In January 2025 we will mark ten years since Warwick died. We usually visit Fountains Abbey on the anniversary; the place where his ashes are scattered in Studley Royal Dear Park. His joyful life brings a reminder of his sunny personality and unconditional love. We are comforted by our hope in Jesus Christ that we will be reunited in the resurrection.
This year we have said goodbye to some dear friends and family. Notably, Derek Ormston, our brother in law. He died in July after suffering dementia. Also Ruth Somerville, a dear friend we spent special times with during her treatment for cancer, who died in hope in October.
Is it almost 2024 already? How time flies. Here is a round up of what we did and where we went this year. We have celebrated weddings, welcomed babies, wept at funerals, visited beautiful places and met up with family and friends. Though retired, we’re busy but doing less. Click the links below to find out more.
As this year comes to a close we are thankful to God for all he has helped us through. We trust you will have a blessed Christmastime and a hopeful new year; and that you will know the peace of God that passes all understanding.
It feels as though we have been away from home more often this year, with visits to The Lakes, Peak District, Northern Ireland, and Madeira as well as shorter breaks in Coventry, Gloucestershire, Cambridge and Chelmsford – the last two regularly to visit Matthew and Wesley’s families.
On Latrigg
For our Lakes holiday in June we stayed in the Northern area near Penrith and explored places we have rarely visited before. Buttermere, Pooley Bridge, places around Keswick and climbed only one fell, Latrigg; just a gentle stroll really!
Thors Cave, Staffordshire Dales
We joined Matthew’s family in the Peak District in July. Three cottages side by side in a village called Wetton; one for us, one for Matthew, Laura, Anna and Rowan, and one for John and Eileen, Laura’s parents. To the delight of the children there was a play barn there too. So we enjoyed the local riverside walks in Dovedale, explored the ancient Thors Cave, rode the heritage railway in the Churnett Valley and enjoyed meals in local pubs and restaurants.
Waterfall in full spate after heavy rain
In September we took the ferry to Larne in Northern Ireland. My brother’s son, Joel, was getting married to Rachael and we decided to take a holiday in Northern Ireland. The Antrim Coast is spectacular; Giants Causeway, Glenariff Forest Park to name just two places we enjoyed. We also visited Mount Stewart on Stangford Lough and the Titanic Experience in Belfast. We will have to return to explore more of the beauty of Ulster.
Madeira
Our final visit to Madeira. Flying is such a hassle and bad for the environment so our visit to the Portuguese island of Madeira is to be our last. We have been there most years since 2013 partly because of a deal we had with a resort company there, which ended this year. But also because Madeira is such a pleasant destination. This year the October temperatures were record breaking. The staff said they had never known it to be so hot. We abandoned the Levada Walks and the mountains this year (perhaps a sign of our advancing years) and settled for gentle days wandering from cafe to cafe, reading and soaking up the warm climate.
Leaving St Michael-le-Belfrey church building – it will never look like this again
This summer our church building, St Michael-le-Belfrey, was closed for extensive reordering and refurbishment work. The ten million pound project has begun. The pews, balcony and narthex have already been removed leaving just the shell of the grade I medieval structure ready for repairs and reordering to start. In the meantime the church is meeting in a very grand recently restored building called The De Grey Rooms, a former Officers Mess and ballroom just a short walk away in St Leonards Place.
As well as closing our church building we also lost our Vicar, Matthew Porter, who was consecrated Bishop of Bolton this year. The vacancy has been filled by our Associate Minister. Revd Andy Baker has been installed as Interim Priest in Charge until we move back to our refurbished building in three years time.
My (Barrie) term as Parish Safeguarding Officer came to an end at the Annual Meeting in May. I handed the responsibility on to the person who had been my assistant. In a church the size of ours it is a big job, and I was ready to pass it on.
We are still Belfrey Group Stewards, looking after the leaders of three home groups and we serve on the welcome and coffee rotas for the 11am Sunday service. Joan is on the pastoral visiting team (as well as being a volunteer at York Hospital two mornings a week). We belong to a home group which now is mainly made up of people who belong to other churches. They were all at one time or another part of St Michael-le-Belfrey but have moved on in the years we have been meeting. Everyone values it and we have some very good friends there. Sadly we said goodbye to one of our dearest friends in the group. Paul Burbridge, the artistic Director of Riding Lights Theatre Company, died after a short illness just after Easter, leaving his wife Bernadette and children, Patrick, Caitlin and Erin.
More recently we lost Dave Playle. Dave was the pastor who married us in 1971, and prior to that I lived with him and his family in Holmfirth. He had been living in the nursing home where his wife Rosemary lives in Warrington.
We also meet regularly with our friends who formed the leadership of Harrogate Christian Fellowship in its early days in the late 1970s and early 80s. Richard and Jenny Dean, and Colin and Rhona Stanbury. We usually meet up about once a month, enjoy lunch together and an extended chat. We often start with coffee at 11am and finish with tea at three, with a cooked meal in between.
Here’s our annual news from York as we anticipate the celebration of the birth of Christ in Bethlehem – a birth that changed history and is still changing it.
May we send you more good tidings (in the following pages) and trust that we all experience a better New Year – especially for those fleeing war and injustice. But to all of you, Christmas Blessings in whatever way you celebrate it, and whoever you celebrate it with.
There has been much more to our lives than can be contained these few brief snippets. We both continue to serve in our church community at St Michael-le-Belfrey, Joan volunteers at York Hospital and Barrie with Restore.
