Upper Weardale Benefice Newsletter

25^th October 2026

Dedication Festival for St Thomas’ Stanhope

Collect

Almighty God, to whose glory we

dedicate this house of prayer:

we praise you for the many blessings you have given to those who worship you here:

and we pray that all who seek you in this place may find you,

and, being filled with the Holy Spirit,

may become a living temple acceptable to you;

through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,

who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and forever.  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 pray too for others who are sick and for the bereaved. We remember our new Archdeacon Stephen, asking that God will bless him and us through his ministry. 

News

Installation of the Archdeacon of Auckland

On Tuesday 27^th our new Archdeacon the Ven. Stephen Edmonds will be installed at 5.30pm in Durham Cathedral.  All are welcome to attend, tickets are not required.

Next Bishop of Jarrow Announced

Hot off the presses comes the news that our new Bishop of Jarrow will be the Rev’d Dr Jitesh Patel, who describes himself as having once been ‘a very unlikely would-be disciple of Jesus, yet encountering the pursuing love of Christ through the mission of the local church’.  We look forward to welcoming him to the Diocese in due course.

Coming up This Week

Churchyard Tidy-Ups

Work parties have been planned to tidy up the churchyards in Cowshill (24^th) and St John’s Chapel (31^st) from 10am-12 noon. 

All very welcome, please bring your own hand tools.  May be postponed if the weather is very poor.

St Thomas’ Church Stanhope – Sunday 25^th 10am

It is planned to celebrate the re-opening of the church for worship on Sunday October 25^th at 10am with a Dedication Festival which will be a Joint Benefice Service.  Please try to be there if you can! No service in Cowshill or St John’s Chapel this week.

Pumpkin Carving All Saints’ Eastgate – Sunday 25^th 2pm

Creative fun at Eastgate on Sunday afternoon.  Please email if you would like to join in.

Please note the wreath making workshops at Eastgate featured in last week’s newsletter will happen in November, not October!

Looking Further Forward

Save the date – Christmas Gift Fair at Cowshill

Saturday 7^th November 12.30-4pm

Poster attached

Remembrance Day Services in Upper Weardale

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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Basic information on all churches is available at www.achurchnearyou.com

Our Benefice Website can be found at