We had a wonderful Easter Sunday Service at Beltingham led by Benjamin our vicar and Gill our curate.
The choir was led by Fred Brooks and sang the anthem "O Joy of God" as well as supporting the congregation in the singing of traditional Easter hymns.
At the end of the service there was a lovely surprise - Diane had chocolate Easter eggs for everyone!
Nineteen children and numerous adults enjoyed a very busy Messy Church today! There were some great activities such as planting Easter gardens, making chocolate cakes with Easter symbols, making "junk" crosses and colouring tasks. After all the activity, there was a time of worship in Church and then a shared meal.
On February 13th, the Mothers' Union hosted their traditional Shrove Tuesday Lunch at the General Havelock in Haydon Bridge.
This event is always popular and all tickets were sold, thirty eight people attended from across the Benefice.
The meal was very enjoyable in a convivial atmosphere, served efficiently by the helpful staff.
The menu included pancakes which proved very popular and the raffle raised £109.
On Thursday January 25th, fifty people gathered in the Village Hall for a Burns Night supper and ceilidh.
John Galbraith welcomed us with a glass of whisky or sherry. The meal was delicious - vegetable soup, haggis (of course) and apple crumble.
Then we needed to dance with enthusiasm to work off some of the calories!
It was a delightful evening, well organised and full of fun. I hope to be there again next year!
In a crowded and joyful series of services and celebrations in the run up to Christmas, none was more special than the Crib Service at Henshaw on Christmas Eve, when the children participated in the telling of the Nativity story and placed the crib figures into the crib. Not only were there excellent readings by the children, but also a “first performance” from an embryonic children’s choir. The church was full of parents and grandparents, and all participated lustily in singing some well known and loved carols.