Regular News Features - May 30, 2008

Items which have long runs or feature regularly on our News pages; also included: quick answers to regularly asked questions.  If it's not here, please use the search facility on the Home page; this website is spidered fortnightly - very recent entries may not appear in the results.

China and Myanmar Burma Emergency Appeals
Several agencies including CAFOD, TEAR Fund and Christian Aid as well as the Disasters Emergency Committee are providing relief following the devastation of cyclone Nargis and the earthquake in Sichuan province.

Christian Ecology Link
The CEL webpage on this website includes the downloadable Environmental Audit sheet noted at the CTH AGM on 14 May 2008.

Wikipedia Harrogate Churches
Draft page published April 2008

BBC: Christian Religious News

April fool stories now have their own page on this website.

Thursday Meals Rota
A copy of the updated rota is now available on this website; the rota list is also linked via the Local Groups and Regular News Features pages

Pannal Farmer's market
Each Wednesday morning, 9.00 – 10.30am coffee is served at St Robert's (2007-). A local farmer who sells meat and vegetables (where possible sourced locally) from his van calls from 10.00 am on. He takes orders and delivers. See also the Midweek events page on this website.

No Smoking
Downloadable A5 No Smoking signs available from the NHS Smoke Free England website resources pages - including fact sheets in several languages. See also our 999 emergency signs page

Emergency Services : 999
With the Ambulance service using satellite navigation to respond to Emergency Calls, there is now a postcodes listing for local churches on this website; the 'In an Emergency' poster now includes space for First Aid and defibrillator entries

Labyrinth: The Church House Trust-funded Labyrinth has been in use at Ripon Cathedral as part of a Year 7 retreat day, facilitated by Rev Catherine Clasen. More detail on how to use the Labyrinth available on this website

Disasters links: Affiliated organisations to the Disasters Emergency Committee welcome donations; locally, Tear Fund and Christian Aid in Yorkshire have issued further press releases for church magazines

Thursday Meals Rota
A copy of the rota is available on this website; the rota list is also linked via the Local Groups page

Jubilee Debt Campaign in Harrogate and Knaresborough press releases for church magazines are downloadable from their page on this website

Church House Trust: Resources
The Trustees, at their 2007 Autumn disbursements meeting, published a webpage outlining the ecumenical resources purchased with Church House Trust funds

Fairtrade:
An autumn survey has been circulated in 2007 to assess the level of fair trade in churches; questionnaire also available on this website (pdf, 67kb); please note new email: admin@harrogatefairtrade.co.uk

Amnesty International Information packs available for sending greetings to recipients who include prisoners of conscience, human rights defenders and the families of those who have 'disappeared' or been found murdered pursuing information or justice. More info: 528330, j.barbarabarnes@ntlworld.com

MySpace: Arguments continue for and against Christians being "in the world but not of it"; alternative internet networking sites include Xianz.com, GodTube.com, and MyChurch.org.
Churches Together in Harrogate is available on MyChurch.org/ctharrogate

Issues that United and divide Pics from the Ripon Deanery Synod at Fountains Visitor centre in July 2007 are available on our July page

Church on the Net: launched April 2007; part of the ministry of Holy Trinity, Ripon

Harrogate Online Directory
Comprehensive listing of local businesses and community groups

Harrogate Advertiser Church Diary
Our gratitude to the good people of The Advertiser for the new look to the Church Diary from 15 December 2006. Check your church entries for this coming week's publication on our Church Diary proof page - often up to a month in advance.

Retirement and Rest Homes
The web-listing of church contacts with the Retirement and Rest Homes of Harrogate has been published (10 January 2007). Missing information welcome! Please contact the secretary.

Harrogate Homeless Project Volunteers welcome
The hostel on Bower Street welcomes volunteers to help at all times; contact Julie on 566900.

Vicar's addresses
Thank you to those seeking addresses for all local churches, or address lists for priests, vicars, pastors or ministers. Whilst this information is not stored on this website, Churches Together in Harrogate is delighted to forward any requests; please see our Communication page for more info. Contact telephone numbers and weblinks are available on our Church Service times, Disability access, Church Hall, Languages and Midweek meetings pages within this website.

Downing Street Petitions
Various petitions on the Downing Street website of interest to the faith community include: "£100m" mega Mosque with the GLA response to the untrue report of public funding: Preservation of C of E church buildings deadline 3 July 2007, Pro Faith Schools, deadline 29 June, countering Abolish Faith Schools; requesting Zero VAT for Charities 21 June 2007; Catholic opt-out on same sex adoption 26 January 2008; Exempt all faith adoption agencies 26 April 2007, Live Music - affecting schools as well as charity fund raising events, 11 June 2007 and:
Analogue radio mics, threatening the use of radio mics in churches and live music, 19 June 2007; the Musicians Union urge asking your MP to sign Andrew Mackinlay's Early Day Motion 531 calling for the government to intervene in Ofcom's plans for Analogue signals and asking for special dispensation for Radio Microphones; note: Harrogate & Knaresborough MP Phil WIllis has already signed this motion.  Draft business letter, background info on Public Consultation - closes on the 20 March.
Further petitions on the Downing Street website include ecological issues. Also: from the London Evening Standard, a poll on a £100m Mosque for the Olympics. This entry is also featured on our News Archive page.

CTBI: Operation Noah
With three key areas of action: 1. Sign the climate Covenant (online): ‘World leaders must act to avert dangerous climate change, and give everyone fair access to energy in a sustainable world economy, asking the UK to lead negotiations whilst taking action personally to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.' 2. Take action yourself to cut your greenhouse gas emissions by switching to green electricity, and 3. Spread the word - Get your church and local community on board. More info from CTBI

Horticap
Horticap are delighted to be able to offer speakers for church fellowship groups. Please contact Christine Brown, Horticap, tel: 522876

The Da Vinci Code film
Amongst the responses from the worldwide Christian church and other faiths, Bible Society outlines various Biblical perspectives and Christianity Today has offered the suggestion of 'othercott'-ing the film - encouraging cinema goers to enjoy the other good films available rather than boycotting the Da Vinci Code.
A series of talks at Rock ConneXion in Harrogate are available for download.

Halifax: Street Angels
Members of Town centre churches are looking at the work of the Street Angels of Halifax, West Yorkshire. Their website iuncludes many quotes including: "Street Angels? What a great idea. I congratulate everyone working to make Halifax a safer place at night without taking the fun out of life. Christians - get to it!" The Most Revd & Right Hon. Dr John Sentamu, Archbishop of York". More info on Harrogate's own Town Pastors available.

St Wilfrid's church
Typing in St Wilfred's while looking for St Wilfrid's church in Harrogate? Try the Church Lists - Service Times or Disability Access listings. There's a Multimap link as well.

Search tips
This website lists churches by service times, access and musical style rather than denomination, theology or size. Church leaders' names are only included where there is an appropriate photograph. We're grateful to Freefind for their search facility. The site is spidered every fortnight.
We're always grateful for notification of broken links; due to the archive nature of the site we cannot guarantee to keep historic hyperlinks up to date.

Christian Flatshare online
... states that it is a non-profit organisation dedicated to help Christians find a home.

Churches Together Constitution
The Executive Committee are publishing a revised Constitution for Churches Together in Harrogate, updating language and detail whilst responding to the desire to work together in better ways.
The draft revised Constitution has been circulated to Churches Together Area Groups and church leaders for perusal before presentation for adoption at the Churches Together AGM on 17 May at St Peter's. The current Constitution is available on this website.

Chain Emails: Break the chain
For those concerned about unsolicited chain emails - especially those condemning people - the Break the Chain website may be worth checking before hitting 'Forward' (or 'Reply').

CTBI Peacemakers
Churches Together in Britain and Ireland are involved in this project 'with the aim of improving understanding in the UK between Christians and Muslims and, in so doing, to contribute in a small way to reducing the potential for violence or suspicion'.

ntl world email: ct secretary
For those affected by ntl email failures, a temporary email is also available: emergency.cth@three-humps-music.org.uk. Please note that any 'three-humps-music' emails are collected on an ad hoc basis.

Local Strategic Partnership
Jane Blayney's reports on the meetings of the LSP are available for perusal on this website.

A special welcome to all website visitors who know of St Mary's church, Dorchester. - an extract from their September 2005 parish magazine can be viewed via this website.  (This is also linked via the Marketing page of the website)

Churches Together in Harrogate website now also via: www.ctharrogate.org.uk and the secretary has a new telephone number: 01423 548778, email address, and is also on Skype.

Website changes: Regular users of this website should experience faster loading and easier navigation with the upgrade launched on 3 February 2005.  All comments and thoughts welcome to the webmaster.

Friday Lent Lunches summaries available on this website  
Light lunches followed by speakers on "The Imitation of Christ - today" at the Friends Meeting House (Map); well over £200 raised for Christian Aid.

Service Times page: now updated
Sunday service times now listed with service style as well as time and service type; recent changes including St Andrew's morning services are included; some details awaited.

Disability Access
A new summary page is now available with a list of facilities in every open church in Harrogate. As well as tthe Disability Access page is a page about the Go 4th club for those with learning disabilities.
A page on "Communication" for the wider church in Harrogate is now available, including details on the Computer Code of Conduct.

Forever Today by Deborah Wearing
The book's author (a Messianic Jew) is well known to the CTH secretary.  The book is published by Double Day and now available from Waterstones, WH Smith and others; it hit Amazon's bestseller # 78 within 24 hours.  Wesley Owen can obtain the book to special order   Reviewed in the media: the Telegraph, Observer, the Jewish Chronicle, February Good Housekeeping plus Woman and Home and many others including BBC Radio 5 live, BBC Radio 4 Midweek (26 January) Channel 4 Richard & Judy and more.  An astonishing story of love conquering all despite her husband's illness.

22-23 November: Through a glass darkly : Churches Leaders conference
Ministers, pastors and church leaders' conference to draw together our gathered vision for the area during this two day residential conference at Wydale Hall (Map). Press release published in January 2005's Unity Post available on this website. Conference summary from the secretary.
Click on the picture for a bigger pic - note it's a big file (approx 1+MB).

Talkback: Third Tuesdays, 7:30pm
The Spring Programme is now available for these evenings of open discussion on world and cultural issues; books, films, television examined under the light of the gospel. Venue and details from Tim Hurren.

Churches Together in Harrogate website now also via: www.ctharrogate.org.uk; a new search facility is now available via the Home page.

Premier Radio Premier Christian Radio, broadcasting in the London area on Medium Wave radio, is now also available here in North Yorkshire on Freeview, channel 725.

Homeless Drop In: opening hours
Tuesday and Wednesday 1-4pm; Thursday 3-6pm; Friday and Sunday 1-3pm. A webpage details facilities.

Top : Please contact the Secretary to add items which would benefit from an entry on this page.
This page last updated May 30, 2008
Churches Together in Harrogate : loving God and neighbour - together : www.ctharrogate.org.uk