Upper Weardale Benefice Newsletter

28^th June 2026

Fourth Sunday After Trinity

Collect

Gracious Father,

by the obedience of Jesus

you brought salvation to our wayward world:

draw us into harmony with your will,

that we may find all things restored in him,

our Saviour Jesus Christ.  Amen

What’s On This Week

A full and up-to-date calendar of church events can be found on theBenefice website,

For Your Prayers

We keep in ourprayers all in our community who are in any kind of need.   Our prayers are asked particularly for Kathleen Kirby.

We remember before God all those involved in the earthquakes in Venezuela, and all those suffering through natural and man-made disaster, and warfare.

News

Introducing Ray Hetherington

Hello, I’m Ray. I am currently training for ordained ministry as an ordinand at Cranmer Hall Theological College. I live in Durham with my wife, Kelly. Originally from Newcastle, I moved from Cramlington, Northumberland, to Durham to undertake full-time, residential training.

Settling into Durham has been a pleasure; it’s a beautiful city, and I’m eager to explore both it and the surrounding areas as I make it my home. Prior to beginning my training, I spent four years working as a verger at Newcastle Cathedral. I also undertook a six-month Sunday placement in Morpeth, Northumberland, whilst preparing for the ordination training interview process. Since then, I have completed several placements, including at Windy Nook and Stockton Parish Church, and I am now coming to the end of my first year at Cranmer Hall. I will be entering my final year of training in September.

In my spare time, I enjoy listening to music and expanding my ever-growing vinyl collection. I have also recently started learning to paint with acrylics, although I am very much at the beginning of this very long learning curve and haven’t produced any masterpieces thus far.

I thoroughly enjoy learning from others and walking alongside people in their journeys. I am especially looking forward to exploring rural ministry because it offers a distinctive opportunity to understand how faith, community, place, and everyday life are woven together. I am keen to learn from the wisdom, resilience, and generosity of rural churches and communities, and to discover more about the joys and challenges of ministry in settings where relationships are often deeply rooted and where the church can play a vital role in the life of the wider community.

As I continue to grow and learn in preparation for ordained ministry, I hope this experience will help me listen well, serve faithfully, and better understand the many different contexts in which God’s people live, worship, and witness. I look forward to sharing in worship, conversation, and community life, and to learning with and from those I meet along the way. So, if you see me around, please do come and say “hi”; I very much look forward to meeting you.

Prayers and Best Wishes

Ray Hetherington (currently on placement in Upper Weardale)

Choir Director Sought

IS there anyone out there who may be interested in becoming a Choir Director for churches around the Dale?

Rev Graeme Holdsworth is experimenting with the idea of perhaps developing a Christian Choir that would move up and down Dale, singing in churches on Sundays. They would also, of course, practise together and become a social group, enjoying rehearsing and making new friends.

Anyone interested is advised to contact Graeme via email at Rev.Holdsworth@pm.me

Farming Exhibition at Cowshill

Many thanks to Jan, Louvain, Anne and Margaret as well as many from the community who worked so hard to make this weekend a success. The church was full all weekend with people travelling from Sunderland, Penrith, Haltwhistle, Esh Winning, even a couple from Australia who were on holiday. £330 was raised from donations, raffle and refreshments.  Thanks to all! Heather

Beating the Bounds of the Parish of West Weardale

Richard Walsh will be Beating the Bounds of the Parish of West Weardale on the 11th July this year. He’s planning to walk alone, but, borrowing an idea from The Reverend Graeme Holdsworth, Richard invites folk from West Weardale and the surrounding areas to enjoy a “Church in the Wild” inspired event at one or more of the five places the Parish Boundary is crossed by a road.

Richard will be using sections of Psalm 107 at the five crossing points, to guide prayers for those in West Weardale that feel lost, those that feel trapped, those that feel overwhelmed and those that feel pushed about, and to give thanks for our beautiful dale. At the same time, he will take the opportunity to look outwards, and pray for our five adjoining parishes.

If you want to join with Richard at one or more of the crossing points, then please read Graeme’s vision for the “Church in the Wild”. For obvious safety reasons, it is important you follow the directions in Graeme’s notes, and, in particular, that Richard knows who he is meeting each of the crossings. They’re spread through the day (07:45 is the first, 20:15 the last), and Richard will happily send you a schedule if you’re interested in joining with him in praying for our beautiful dale and beyond.

For more information or to join Richard in prayer please contact him in advance via westweardalenews@gmail.com

Richard

Oh God, it’s the Vicar!

Following on from his series of meetings up and down the Dale where he invited non-church people to come with their questions about Christianity, Graeme is releasing a series of short videos in which he answers some of the questions he received – such as ‘Is Christianity Nonsense?’ and ‘What is Church’?  You can find these videos on the website here and you’re welcome to share them on social media if you would like to.   A new video will be released each week.

This cartoon by Dave Walker was originally published in his book “Peculiar Goings On” and is used by permission

General Information

To add any items of news to this newsletter please contact Sandie Barton at . Photos of church events etc. would be lovely (but do make sure any people in the photos have given their permission!)

The deadline is 3pm on Thursday for issue by email on Friday. Sandie is also happy to add people to the circulation list, on request.

Durham e-News: a regular email from the Diocese for worshippers and people with an interest in the diocese. It contains the latest news and features from the Diocese, and can be delivered directly to your inbox. To sign up simply fill in your details via this link: Diocesan newsletter.

Contacts

Priest-in-charge: The Rev Graeme Holdsworth

01388 531460   rev.holdsworth@pm.me

Associate Priest: The Rev. Heather Ross

01388 537439, 07713 388106,

Parish Safeguarding Officers:
Stanhope: Katharine Adams 07783659089

Eastgate: Liz Curry 07921 176012
West Weardale: Jan Wright 07415 046392 

To arrange a baptism, marriage or funeral please contact Rev Heather Ross as above.

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