Happy Easter everyone! Jesus is alive! He is risen!

It is the most important festival of the Christian church year and yet we haven’t worked out how to fill our churches the way we manage to at Christmas. I have to say that I think a donkey for Easter should be considered…

On my day off this week the sun was shining, and my husband and I went for a walk around Harlow Carr to enjoy the spring bulbs and the emerging blossom and some remarkably pretty flowering bushes. Driving back, we passed the lovely little skinny lambs gambolling in the fields outside Hampsthwaite and I thought how lovely Spring is. The temperature has dropped again, and we are experiencing a little frost, but I hope that by the time you read this Spring will have properly sprung! New Life and Hope is the theme for this time of year. On that subject I ask that you all pray with me that our hopes are realised. Yours for a new incumbent as soon as possible, and ours for a smooth move.

My licensing date in Sutton-in-Craven has been set for Sunday 16th June. The time of the service to be announced in due course. Representatives from the parish are always welcome to attend the licensing service.

The purchase of the house should be completed on 8th April. There will then be some building work that needs to be done to make it suitable for use as a vicarage. Hopefully it will all go without any more hitches, and we will be able to move in by the first week of June.

My final Sunday in the benefice of Hampsthwaite with Felliscliffe, Killinghall and Birstwith will be Sunday 19th May 2024. There will be a Joint Benefice service at 10.30 in Hampsthwaite church as a ‘Goodbye’ service. I look forward to seeing as many of you as possible at that special service on Pentecost Sunday.

God be with you,

Suzy

01423 772638 (between 9am and 9pm)