Welcome to our first February / March Parish Magazine. What a busy couple of months it is going to be. Not only the start of Lent but Holy week and Easter too. Rev’d John has had to be very organised! So head over to the centre pages to see what services and events are in store!
Not only Easter but as the first edition of 2024 we also have a round up of events over Christmas too. (Pgs 30/31) There is a bumper update from the teams at the Crossroads (pg 10/11) and also what the choir is upto on pg 13. There really is something for everyone this month and I hope you enjoy it.
Please continue to give me your updates/poems or something you would like to share with others. They really do help make this a great read.
The deadline of the April/May magazine will be: Monday 18th March 2024 Please send submissions via melthamparishmagazine@gmail.com or via the vicarage letterbox. (150 Huddersfield Rd, HD9 4AL)
Similar to last year, primarily due to the continued high energy prices and in order to reduce heating costs, services will NOT take place in all four churches each Sunday during January, February and March 2024:
Everyone is encouraged to join together at one of the other churches if there is not a service at the one you would usually attend. Let’s stick together (and worship together) during these winter months and keep warm.
Services will be as follows for January:
7th St James’ (Family Sunday) 9:30am and St Mary’s Wilshaw (HC) 11:15am
14th St Bartholomew’s (HC) 9:30am and St Mary’s Wilshaw (SoW) 11:15am
21st Methodist Covenant Service 10:30am – At Meltham Methodist Church
28th Parish Communion Service 10:30am, St James’ Meltham Mills.
4th Feb St Bartholomew’s Family Sunday 9.30am and St Mary’s Wilshaw (HC) 11:15am
Please Note:
– We are all encouraged to join together on 15th Jan for a Churches together Covenant Service at the Meltham Methodist Church. – The first Sunday in the month (9:30am) will be a Family Sunday service where people of ALL ages can join in the fun. – There will be no services taking place at Helme Church due to the lack of heating. – The mid-week Wednesday service of Holy Communion at St Bartholomew’s will continue as normal each week at 10:30am. – Toddler Church at St Bartholomew’s will continue as normal on Tuesday mornings each week 9am to 11am.
The funeral service of our dear friend and brother Rev’d John Radcliffe will take place here in Meltham at St Bartholomew’s Church on Friday 5th January 2024 at 11.30am followed by a private cremation.
John served the people and parish of Meltham for many years and in particular led regular services at St Bartholomew’s including many funerals as well as weddings. He will be missed by all those who knew him from both within the church family and the wider community. Now reunited with his beloved wife Enid, may he rest in peace and rise in glory.
Family flowers only please. Donations if wished are to be shared between Colne Valley Male Voice Choir and The Crossroads Centre, Meltham c/o Radcliffe Funeral Service, 16 Westgate, Honley, Holmfirth, HD9 6AA or online at radcliffefuneralservice.co.uk – obituaries. A donation box will be available at the service. Will friends please accept this intimation and meet at the Church.
Over the years, there was a strong tradition of carol singing in Meltham. Like many villages, Meltham had it’s own favourite ones and even adopted one as its very own!
‘Tenderly Sleeping’ (written by Caleb Simper – an English composer and organist) became known as ‘The Meltham Carol’ though the reasons as to how that came about appear to remain unclear. This, and the other carols were often sung by the various church choirs out carol singing around the village and they could often be heard on Christmas eve and well into Christmas morning after the midnight mass.
One of the carols does however have an official link to Meltham. ‘Good night’ was written by Jacob Roberts of Meltham and he was a conductor of Meltham Choral Society sometime during the 1800’s. It was originally named ‘Good morn’ and used to be sung by the carol singers out singing around the village in the early hours on Christmas morning.
Some of you old Melthamer’s will no doubt remember them and maybe have a tale or too to tell, either of singing them or hearing them being sung.
Back in 2001, the choir at St Bartholomew’s Church recorded some of them onto CD (Meltham’s Favourite Carols) in the hope that they would not be lost and that future generations could listen to and learn them so that this longstanding village tradition can continue.
You can hear some of them here – have a listen. We hope it will either bring back memories of bygone times or help those who don’t know them to become more familiar. Maybe next year, we should have a community gathering and learn some of them together, so they’re not lost forever!
Tenderly Sleeping (The Meltham Carol)Sweet Chiming Christmas Bells (Salvation!)Hear ye now the gladsome tidingsThe hallowed season comes againPeaceful gladsome Christmas morningMorning StarRing out, O bellsCarol sweetly carolGood night dear friends
Never mind Elf on a Shelf, Jesus wants to see Ewe in a Pew this Christmas! 😉 Join us over this festive period here in #Meltham as we celebrate his birth!
CHRISTMAS EVE 9:30am – Short spoken Holy Communion at St Bartholomew’s Meltham 10:30am – Scratch Nativity at Meltham Methodist Church – come along and join in – costumes available!
4:00pm – Crib Service at St James’ Meltham Mills 11:30pm – Midnight Mass at St Bartholomew’s Meltham
CHRISTMAS DAY 9:30am – Christmas Day Holy Communion at St James’ Meltham Mills 11:15am – Christmas Day Holy Communion at St Mary’s Wilshaw
Please note, unfortunately there won’t be a service at Helme Church as there is no heating!
NEW YEARS EVE 10:30am – Joint Parish Service of Holy Communion at St Bartholomew’s Church Meltham.
ALL WELCOME – it’ll be good to see faces old and new – yes this means EWE! 🤣
Join us to at this special late night service of Holy Communion on Christmas eve as we celebrate the birth and welcome Jesus! There will be carols, prayers and Holy Communion. ALL WELCOME.
The service starts at 11:30pm – we aim for the service to last no more than 1 hour so everyone can get home in reasonable time (including the Vicar).
Toilets are available for those who might need one 🙂
