This week’s film in our year long campaign to tell our story here in the Diocese of Leeds visits the United Parish of Keighley and looks at how they responded as a church when crisis came to their community. Last year 12 Keighley men were jailed for more than 140 years between them for the sexual abuse of one child in the town.  It blew the lid on child sexual exploitation in the town and led to the formation of United Keighley - an initiative bringing together different organisations and communities committed to working together to make the town safer for children and young people by raising awareness and tackling the sexual exploitation of children in their town. There was a United Keighley Week of Action which included a distribution of teal-coloured ribbons representing opposition to sexual violence, and, opportunities to sign the United Keighley statement which condemned all acts of criminality against young people, especially sexual abuse. There were presentations at local school assemblies highlighting the threat posed by child sexual exploitation, art installations and awareness raising at Keighley College and in the Airedale Shopping Centre and a sermon in the Shah Jalal Mosque. The town chaplain, the Revd Dr Jonathan Pritchard, part of this ongoing campaign, said: “I can’t do anything about what’s happening in Nigeria, the Sudan or the Middle East, but I can do something about here in Keighley about that work of reconciliation that Jesus calls us to be engaged in.”  

  As we begin to get ready to share the magical, musical, miracle of the season upon us, I wanted to remind you of This Christmas - a short, joyful film for you to use, celebrating all that we do in our parishes across our diocese at Christmas. Please share it and spread some of the magic of Christmas here in the Anglican Diocese of Leeds.        

Revd Mark Harlow has now moved to St Paul’s Ireland Wood, from his role as curate at St George’s, Leeds - recently designated as the diocese’s first Resource Church. In this video Mark explains his excitement for this new post. The church plant at St Paul's, Ireland Wood, is part of an exciting initiative for church growth and part major funding bid for the Diocese to be considered by the Church Commissioners. The new Diocesan Strategy aims to create a total of five Resource Churches across the Leeds Episcopal area, including St George’s. Resource Churches are backed by the Church Commissioners as part of the nationwide Renewal & Reform programme as they “intentionally resource mission across a city, by planting and revitalising churches, developing leaders and providing other resources for mission”. Committed teamwork is key to success and 45 members of St George’s go with Mark and his wife Kathryn (who will be Associate Priest) to swell the St Paul’s congregation, where Sunday attendance is currently some 25 worshippers. Read more here.  

This latest film in our campaign to tell our story here in the Diocese of Leeds, takes us behind the scenes at St Paul’s, Birkenshaw as they prepare for the latest concert in their month long Music Festival.It was the first of its kind for St Paul's, and the vicar, the Revd Danny Walker, wanted to create something to appeal to all tastes and bring people in to church to hear some fantastic music. And that’s exactly what he did. His rich and varied programme included a Reggae Mass, an evening of Opera North,  jazz, a film night; a Good Old Days event performed by the congregation; a Swing Band; Choral Evensong from the Men and Boys choir of Bradford Cathedral, and a Songs of Praise. It proved to be a huge success with well over 2,000 people attending, most of the events sold out, and the church even made a healthy profit. Said Danny: “It just built and built as the month went on. It brought out some real talent and gave people the chance to experience something special right here in Birkenshaw." And one year on - its legacy continues with numbers well up on most events. Plans are already in the pipeline for a similar event next year themed around the end of the anniversary of the First World War with local Big Band Artist, Paul Stone already signed up! “But more than that, “ said Danny. “ It has created a buzz in the community and buoyed up the congregation. They are much more confident now. "And it’s put the church at the heart of the community. That’s worth much more to me than what we raised,’ he added.