This Sunday evening we have our service of inspirational readings and music for Passiontide as we journey together towards Holy Week and Easter. Come and journey with us on the way of the cross at 6pm.
On Saturday 4th March the doors of St Michael and All Angels church were opened to the public to step back into the time of Bernard Gilpin whose 500th anniversary we are celebrating this year. Visitors were treated to storytelling from the Bible (Gilpin was famous for his Bible teaching), Tudor cookery demonstrations – including a chance to taste the kind of food eaten at the time of Gilpin, learning to spin wool on a spinning wheel or drop spindle, lots of crafts and much more.
A big thank you to Dignity Funeral Directors for providing a musical accompaniment to the day with their charity Gavioli Organ.
Also a big thank you to all who helped to make the day such a great success – including all our visitors! Browse our photos below – taken by John Lambton.
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- Gavioli Organ supplied by Dignity Funerals
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- Making Tudor houses
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- Open the Book – story of the Feeding of the 5000
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- People enjoying the cooking demo
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- Trying Tudor food
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- Simon providing refreshments
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- The Curate being a jester
What began as an experience of our Rector Sue whilst on sabbatical in Washington DC in 2014 has now become an annual tradition here at St Michael’s. Once again we brought part of the Ash Wednesday service out onto the streets of Houghton-le-Spring – the opportunity to receive prayer and be ashed on the forehead with the sign of the cross – a reminder of our own mortality and the overwhelming love and forgiveness of God.
Why not take the opportunity this Lent for a fresh start with God? Have you been thinking of coming back to church? Come and join us, there will be a warm welcome.
As James writes in his letter: “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you” (James 4:8)
Thank you to all who took part from chatting to people, asking for prayers and making the tea and coffee.
Below are some images from the day taken by Jorgie Carmichael – click on an image to enlarge it.
View a video of the day here:
You are warmly invited to be part of
Open Table North East.
Open Table is a safe sacred space for LGBTQIA+ Christians & all who believe in an inclusive Church.
Open Table aims to create a safe sacred space for you to explore your faith and what it means for you. Whoever you are, wherever you come from, you are welcome here.
Open Table shouldn’t need to exist. Our vision is of a world where LGBTQIA+ people are fully included within our church traditions and communities. Until then, we will continue to nurture safe, sacred, inclusive space where LGBTQIA+ Christians can ‘come as you are’.
The first Open Table gathering will take place on Thursday 2nd March at 7 for 7.30pm at Space4, Ground Floor of Houghton Library, Newbottle Street, Houghton-le-Spring, DH4 4GB.
Thereafter Open Table North East will meet on the first Sunday of the Month at 7pm – more details to follow. Find out more about the Open Table movement on the website here.
Please join our group on Facebook to stay in touch and find out more:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/opentableNE/
Part of the Talking Jesus Durham events:
Enter the world of Bernard Gilpin, Tudor Rector of Houghton-le-Spring
Saturday 4th March from 10.00am-2.00pm
in St Michael and All Angels Church, The Broadway, DH4 4DN
Join us for a free day of activities for all the family to include:
- Storytelling
- Crafts
- Wool spinning demonstration
- Tudor dance
- Cooking demonstration
- Refreshments
Bring the family and be inspired by the life of our former Rector Bernard Gilpin.
Part of the Durham Diocese Talking Jesus events.
Our Gilpin 500 Beer Festival takes place in the Kepier Hall (behind the church on the Broadway in Houghton-le-Spring, postcode DH4 4DN) this weekend.
Tickets are £10, ring John Lambton on 07917 817879 to reserve tickets or buy on the door.
Ticket includes a commemorative half pint glass and 5 half pints of beer or cider.
Doors open Friday 10th February at 7pm.
Saturday 11th February the festival will run from 12noon with local band The Grumpies playing a gig at 7.30pm.
If you come the Friday night you can return with your glass on Saturday and have free entry. Further drinks tickets can be bought at £1.50 or 5 for £6.
9 ales are available to try and 2 ciders including our very own Gilpin 500 limited edition ale from Maxim Brewery.
We look forward to seeing you!
2017 is finally here and along with it our year of commemorating and being inspired by our former Rector Bernard Gilpin. We launched our celebrations this morning at St Michael’s with a special cake and a prayer for Gilpin 500.
Our dedicated website for Gilpin 500 is here: https://stmichaels-hls.org.uk/gilpin500
Join us for our events – download the calendar here and pray for God’s blessing on us and our town of Houghton-le-Spring using the words of our Gilpin 500 prayer:
God of love and compassion,
we give you thanks for the
life and witness of Bernard Gilpin.
May we be inspired to follow his example
of faith, generosity and service to
transform our community today;
in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Epiphany House Blessings in Houghton-le-Spring 2017
A part of church history is the custom of blessing homes at the New Year.
Traditionally at Epiphany, when we celebrate the visit of the wise men from the East to the baby Jesus, families hold a short service of prayer to ask God’s blessing on their dwellings and on all who live, work with and visit them. In this way, we invite Jesus to be a “guest” in our home, a listener to each conversation, a guide for troubled times, and a blessing in times of thanksgiving.
Houses are marked with chalk like this 20 + C + M + B + 17 – which is the year and the initials of the wise men, Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar. C M B above the door, also stands for Christus Mansionem Benedicat, Latin for “May Christ Bless this House.”
Blessed chalk was distributed at St Michael’s this morning, please ask a friend who came to bless your house or collect some chalk from church this week to bless your own home.
After you have blessed your own home, please offer the same to a neighbour or friend that we might share the love of God in our community.
Look out for the chalk markings around Houghton!
Here is how to bless your home:
Take the blessed chalk and mark on the wall above or beside your front door
20 + C + M + B + 17
saying:
The three Wise Men,
Caspar, Melchior, and Balthasar
followed the star of God’s Son who became human
two thousand
and seventeen years ago.
May Christ bless our home
and remain with us throughout the new year. Amen.
Loving God, bless this household. May we be blessed with health, goodness of heart, gentleness, and abiding in your will. We ask this through Christ our Saviour. Amen.
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- The gifts that can’t be bought made by Young Church are placed before the Christ child along with the Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh of the Wise Men.
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- Rev’d Margaret and the Rector handing out the blessed chalk
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- A door in our community with the blessing above
This afternoon we enjoyed making Christingles along with Delilah the Cow and Moses the Cat learning that Jesus was born so that everyone could know the love of God and shine his light in the world. Here are some pictures taken by John Lambton.
Don’t forget our Crib Service is at 3pm on Christmas Eve – all welcome!
Join us for some festive fun singing carols at the Wild Boar Pub in Houghton-le-Spring on Saturday 17th December at 11am. Why not wear a Christmas jumper?! Last year it went down so well we ended up in the Wetherspoons Magazine!
