St Andrew's Dawson Street, Crook

Methodist / United Reformed Church

NEWS PAGE

Hundreds view the Knitted Bible

Over the five days in March that the Knitted Bible was with us in Crook,seven classes of local school children, together with Brownies and Guides, members of the church and other local churches as well as people from the town all found their way to St Andrew's Dawson Street to discover the Bible as it's never been known before.

Story and pictures

The Big Read comes to Crook

Wednesday March 10th saw the Big Read come to Crook, as people from surrounding churches gathered at St Andrew's Dawson Street for one of Bishop Tom Wright's Big Read lectures.

But this was an evening with a difference as it coincided with a visit to the District by the President of the Methodist Conference, the Revd David Gamble.

Circuit Superintendent Ann Shepherdson welcomed the Bishop, the President, and District Chair Ruth Gee to Crook, together with everyone making up this special ecumenical gathering. After opening devotions led by the President, Bishop Tom led the gathering into a deeper reflection on Luke's Gospel.

The bishop is the author of "Lent for Everyone" -a book for groups and individuals to study Luke's Gospel through the season of Lent. Members of Churches Together in Crook have been meeting weekly to discuss the book, and many of them were part of the audience that evening. The Big Read has been a central feature of the life of Christian Churches throughout the North East during Lent - and it is hoped that a similar programme focusing on the other gospels will take place in the coming years.

New Year Honour

We were delighted by the news that St Andrew's Dawson Street member Edna March has been honoured by the Queen, receiving the MBE in the New Years Honours List for services to the community in Crook. Congratulations, Edna!

Cargo - Natural High

St Andrew’s Dawson Street was the scene in mid October of a challenging presentation by Natural High of Paul Field’s Cargo.

Natural High is a group of young people from across Weardale that grew out of a local performance of  the millennium musical Hopes and Dreams. They meet on a weekly basis and receive training from volunteers in the art of singing, dancing and drama and technical aspects of live theatre.

Cargo is a retelling of the story of those who worked for the abolition of the slave trade during the time of Wilberforce. At Crook a collection was taken to support a local charity that cares for victims of human trafficking.

New Approaches to Worship

The smell of bread baking greeted worshippers who came to St Andrew's Dawson Street for the Churches Together service on the evening of October 25th. Seated at tables in the hall, they were served tea and coffee on arrival, and were told that this was "cafe style worship" - a new venture that was much appreciated by the mixed congregation. As well as the usual hymns and choruses and Bible readings, the service included a bread-making demonstration, a story of a bread-centred ministry in Liverpool, conversation around the tables about bread, and the sharing together of a variety of breads from different countries.

This service was the conclusion of the "harvest season" for us. Two weeks earlier we had shared in our own harvest festival services and a harvest supper and social evening. That weekend too there had been worship with a difference - on the Sunday afternoon a number of families with young children shared in a "Messy Church" experience in which young and old worshipped together through a variety of creative activities. This too was well received by those who took part, and there will be further opportunities to share in Messy Church at St Andrew's Dawson Street in the months ahead.

Carers & Toddlers Group

The new group for children 0-2 years and their mums or carers is up and running and meeting each Wednesday morning (term time only) 9.45 - 11.30.

Group leaders Christine Jackson and Dorothy Carr will be glad to welcome you: there are toys, activities and books to share with your child, and the chance to meet and chat over refreshments with other mothers and carers. Cost £1 per child.