geese. Earlier this year a Great Skua, another of the species which is being badly affected, was found dying in one of the shallow dune slacks out at the Snook.
It's no surprise that the disease is having its greatest impact on birds which gather to feed in huge tight flocks such as geese or those breeding in dense colonies which includes Gannets. For example, it's estimated that of the 43,000 Barnacle Geese from the Arctic gathered in south-west Scotland last winter around 16,000 caught the new strain and quickly perished.
Now the focus is really on Gannets which are so common locally because we have the world's biggest colony of over 150,000 birds not far north of us on the Bass Rock at the mouth of the Forth. At the time of writing, there are reports along our coast of many Gannets being washed up dead although at the moment the worse effects are around northern and western Scotland.
Other species also becoming involved including Sandwich Terns and auk species, such as Guillemots and Razorbills, which are also colonial nesters locally with many thousands on the Farne Islands.
It's an international problem with reports of thousands of Cranes dying in Israel, Pelicans in Greece and waders, including Knot, in Holland, again all birds which gather in close proximity to breed or feed.
BirdLife International, one of the organisations investigating the problem, says that the problems of mass deaths among species such as Gannet is that we may be feeling the results for many years.
"Seabirds tend to be long-lived and have low reproduction rates so even when the disease passes it's going to take populations much longer to recover compared with fast-breeding species such as geese" says the charity.
"This is also particularly concerning because seabirds are already being impacted by fisheries, climate change, disturbance and other threats."
The RSPB is pointing out that Britain's seabirds are of global significance even though their populations have halved since the 1980s. Britain still has 56% of the world population of Gannets and 60% of its Great Skuas.
It is urging the Government to develop better response plans, increased bio-security, co-ordinate surveillance and testing and arrange for the rapid collection and safe disposal of corpses to prevent further infections.
We've already seen the economic effects of the disease on the island's poultry. The charities are warning that the disease could have an enormous impact on the whole industry if its continued presence forces chickens, duck and geese to be kept indoors. The industry has only been allowed to return to free-range production since May when the bird flu measures introduced last November were relaxed.
The risk to human health from the disease seems to be low. But the official advice is that if you come across dead or sick birds, don't touch them and instead report them as soon as possible to the DEFRA helpline on 03459 33 55 77.
I hope you all enjoyed the Jubilee weekend whatever you got up to, the island certainly seemed busy enough apart from the Sunday (at the castle at least). It was nice to have the flag flying again up here, and although we have got it down again for the time being, it is certainly food for thought about having it up more regularly or even permanently.
The whole weekend got me thinking about Royal visits and associations with the castle. We probably all know about the 1958 visit the Queen made and that by Prince Charles in 2012, and maybe even that in 1908 by the future George V and Queen Mary (when Lutyens wound-up the future King by teasing him about installing new drain holes at the castle using a cannon). Another far lesser-known Royal visit here was back in 1679 when the Duke of Monmouth came to the castle. This character was the Catholic son of Charles II, who tried in vain to unseat his uncle James II and after defeat at the battle of Sedgemoor in 1685, ended up with his head on a spike. His visit to the castle was far less gruesome, and merely consisted of night on the drink with Captain Daniel Collingwood (he of Osborne's Fort/financial impropriety-fame) and a 185-gun salute. Royal visits to the island since then have at least been less noisy.
Not long after Monmouth's rebellion ended so abruptly with an axe on Tower Hill, Captain Thomas Phillips of the Royal Engineers was making a name for himself in this part of the world. I have written about Phillips before here so will not go into massive detail, but he was the chap who helped Nicholas Hawksmoor design the barracks at Berwick, and also led the relief party to take back Holy Island Castle when the Erringtons had a brief sleep-over in October 1715. Later on, Phillips would produce a survey of the island and the plans of castle contained in that have long formed the basis of what we know about the building in that period. On his ground plan the present Ship Room and Dining Room are marked as 'cellars', but they didn't have the present stone-vaulted ceilings, only a pitched roof. Unfortunately, we had never seen Phillips' first floor plan. Recently though a fascinating lead was uncovered by Chris Hunwick, archivist at Alnwick Castle. Within the papers of Sir David Smith, land agent to the Duke of Northumberland in the early 19th century is what looks like a copy of Phillips' plan of the castle (confusingly dated 1715) which include the mysterious first floor plan. The bit above the 'cellars' are marked as 'Soldiers' Barracks', suggesting the poor men were indeed accommodated up in the attic. This is a really useful lead in the long quest to work out when the vaulted ceilings were installed, and an important part of understanding the building's development prior to the Lutyens work in the 20th century.
Best wishes
Nick Lewis - Collections and House Officer
Lindisfarne Castle nick.lewis @ nationaltrust.org.uk
07918 335 471
As we reach the Summer solstice everything on the Reserve is bursting with life. The botany in the dunes is coming into full bloom with carpets of Orchids and other wildflowers such as Yellow Rattle and Lady's Bedstraw. The dune grassland is bounding with Skylark and Meadow Pipit chicks as adults furiously feed them.
On the beaches of the Reserve, shorebirds are also well into nesting season. Ringed Plovers, Oystercatchers, Little, Arctic and Common Terns have all made it to the crucial stage of hatching. From the time that they arrive and set-up territory they have to navigate their way through multiple close calls and challenges and this season has been no different. Laying eggs on the dry sand right on the beach they are extremely vulnerable. Predators from both the air and ground can take eggs and even adults before they have the chance to incubate. Tidal inundation is always a worry but thankfully the nesting sites, by and large, have survived the spring tides earlier this month. By the time the next spring tides come around most birds will have chicks that will be able to move to higher ground if needs be. Lastly, they have to navigate disturbance caused by increasing recreational pressure on the coast. This is the area that we, humans can help the most. By reading all signs when entering the Reserve, being aware of birds using the beach and keeping a dog on a short lead or at heel and prevented from disturbing any wildlife or bird at all times on the Reserve as per the byelaw can have huge benefit on the breeding success of these vulnerable birds.
We are aware of an increasing number of birds washing up on the shores of the Reserve, either dead or sick. They are mostly Gannets, but a number of other species have also been recorded. This is likely to be part of a wider outbreak of Avian Influenza that has been confirmed from Shetland to Norfolk. A number of birds have been collected form the Reserve and we are currently awaiting results. The current advice is to not approach or touch any sick or dead birds and keep dogs away from them. Please report any dead or dying birds to the DEFRA emergency line on 03459 335577. NNR staff will be removing dead birds from the Reserve for licensed disposal.
We have lots of exciting events coming up over the next few months with incredible wildlife experiences from immersive history and geology walks to a spectacular dawn chorus of thousands of Geese flighting from the Reserve. Our full list of events are available to view and download on our blog website: lindisfarnennr.blogspot.com.
Andy Denton - Reserve Manager
Lindisfarne & Newham NNRs
Anyone interested in astronomy will have noted the brouhaha surrounding the launch of JWST on Christmas Day 2021. JWST officially stands for the James Webb Space Telescope, named after the NASA administrator who supervised the first manned Moon landing in 1969. This amazing spacecraft is also unofficially referred to by some as the 'Just Wonderful Space Telescope'.
This month JWST is expected to become prominent in the news once again. After seven months of fiendishly complex preparations, its first colour images of the cosmos are set to be revealed on 12th July. They promise to be spectacular.
In several ways the JWST is similar to the famous Hubble Space Telescope (HST) that has been in orbit since 1990, sending back to Earth a treasure trove of superb images of the heavens. However, the JWST is different in three significant ways. First, it is considerably bigger than Hubble, with its main mirror six times larger in area. This will give the new telescope increased light-gathering power to capture the faintest and most distant astronomical targets.
Secondly, JWST is positioned much further away from Earth: around 1 million miles (1.5 million kilometres) compared to just 340 miles (550 km) for HST. It is parked in a strange orbit roughly three times further away from us than the Moon. This makes it possible for the telescope to point at all times away from the Sun, Earth and Moon's glare. It is an ideal location to keep the spacecraft extremely cold. JWST's instruments need to be maintained at ultra-low temperatures so that they can observe in infrared wavelengths.
Infrared astronomy is the third and most important difference from Hubble. Although Hubble has some limited IR capability, the new telescope will detect light much further beyond the visible spectrum: the same heat radiation that you can feel given off by a hot stove in winter. This is important for several reasons. For one thing, infrared telescopes cannot operate effectively on Earth, as moisture in the atmosphere permanently blocks most incoming signals. In consequence, infrared astronomy is much less studied, with discoveries waiting to be made. JWST will be able to peer further back in time, hopefully to the earliest era of galaxy formation 13 billion years ago.
Almost everything has gone smoothly with the deployment of JWST so far. The most serious anomaly has been sudden damage caused to one of the telescope's mirror segments by the impact of a micro-meteorite. The extent of the problem has not yet been fully assessed, but NASA is optimistic that it should not severely degrade overall image quality. Indeed, the agency has managed to "spin" the news by suggesting that the strike is a marvellous opportunity to better study and understand the micro-meteorite hazard in the space environment!
All being well, we can look forward to a stream of inspiring images from JWST in the weeks and months to come. This telescope represents the very best of human technology and ingenuity. With it we reach far out into space and far back to the beginning of time itself. Great leaps in our understanding of our Universe are in prospect.
There is more information available at www.thevisibleuniverse.com.
In conclusion, let me wish everyone a Happy Summer.
The ups and downs of living in a young country
We were over visiting family in Oregon when the time came to write my rock contribution, so I hope you won't mind reading a piece about some distant rocks? At least the photographs will be different and there is a connection to Northumberland's past, 400 million years ago.
Our son and his wife (and new baby boy - Noah) live in a town called Bend in the Cascade mountains. From the end of their street the view west and north is amazing, a vast pine forest-filled plain, punctuated by cinder cone pimples and bounded by a line of snow-capped volcanoes. Some reach over 10,000 feet high and have evocative names - Broken Top, South Sister, Mount Bachelor and Mount Hood. Look south and around 30 miles away is what appears to be a low range of hills; much less impressive than the steep, white topped peaks. But you'd be wrong to believe they were any less dramatic; those low hills are what is left of a series of huge volcanic eruptions. The oldest only around 600,000 years ago and the youngest just 1300 years ago. It's called the Newberry National Volcanic Monument.
The Monument, an area covered by the volcano and its lava, ash and pumice is vast, over 1200 square miles. Part of it is a rift zone where the molten rocks poured out and at its southern end is a 'crater' with two lakes. It might be called a crater but it's really a caldera - an enormous basin 5 miles across created by the collapse of the volcano when the molten rock in the chamber about 2-3 miles below emptied. For those who can remember Mt St Helens, that ejected 6 cubic miles of rock, this Newberry volcano ejected 120 cubic miles! The resulting landscape is spectacular and not just for a geologist. You can climb to the top of deep red cinder cones, walk for a mile through a tunnel created by molten lava, see the casts of pine trees engulfed and burnt away by 1100C molten rock, hike over a flow made of black (obsidian) volcanic glass, younger than the Vikings; even see where the lava has diverted rivers.
This is a very different and much younger and more dynamic landscape than the ones we have in Britain. Our youngest Northumberland volcanic and molten rock is 60 million years old. This narrow blade of rock that cuts across the foreshore east of Tynemouth Priory is a minor red hot visitor from a volcano on the Isle of Mull that intruded millions of years before the first humans emerged. But 400 million years ago we did have some serious volcanic activity - at the core of the Cheviot mountains is a granite but the wider surrounding uplands are composed of lava flows that erupted violently from vents and fissures over a large part of northwest Northumberland. Climb to Housey Crags or take a drive to the upper reaches of the Coquet and you will be travelling over an ancient volcanic landscape.
So local volcanic eruptions are something we Brits no longer have to worry about. But Oregonians have to think about them. Their whole State is covered by a network of seismometers to detect the smallest earthquake, plus GPS stations to record millimetric changes in the height of the land surface. These and other sensors give information to a team of dedicated geologists who monitor the data and are on standby to predict a possible future eruption so that the population can receive the earliest and best warning possible. That an eruption will happen at some point in the future is certain, the temperature of the ground below is high and so there is molten rock down there. But we don't know exactly where that will be, or whether it will be tomorrow or in 2000 years. Living in a young and spectacular landscape certainly has positives, but it also carries risk.
Would you swap?
In June I joined a group walking the Cuthbert Way.
We climbed hills (which felt like mountains), came down hills (thank God for walking sticks), shared meals, slept in a bunk house together and finally came across the causeway on the sand in our bare feet.
It was amazing, it was hard, it was exhilarating and exhausting. We were all changed by the experience and when we said goodbye to each other we all hoped we would meet again. We were different ages, from different backgrounds, living very different lives but we were all pilgrims for those few days.
Pilgrimage speaks of life, we journey alone and yet together; together and yet alone.
Faith Brennan
cah@holy-island.com
Creativity and Faith
St Cuthbert's centre often hosts groups and individuals who use the space and its situation on Holy Island to explore their creativity. In early June, Illuminated Weaves invited people to weave a part of the community textile which was woven into St Cuthbert's cross. It is outside the centre for everyone to admire.
As I write, Judy Hurst is Artist in Residence, exhibiting her beautiful vellum paintings, inspiring visitors and answering their questions. Her work explores the connection between the natural world and Celtic spirituality.
And in August Linda Courage will be sharing her lovely felted art work.
Other groups include basket weavers, musicians and singing groups.
We can all use the interests and skills God has given us to praise Him.
Our creativity glorifies God.
Music has been used in praise and worship for centuries, but we can praise God through our painting, sculpture , photography , embroidery , knitting, anything that we are called to do.
We don't have to produce great art, just the act of engaging in creativity gives us the time and space to concentrate on the beauty of creation and the blessings that are showered on us every day , even if we are unaware of them.
Creativity can be an instrument of worship.
It is like kintsugi, the Japanese art of transforming broken ceramics into things of beauty. The broken pieces are joined together with lacquer mixed with gold or silver to produce something more beautiful than the original.
God does the same in our lives, holding the pieces together into a beautiful whole. He weaves His beautiful restoration into our lives , holding us in place. Then we can show others the beauty of His work.
Father God,
Thank you for making us in your image, we pray that your creative power will inspire us to praise you through the talents you have given us.
May we use our creativity to glorify you and encourage others to know and love you.
Amen.
Dear friends
These lasts weeks and months and years have been a bit of a roller coaster. For Europe - with the war in Ukraine, the covid pandemic, votes of confidence in parliament, for our planet with the new report on sea level rise. For peoples across the world who have set out on dangerous journeys to escape war and hardship. And of course, at the other end of the rollercoaster of emotions, we have experienced gratitude and joy at our Queen's long service and the wonderful Platinum Jubilee celebrations. Holy Island did itself proud with all the events to celebrate - fancy dress sports day, sandcastle competitions, the great party in the hall, Songs of Praise in St Mary's and picnic in the Vicarage garden. Thank you to all who spent time organising, planning, cooking, putting up the mile and a half of bunting and generally taking part!
Life can be a bit up and down as we know. But on this holy island, we as a community pull together through it all. St Mary's is open every day for people to visit, to come in and light and candle or pray, or to come in and spend some quiet time to 'just be'. The church is here for all our ups and downs through life. The Archbishop of York walked St Cuthbert's Way last week and came to hold a service here at the end of his pilgrimage. It was a pleasure and a privilege to host him, and to be reminded that God is with us every step of the way on our journey through life.
With every blessing as we enter the summer season
Sarah
ST. MARY'S
NOTICES
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A Blessing - for this time and every time
Lift your hearts to heaven
and receive the eternal gift of peaceKeep your feet on the ground
and walk with those who need God's loveThis day
You are loved by God
You are held by God
You are blessed by GodNow and for evermore
© Revd Rachel Poolman