This week we get a glimpse of the mission and ministry of the church in Skipton for our film in our year-long campaign to tell our story here in this new Diocese of Leeds.
[video:https://youtu.be/IiuFeyvX8JY]
Holy Trinity, Skipton, one of two parish churches serving the town, is known as the parish church on top of the high street – and is open every day to welcome the local community and the thousands of weekly visitors who flock to the Gateway to the Dales on day trips and holidays.
It is also home to a large rural community – with pockets of social deprivation – and vicar, Veronica James is proud to be the vicar in the community and the chaplain at the local Auction Mart with its regular cattle, sheep and lamb sales.
This she says allows her to be part of the community, be alongside people where they are, see how people live their lives and give them support if they want it.
Said Veronica: “Just having the presence of being the vicar in the community is so important for people. I am around with people where they are; they can see there is a representative of the church who lives here and works here.”
Mission and ministry is at the heart of the daily worship. Morning prayer is said every weekday at 9am with a midweek Holy Communion at 10.45 on Wednesdays and a full range of services on Sundays. The shop and café is open from Wed to Saturday and there are printed guides available and stewards and often on hand to help welcome.
“God can be in quite unexpected places, and that’s the joy of being a rector here, you can find God in the ordinary day to day living. He’s here,” she added.
Veronica’s ministry will feature on Radio 4 Sunday show on Easter Sunday morning in a special programme on rural ministry when she will visit the Market for a sheep and lamb sale. Also featured will be a project which saw a small internet receiver installed on top of St Stephen's, a church in Upper Nidderdale, and the impact that is having on the rural community there led by vicar, Darryl Hall .
9am Easter Sunday R4. Sunday Show