Easter 2015 and the Flood

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On Palm Sunday, we joined Stones Methodists for Communion before processing down the hill (in the rain) behind the cross, to finish the service at St Bart’s.  A well-attended workshop for local school  children took place on Good Friday in the community centre and church was busy on Easter Sunday with many visitors.  The 100 club was drawn and the results were: 1. 34  S Spencer. 2. 22 J Hotson, 3. 8 J Wood. We are getting used to the extra space now that the reordering of the west end of church has begun and some pews have been removed.  In … Read more…

Autumn 2014

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Early September brought a beautiful day for Rushbearing.   All went to plan and the church grounds were packed with visitors, dancers, musicians and, inevitably, the church fund-raising team – £1000 was raised for general funds.  Our thanks go to all who visited us and to those who helped in any way to make the day the success it was.   The day closed with the annual Songs of Praise service. The previous week there had been a very successful visit by a U3A group from Stockport who were made very welcome with a talk and refreshments. On 14 September … Read more…

July 2014 – the arrival of the Tour de France in Ripponden

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A very hectic couple of weeks at St Bart’s began with the induction of Rev Chris Ball at St Bart’s church on 26 June.   This was followed by refreshments at Ripponden J & I School.   Chris barely had time to turn round after his first service in the Benefice, at St John’s, before he was launching the ducks at the annual Duck Race and Garden Party which also took place on Sunday 29 June, raising a total of £1100 for the Restoration & Redevelopment Fund. The winners of the duck race were 1) 106 M Witchell £100; 2) … Read more…

June 2014

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The 100 club winners in June were: 1st N Daniels (2) 2nd A Kinlan (48) 3rd N Green (12) We are grateful to the various clergy who have taken services during the Vacancy.    Our new Vicar, Rev Chris Ball, arrives in the Benefice within the next few days and we extend him a warm welcome.

Ladies’ Lunch & other events

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Between Easter Monday and the Bank Holiday two weeks later we had a pretty busy time at St Bart’s.  On Easter Monday,  between 3.00  am  – 8.30 am the community centre was used as the final rest stop on the annual Halifax Long March in aid of Christian Aid.   A number of ‘willing’ volunteers provided refreshments and acted as marshals for the walkers. The following Saturday, the Bridge Inn held its annual Pork Pie competition and church was open for tea and coffee with a WI cake stall, a general church stall and bell tower tours.  Maybe the weather … Read more…

May Update

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The results of the May draw of the 100 club are: 1st prize Richard Pettitt (50) 2nd prize Malcolm Thompson (6) 3rd prize Rachel Green (13)   On 5 May, Bank Holiday Monday, St Bart’s had another successful stall on Mill Fold as part of the 20th Ripponden Gala.  We ran a general stall and tombola, the human fruit machine and a very successful coconut shy.    Over £370 was raised. On Sunday 25 May we say goodbye to Rev Rosie Bowers at her last service within the Benefice, at 10 o’clock at Barkisland. We are all gearing up to … Read more…

Poppies

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  Poppies have been planted across the new diocese as a joint act of remembrance for the centenary of World War One. Wednesday 30 April, was designated as Poppy Planting Day and, as Ripponden Guides meet on a Wednesday, they planted the seeds on our behalf.   They have scattered them in the gardens to the south (by the river) and to the east of church.