Outreach DECEMBER 2025/JANUARY 2026 www.maryandcuthbert.org.uk
Day Time Event/Place-30 Tues 2nd Wed 3rd Wed 3rd 9.30 am 1.00 pm - 3.00 pm 1.30 - 3.00 pm Rhyme Time - Tuesdays during Term time Drop In - Holyoakes, South Pelaw Hope - Bereavement Support Group - Parish Centre - Eardulph Sat 6th Mon 8th Wed 10th Sun 14th Mon 15th 10.00 am - 1.00 pm 2.00 pm 1.30 - 3.00 pm 4.00 pm - 6.00 pm 1.00 pm Christmas Table Top Sale & Cafe in Parish Centre Mothers' Union Carol Service in Church - all welcome Hope - Bereavement Drop In - Parish Centre - Eardulph Christmas Messy Church - Parish Centre Mothers' Union Christmas Lunch - Wheatsheaf - Barely Mow Mon 15th Tues 16th 8.00 pm Ladies Dinner - Fabios - Book by 8th Dec with Jan in the Office 9.30 am Final Rhyme time until January 13th 2.00 pm Final Warm Spaces until January 13th Wed 17th 1.30 - 3.00 pm Hope - Bereavement Support Group - Parish Centre - Eardulph Sun 21st Tues 23rd 10.00 am 10.00 am Joint service in Church - Nativity Christingle making 'factory' - Parish Centre For all our Christmas services - see page 4 Sun 28th 10.00 am Joint service in Church - Communion Dates for your Diary - JANUARY 2026 Day Time Event/Place-13 Wed 7th Wed 7th Thur 8th Sun 11th Mon 12th Tues 13th 1.00 pm - 3.00 pm 1.30 - 3.00 pm 6.00pm 4.00 pm - 6.00 pm 2.00 pm 9.30 am Drop In - Holyoakes, South Pelaw Hope - Bereavement Drop In - Parish Centre - Eardulph Baptism Preparation - Parish Centre Messy Church - Parish Centre Mothers' Union - Parish Centre - Wave of Prayer Rhyme Time Starts Wed 14th 2.00 pm 1.30 - 3.00 pm Warm Spaces Starts Hope - Bereavement Support Group - Parish Centre - Eardulph Thur 15th Fri 16th Sun 18th Wed 21st Sun 25th Mon 26th Wed 25th 7.30 pm 10.00 am 2.00 pm & 3.00 pm 1.30 - 3.00 pm 6.00 pm 2.00 pm 1.30 - 3.00 pm PCC CAP Job Club New group starts Baptisms - Parish Church Hope - Bereavement Drop In - Parish Centre - Eardulph Youth Meal ? Mothers' Union - Clark Adamson Hope - Bereavement Support Group - Parish Centre - Eardulph Prayer We aim to underpin all the work we do at St Mary and St Cuthbert's with prayer. The church is also committed to praying for the locality and the needs of the world. Everyone is welcome to join us in the prayer room ('Chad') at 9.15 am every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. There is also a prayer group that meets at 11.00 am in 'Chad' for an hour on Tuesdays. 2 Outreach DECEMBER 2025/JANUARY 2026 www.maryandcuthbert.org.uk
boys. Dear Friends, Christmas is fast approaching and our thoughts are turning to all that this season brings. It is also a time when we often look back. Over these past few months we have greatly missed Matt, Sarah, Zach and Toby being part of our church family but we are hopeful that Matt will return in the New Year and I am positive that as a church family we will welcome them well and Matt will ease back into ministry. Curate’s Letter Since launching the Parish Centre Fundraiser we have raised a total of £34,781 through grants and individuals who have given sacrificially. It is very encouraging and we are looking forward to when our new oven will be installed in our kitchen and when the Parish Centre roof is insulated. Rachel Orr who has successfully applied for a number of grants has written a more detailed piece on page 9 our thanks to her for all that she has done. Know your church know your neighbourhood has been a positive addition to our prayer life as we explore how God is drawing us on as a church. The prayer walks had an impact upon everyone who participated and I am looking forward to seeing how the Holy Spirit guides us going forward. As this is the last Outreach of the year I would like to take the opportunity to say thank you to all of you who make this church what it is. There are people who faithfully serve in the cafe, move tables and chairs, make refreshments, pray, do the administration, work with schools and community groups visit care homes, support the children’s and youth work and so on. A number of people have also stepped up in recent months to lead and preach on a more frequent basis. I am especially grateful to the church wardens Brian Armstrong, Sue Begg, Dorothy, Hall and to Jan Rowland for all that they do and all that they are. They are a fantastic team to work with I could not ask for better people to do ministry alongside. It is impossible to cover all the voluntary roles that people fill but I hope you enjoy what you do as you serve God and the people who are part of our community. I take encouragement from hearing about all the work that people do for the church and I hope your efforts encourage you in your walk with God. Traditionally the prayer below is said on the last Sunday before advent sometimes when people stir the Christmas cake mixture. It is a good prayer for anytime of the year and I will be praying it for all of us connected to St Mary and St Cuthbert’s. Stir up, we beseech thee, O Lord, the wills of thy faithful people; that they, plenteously bringing forth the fruit of good works, may of thee be plenteously rewarded; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. As we prepare for Christmas and turn our thoughts to the year ahead I pray that God is with you every single day. Yours in Christ, Miriam Thank You In the article above Miriam has thanked the many people who have faithfully served our Church in the last few months during the time Matt has been on sick leave. But many thanks must go to Miriam herself who has worked many more hours than she should have done to keep our parish on track and running smoothly. Thank you also to Rev's Paul & Mary Judson and Rev Norman Shave for their contribution to the smooth running of our parish here in Cheste-le-Street. (A grateful member of our congregation) www.maryandcuthbert.org.uk Outreach DECEMBER 2025/JANUARY 2026 3
Allow me to introduce you to Dinah Roe Kendall’s painting of “Mary visits Elizabeth”. It can be seen in her book, “Allegories of Heaven”. Her paintings treat the biblical stories in a contemporary and narrative manner. Eugene Peterson, a theologian, translates the verses in her book in a contemporary way. I draw heavily upon his translation as I find his words vibrant and inspiring. The Right Rev Jack Nicolls, Bishop of Sheffield writes this foreword in Dinah’s book. “The paintings of Dinah Roe Kendall bring the Gospels to life. They do this because she is an artist and because the Gospels are alive to her. Her paintings are profound yet simple, and they are accessible to those with little knowledge of either art or the Gospels. One cannot cease to be moved by the simplicity of faces, eyes and gestures pointing as they always do to Him who is at the heart of Dinah’s life and work, our Lord Jesus Christ. Here are scenes in which the viewer can participate, the Gospel message speaks to us as we are drawn into the greatest story ever told. The most moving testimony which I have heard to Dinah’s work comes from young prisoners at an exhibition of her work in the prison chapel. The testimony was not in words, but in awestruck silence and in tears. I hope that you are so moved.” Cont on page 5 4 Outreach DECEMBER 2025/JANUARY 2026 www.maryandcuthbert.org.uk
Angel Gabriel and Mary However, before we look at the painting, we have to go back to the visitation of the angel Gabriel to Mary and his astonishing message “In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to the Galilean village of Nazareth to a virgin engaged to be married to a man descended from David. His name was Joseph, and the virgin’s name Mary. “Good morning! You’re beautiful with God’s beauty. Beautiful inside and out! God be with you.” She was thoroughly shaken, wondering what was behind a greeting like that. But the angel assured her, “Mary, you have nothing to fear. God has a surprise for you: You will become pregnant and give birth to a son and call his name Jesus. He will be great, be called “Son of the Highest.” The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, He will rule Jacob’s house forever – no end – ever, to his kingdom.” Mary said to the angel, “But how?” The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, the power of the Highest hover over you. Therefore, the child you bring to birth will be called Holy, Son of God.” “And did you know that your cousin Elizabeth conceived a son, old as she is? Everyone called her barren, and here she is six months pregnant! Nothing, you see, is impossible with God!” And Mary said; “Yes, I see it all now: I’m the Lord’s maid, ready to serve. Let it be with me just as you said” Let me give you a little background to the painting. Her daughter-in-law was the model for these drawings. She has her own front door looking at the house opposite. The painting is simply drenched with colour. Royal blue, red and white and a hint of pink. Elizabeth wears dungarees and a striped t-shirt. Mary is dressed in a yellow coat; a headscarf and a shopping bag. So, sit back with a cup of coffee or a glass of wine and enjoy the painting. Mary meets Elizabeth Mary didn’t waste a minute. She got up and travelled to a town in Judah in the hill country and greeted Elizabeth. Elizabeth with outstretched arms greeted Mary……. But pause for a moment. Look again, look again at Mary’s face. Her eyes are a big give away. What do you see? A young woman troubled, anxious, a little perplexed? Who wouldn’t be. It is a highly charged atmosphere. What with an angel visit and a Holy Spirit activity. And yet privately, privately, shared between two women. And the rest of the world? Life goes on as normal oblivious as to what is unfolding on Elizabeth’s doorstep. But surely Elizabeth’s words to Mary: “Blessed woman, who believed what God said, believed every word would come true.” Surely those words would give her a loving reassurance of God’s love. And Mary’s response, ‘Truly, I am the Lord’s maid, ready to serve.’ And now we must take leave of Mary and Elizabeth. The door is closed. Here we have two women attuned to God’s presence. May I wish you a happy and blessed Christmas. Meg Orr www.maryandcuthbert.org.uk Outreach DECEMBER 2025/JANUARY 2026 5
I have to admit that all my boyhood excitement returns at this time of year. In the past, it used to start with bonfire night on 5th November. As I've got older, some may say started to grow up at last, that particular celebration has faded dramatically into the mists of time. I just love the dark mornings and early evenings, the wood burner stove giving out it's heat and light. However, I am aware that for many, it's a time of dread weather wise and sadness, remembering the loss of friends and family relations, some the nearest and dearest. For those of us with few or any relatives living near by, our church family becomes a lifeline. It's precisely that lifeline of being a member of such a loving, caring family that is so vital and precious at all times of the year, that we tend to underestimate. In these 2 months of Christmas and Epiphany, I'm always amazed at the number and variety of invitations that tend to circulate on the airwaves. I don't just mean invitations to parties or late Christmas meals from those we know, but also from those we don't know so well and in some cases complete strangers who want to make themselves known to us for whatever reason. Accepting such offers can be very daunting and yet often when we do accept, there is nearly always someone there who we do know to some degree or other. Recently, I have been reading a book on some of the writings and sermons of one of the earliest Christian Fathers, St. Augustine of Hippo, a man of towering intellect and influence at many levels in the early Church, both in Europe and North Africa where he was born and mainly lived. He wrote this in an Easter sermon in 412/413AD on a theme of the Pursuit of Happiness, of Jesus saying: “I'm inviting you into my life where nobody dies, where life is truly happy, that's where I'm inviting you to, the region of Angels, to the friendship of the Father and His Holy Spirit, to the everlasting supper, to be My brothers and sisters, to be in a word MYSELF. I'm inviting you into MY life.” Now honestly, who can refuse an invitation like that? I can hear some who will say that Christmas particularly, is much more than “party-time” and whilst I did have that view in the past, I have started to see it in a somewhat different light. What better time to celebrate than the birth of a child into anyone's family. If we're really honest, the greatest human experience is that of the birth of a child. In the birth of Jesus, it inspired probably the greatest song ever composed, often known as the Magnificat to those of us of an older generation, or quite simply Mary's Song: “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, My spirit rejoices in God my Saviour; He has looked with favour on His lowly servant. From this day all generations will call me blessed; The Almighty has done great things for me And holy is His name.” Augustine took up His invitation; Mary accepted her invitation from an Angel, We should do likewise and see where it will lead to. Above all make sure to meet the Host. John Hopper Lay Reader Pastoral Visits If anyone inside or outside the church requires a pastoral visit please contact Jan in the Parish office so that she can feed requests forward to the Pastoral Ministry Team. The Pastoral Ministry Team respectfully ask that if you are requesting a visit for someone other than yourself that you have their permission to make a request on their behalf. 6 Outreach DECEMBER 2025/JANUARY 2026 www.maryandcuthbert.org.uk
Monday 10th November saw a very busy Parish Centre as we set up our Fundraising Christmas Fayre. The afternoon started with a short service and then the buying began. We were joined by a small number of people from various congregations in the Parish. A total of £427.10 was raised to help MU work both here and abroad. Our next meeting began with a time of remembering one of our long time members and Durham Diocese Trustee who died recently - Beryl Wilson. The rest of the afternoon was based on the World Wide 16 days of Activisim - see below including a presentation of the ‘Silks’ story, a ‘Letter to my Abuser, Doves of Peace and prayers. A moving and sometimes hard to hear message but we need .reminding of the statistics - 1 in 3 women world wide will suffer some form of domestic abuse. December Monday December 8th - 2.00 pm Mothers’ Union Carol Service in Church. All are welcome to come and join us and afterwards in the Parish Centre for refreshments including mince pies and shortbread Monday December 15th - 1.00 pm Christmas Meal at the Wheatsheaf - Barley Mow. January Monday 11th January - 2.00 pm - Wave of Prayer - Parish Centre Monday 25th January - 2.00 pm - Clark Adamson- Parish Centre Norma Hedley MU Member If you would like to find out more about Mothers' Union (we meet on the 2nd and 4th Monday of each month in the Parish Centre at 2.00 pm) please get in touch with a committee member via the Parish Office. MOTHERS' UNION 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, & Rise Up 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence: This is a global movement for change. Every year, from November 25 to December 10, the world observes the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, a campaign that aims to raise awareness and mobilize action to end all forms of violence against women and girls. During this time there will be a daily post on our church Facebook - a short bible text and prayer relevant to this campaign It is estimated that 1 in 3 Women suffer from some form of domestic abuse. Mothers' Union has been an active part of this campaign for many years. As a church we will be looking at this subject at services one Sunday in the New Year when the wider congregation will have a chance to see some of the materials that have been produced by Mothers' Union to highlight this issue. Thank You Following the death of Mrs Beryl Wilson the family would like to thank Church members and especially Mothers’ Union members for their support during the last years of her life. Brian Wilson and Family Thank You Isabel Burlison and family would like to thank everyone from church for their prayers and caring on the sad loss of George. Thanks also to Revd Miriam for the lovely service and for Malcolm playing the video at the service which we know George would have loved. Isabel Burlison www.maryandcuthbert.org.uk Outreach DECEMBER 2025/JANUARY 2026 7
(National Youth Ministry Weekend) Do you know how important our youth of today are? Would you like to know? Well now is your chance! On Friday 14th November myself & Will travelled to Birmingham ahead of the National Youth Ministry Weekend & we both were really looking forward to seeing what lay ahead over the course of the weekend. The NYMW is an annual event held by Youthscape for all Christians involved in supporting young people & helping with church youth work - whether you are a youth leader, church leader, paid worker or volunteer, there’s something for everyone. It runs over three days & has a programme with various different seminars in which you choose which ones to go to depending on your context. Over the course of the weekend I spent time listening to various different speakers on lots of different topics & also spent time in some amazing worship led by the KXC Band. If someone was to ask me which one seminar stood out the most to me I’d say; I really enjoyed all the workshops & seminars & definitely took something away from each of them but; the one I think stood out to me the most was, ‘five ways to grow your youth group from five to fifteen’ by Jemimah Allen. The main message I took from this was, “We need to believe in it” however, the other learning points I took from it were; We need to be able to understand Gen Alpha & how the needs of Gen Alpha differ to those who are Gen Z. We need to make sure we are not just building relationships but even friendships with parents. Are we really doing enough? And, we need to keep in touch with everyone, for example, if we don’t see a young person for a long time, we need to work out, what barriers might be stopping them from returning but also, could we work out ways in which we could appropriately keep in touch? Throughout the whole weekend we packed so much in & I think there was so much that I took from it that could be take home messages for us. The main one that stood out to me & the one I’m going to share is this; ‘Everyone is welcome & when we say everyone, we mean everyone!’ Churches can sometimes advertise that everyone is welcome however, do they really mean everyone? I’m going to leave that with you to ponder on. Our youth of today play such an important role in our church & I think just from attending this conference, I have come away with so much & it has made me realise just how much of an important part our youth of today play within the church! I’d definitely recommend this weekend to anyone who would like to know more about working with young people. If you would like to know more or if you would like information on how to get booked for next year then, do let me know & I’ll help you as best I can. Roll on NYMW 2026!! Abbie Winter Just in case you don't know Generation Alpha includes those born roughly from 2010 to 2024, though there is some variation, with some sources using 2013 as a start year. This generation follows Generation Z and is the first to be born entirely in the 21st century. 8 Outreach DECEMBER 2025/JANUARY 2026 www.maryandcuthbert.org.uk
We launched our fundraising campaign on Sunday May 4th 2025. It’s not that long ago and look what we have achieved. We have been able to replace the draughty windows in time for winter. This is certainly going to have an impact upon the warm and welcoming ambiance in our Parish Centre as well as contributing towards reducing our energy costs. The original blinds were not compatible and have been replaced. God has been good to us. What have we raised so far and what have we spent? Grants:Diocese £3363 Benefact Trust £2300 Sir John Priestman £5000 Catherine Cookson £1000 Direct giving donations £23,118 TOTAL RAISED = £34,781 TOTAL SPENT = £22,118 Money remaining = £12.663 Including £3000 in gift aid estimated £15,663 Matched Funding You may be aware from recent church notices and announcements that we are looking to apply for matched funding. How does that work? First of all, as with any application for funding, it is never guaranteed. Most of what we are applying for is called a capital project but we also have the improvement of our carbon footprint woven through this. An example of applying for matched funding can been seen here:tends to be approximately 10–20% of your capital costs. are likely to be no greater than £30,000 regardless of the project size. At present we have just over £15,000 already raised to put in an application for matched funding. This does not guarantee we will get the matched £15,000 to give us a total of £30,000, but that is what we hope for. What does it mean for us? It means we can apply for matched funding for a project in the region of £30,000. Cont on page 10 www.maryandcuthbert.org.uk Outreach DECEMBER 2025/JANUARY 2026 9
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