Who is the new Vicar in the Wolds Valley?
The short answer to that question is: “Andy Bowden”! However, you might like to know just a little bit more about the vicar who has just come to be Priest in Charge of the five Anglican churches in the Wolds Valley:
I am married to Jo and we have two grown up children who live in Newcastle and Sheffield. The fifth member of the family is our West Highland Terrier called Maggie (her full name is “Waggie Maggie”!). I was born in the West Country and duringschool summer holidays earned money working on our local farms stacking straw bales (the days before they had a machine for everything!). When I left school I went to train to be an architect in Newcastle upon Tyne; the last thing I would have thought of doing was being a vicar, I didn’t even go to church. However, I met Jo and we both started going along to our local church. We volunteered to beSunday school leaders and I discoveredthat I loved youth work far more than
architecture. Although I completed the 6 years of training both Jo and I worked with young people in schools and churches for twelve years, which included four years in the centre of Byker, building inner city youth work for toddlers up to teenagers, running holiday clubs etc. When that came to an end I trained for the Anglican Ministry and served in churches on Tyneside for twelve years and I was also a chaplain to a large inner city secondary school.
We always said one day we would move to North Yorkshire, so in 2009 we moved down to a cottage just outside Malton. For the last eighteen months I have been taking services in churches that did not have a vicar (a sort of ‘supply vicar’). Each time I came up into the Wolds Valley to take a service at any of the five churches I enjoyed it so much that I went to the York Diocese and asked if I could apply for the job! After the usual interviews etc I was licenced to the five churches on 18th July 2011.
Of course what I have just written tells you more about what I have done than who I am. So one of the first things I want to do is to meet lots of people which will help you really find out who I am and also will help me find out about the Wolds Valley and its people.
My new telephone number is: 01944 738814 and my email address is andy@woldsvalley.plus.com

The best kept secret is no longer a secret “YES” we have got a new minister, I am delighted to announce that Revd Andy Bowden has formally accepted the post “Priest in Charge” for the Wold Valley churches.

The licensing of Andy will be led by the Rt. Revd Martin Wallace, Bishop of Selby on Monday 18^th July 2011 at 7.30 pm. at St. Andrew’s Church, Kirby Grindalythe and afterwards refreshments will be available in the Kirby Grindalythe Village Hall. All parishioners are most welcome to attend.

Andy, will be working for the Wold benefice two and a half days a week and I am sure you will make him and his wife Jo very welcome within our community.

Tony Crawford

The Church Wardens are as follows:

Peter M Massheder  CoR – 01944 78629

St Andrew’s Church, Weaverthorpe
Mrs Elsie Williamson, Weaverthorpe – 01944 738315

St Peter’s Church, Helperthorpe
Mr John Buckley – 01262470879

St Mary’s Church, Luttons
Mr Tony Crawford – 01944 738867

St Andrew’s Church, Kirby Grindalythe
Mrs Christine Leeson – 01944 738616
Mr Roy Foster – 01944 738354

St Mary’s Church, Wharram-le-Street
Mr Richard Hazelrigg – 01944 768185

Title: 7pm St Mary’s Luttons Ambo PCC – Annual Parochial Church Meeting
Location: St Mary’s Church
Description: Please come and join the PCC for this meeting. It is an opportunity to find out about the work of the church during the year and to ask questions.
This year we will be looking to elect a new churchwarden. Nicola, after three years of service in the post, will resign from this position this year. If you would be interested in supporting the church in this role please contact Nicola on 738318 or Tony on 738867.
Start Time: 19:00
Date: 2011-04-08