Ryedale Methodist Circuit - North Yorkshire

Our lovely Chapel is situated at the top of the picturesque village of Rievaulx, 2 miles north of Helmsley, just off the B1257 Helmsley to Stokesley Road where the River Rye flows on its way through the valley alongside the beautiful ruins of Rievaulx Abbey.

The Chapel is available for people to go in and spend time in quietness and reflection.

Rievaulx Methodist Church

Rievaulx is a small pretty village nestled in the Rye valley of the North York Moors on the banks of the River Rye. There has been a Christian presence in the village for thousands of years since the time that the Cisterian monks built their spectacular monastry of Rievaulx Abbey. Today, as thousands of tourists come to see the Abbey Ruins (English Heritage) and the beautiful valley landscape we hope that they will stop a moment to realise that there is a God who created all of this.

Christian worship continues in the village in the 21st century. The Methodist Church, built in 1877, is situated at the top of the village and the Anglican Church is also nearby.

As a Church serving the needs of the 21st century we seek to :

· bring people of all ages into a loving relationship with Jesus xChrist as their own personal Saviour
· be a welcoming Church offering Christian worship for those xwithin the local community and beyond
· increase awareness of God's presence and love for all ages
· encourage people to grow in their Christian faith
· be a good neighbour to people in need through offering love, xcare and support

Sundays

First and third Sundays of each month at 10.30 a.m.

Sunday School - Fun worship for children of all ages including games, music and craft activities. Special events are planned during the year such as a Summer B-B-Q and the Sunday School Anniversary, which is held on the third Sunday in June.
For further information contact: Mrs. Sheila Foster, (Tel: 01439 770589)

Our weekly Sunday services are as follows:-

Second and last Sundays of each month at 10.30 a.m. - Church Family Worship for all ages.

Each Sunday at 6.30 p.m. Evening Worship led by an appointed Preacher.

There are occasional Sunday Evening Special services of contemporary worship - see Calendar of Events for further details.

We experience various forms of worship and have a wide variety of song books available. We also use multi-media equipment to project songs, Bible readings and to show clips from videos or DVD's, as well as for sermon illustrations.

Monday - 1st Monday of each month - Prayer Meeting - 7.00 p.m. in the Sunday School when we meet to pray for the needs of the world, the local community and the church. We also have a Prayer Box in which requests for prayer can be placed for the monthly Prayer Group to pray in confidence. The Prayer Box is on a table at the back of the Chapel - please call in at any time and place your requests in the box.
If you would like to know more please contact Mr. John Foster, (Tel: 01439 770589)

Wednesdays fortnightly - Bible Study - 7.00 p.m. - venue in various homes. An opportunity to explore God's word. Contact: Mr. Edward Garbutt, (Tel: 01751 430844)

Thursday Fellowship - 7.15 p.m. - Occasional meetings (October - March) often a musical programme led by visitors. See Calendar for details.
Contact: Mrs. Jean Bowes, (Tel: 01439 798216)

Friday:-
1st Friday of each month - Youth Group - A programme of events for young people from school year 6+ including outings and craft activities.
Contact: Mrs. Trudy Sanderson (Tel: 01439 771493) or Mrs. Ruth Smith (Tel: 01439 788600)

Fridays (except above) - Youth Fellowship - For young people from school year 9+. Contact: Rev. David Emison (Tel: 01439 770300) or Miss Claire Foster (Tel: 01439 770589)

Saturday - Occasional Musical Evenings with a visiting choir or singing group. Community singalongs before each service.

Please contact the relevant group co-ordinator for further information.

Throughout the year there are other special events and activities taking place:-

Chapel Anniversary services last Sunday in April - - Family Worship 10.30 a.m. & Evening Worship 6.30 p.m.

Open Air Service - formerly held at Newgate Bank Top but now held in a field adjoining the Abbey ruins in Rievaulx village on the afternoon of the last Sunday in July or the first Sunday in August. Vehicular access to the field is through Rievaulx Abbey car park. The venue is a lovely setting for the service and a communal tea follows in the Village Hall.

Harvest Thanksgiving Services are held on the second Sunday in October with Church Family Worship at 10.30 a.m. and Evening Worship at 6.30 p.m. The services are continued on the following Tuesday evening at 7.00 p.m. followed by the harvest supper and sale of produce.

Carol Singing - The Church spends five evening before Christmas Carol Singing round local villages and farms in the area - an excellent opportunity for outreach and witness and a considerable amount of money is raised for Charity.

"Christmas in the Barn" - A service with the real smells of the stable held on a local farm over recent years has been a special occasion for many.

Ecumenical

We join with our friends in the Anglican Parish of Upper Ryedale and Rievaulx on occasions:-

Family Pet Service on the Village Green, Old Byland

Lent Group 2009 in Rievaulx Methodist Church.

Outdoor Nativity held on Old Byland Village Green, December 2008 - An opportunity to join Mary & Joseph on their journey to Bethlehem, the Shepherds in their fields as they are visited by the Angels, the Wise Men as they are led by the star and to enter the stable.

Singing Group

The Church has a singing group who enjoy leading worship both in local churches and beyond using mostly contemporary worship songs, testimony and the spoken word. Contact: John & Sheila Foster, Bungdale Head, Scawton, Thirsk, North Yorks, YO7 2HH. (Tel: 01439 770589)

See Weekly Notices for variations and extra events.
ALSO SEE CIRCUIT EVENTS & SERVICE PLAN

Please join us for any of the services during the year -
we would love to see you!

2010

September
19th 6.30 p.m. Rievaulx Sunday Evening Special service of contemporary worship led by the Longton Family from Bentham.

October
10th 10.30 a.m Rievaulx Harvest Thanksgiving:-Church Family Worship led by Mr. David Leckenby from Rillington.
........6.30 p.m. Evening Worship led by Mr. Terence Maw from Thornton Dale.

12th 7.00 p.m. Rievaulx Harvest Thanksgiving - Preacher: Mr. Wilfred Capstick from Newbiggin-on-Lune followed by harvest upper and sale of produce.

2011
July 31st or August 7th Rievaulx Open Air Service & Evening Worship led
by Rev. Chris Blake, Principal of Cliff College, Derbyshire.

All services and groups are open to all who are interested. These and other events, including the appointed preacher for services are shown on the weekly notice sheet. For further information contact:

Our People:
Superintendent Minister: Rev David Emison
Tel 01439 770300. davidemison@ryedalemethodist.org.uk
Church Council Secretary: Mr Edward Garbutt. 38 Queensway, Kirkbymoorside
Local Contacts:
Mr John Foster (Tel: 01439 770589)
Mrs Joyce Ashbridge (Tel: 01845 597389)
Mr Nicholas Dunn (Tel: 01439 770445)
Mr. David Sanderson (Tel: 01439 771493)
Mr. George Moules (Tel: 01439 770508)

Finance

The Church is financially dependent on the giving of local members. Offering envelopes are available for those who would like to give regularly. Gift Aid forms are available for taxpayers who are able to enhance their giving through this tax scheme

On the flyleaf of the Pulpit Bible at Rievaulx Methodist Church is the following inscription:-
"Presented to Mrs. MARY JOHNSON"

by her neighbours and friends in acknowledgement of her kindness in providing for many years at great personal inconvenience a place for the Wesleyans at Rievaulx to hold their religious services, and also in testimony of their high estimation of the eminently peaceful and consistent character she has so long maintained amongst them. April, 1876."
These words provide the only written support for the testimony of former members to the effect that before this Chapel was opened on Whit Monday, 21st May 1877, the Rievaulx Methodist services and meetings were held in a cottage near the old Mill. Presumably this was the home of Mrs. Mary Johnson, to whom the Bible was presented twelve months before the dedication of the Chapel. It would also appear that a descendant of this good lady has subsequently given this very Bible back to the Trustees for use in the pulpit here. It is interesting also to speculate on the nature of that "great personal inconvenience" suffered by Mrs. Johnson in providing a place for the "Wesleyans of Rievaulx". Have they always been a boisterous company, making a "joyful noise unto the Lord", and, like their New Testament forebears, a disturbing influence, a constant challenge to those who demand "peace at any price"?
All honour to those who provided the place; and all praise to God who owned and blessed the meeting of those Methodists more than one hundred and thirty years ago!

To attempt even a brief historical sketch of any Methodist institution is a frustrating task. Methodists haven't been all that methodical in preserving records, and in a place like Rievaulx, in the shadow of this wonderful Abbey that dates back to 1131, it is understandable that our beginnings seem but yesterday. But it can be a matter for gratitude that our concern has always been for people rather than for places; for the community more than for the Church building . Rievaulx Methodists have been too busy about the work of the kingdom to be slavishly occupied in writing "minutes" and keeping records.

In the mid 1950's the then Trustees of the Chapel decided that there was a need to extend the Chapel premises to include a school room, kitchen and toilets. After much fund raising the premises were completed and were opened on Saturday 29th April 1967 by Mrs. Alice Taylor daughter of one of the original Trustees and who in her childhood was a member of the Sunday School. Following the opening the work of the Sunday School grew and Monthly Gospel Rallies were commenced which were a new venture in the area. The Chapel and Sunday School premises were often packed on these Saturday evenings with mainly young people some of who had come up to 50 miles to hear a Gospel Group and special Preacher. Our Guests too had also travelled long distances to join us, but through the message they gave many lives were challenged and commitments made.

Those who serve and worship in the Church now look back with thanksgiving to God for his guidance in the past and look forward with confidence to his guidance in the days that lie ahead.