WDMC Weekly News, Issue 1
WDMC Weekly News
News from the churches of the Western Dales Mission Community
Issue 1, Friday, 27 March 2026
Welcome to the first edition of a new weekly newsletter for the Western Dales Mission Community. Each week we will be sharing news of services, events, and items of interest across our church communities, helping everyone stay connected with what is going on in the area. It is also something we hope will grow through your contributions, so please do send in items that others might like to know about to our administrator Emma (you can simply reply to this message, or email admin@westerndales.org.uk).
This new publication brings together what was previously shared through the Anglican White Cross newsletter and the Methodist weekly newsletter. I would like to thank Margaret and Andy Denton, and Janice Rusling, for their many years of faithful work producing those publications. My thanks also to our administrator Emma, who will now be preparing this newsletter each week.
The coming week is an important one in our churches. Holy Week and Easter is a special time when we walk alongside Christ in his Passion, Death, and Resurrection. You are warmly invited to join us as we make this journey together.
With every good wish,
Revd Andy Burgess
Western Dales Mission Community Leader
This Sunday’s Services
St Andrew’s, Sedbergh
- 8.30am BCP Holy Communion
- 10.30am Palm Sunday Joint Service
- 12pm Roman Catholic Mass
- 6pm Choral Evensong
Brigflatts Meeting House
- 10.30am Quaker Meeting for Worship
Many of our churches use Bible readings from the ecumenical Revised Common Lectionary. You can view these readings by clicking here.
Prayer Points
This week we are praying for the churches and community of Cautley.
People: Christine Wood, June Allen, Janet Dodds.
Family and friends of those who have recently died: Jean Dobson
Thanking God for: Lots of children (over 50!) enjoying the Lent After School Club in Sedbergh and Dent.
If you would like to add a prayer point, please email Emma at admin@westerndales.org.uk. We only publish names where permission has been given.
Prayer for the Week
hailed by the crowd as Messiah:
grant us the faith to know you and love you,
that we may be found beside you
on the way of the cross,
which is the path of glory.
Amen.
(From Church of England Common Worship)
Key Dates for the Diary
Saturday 16th May
- WDMC Vision Day, 10am–3pm (9.30am for refreshments), Sedbergh School Find out more and book here
Sunday 24th May
- Pentecost WDMC Joint Service, followed by Community BBQ, 10.30am, St Andrew’s, Sedbergh
Wednesday 24th June
- WDMC Open Meeting, 7.30pm (7pm for refreshments), Dentdale Methodist Church
Notices
NEW NOtices
ST ANDREW’S SEDBERGH,MISSIONS COFFEE MORNING
Raising money for NISCU, Scripture Union, Friends International & CMS
Wednesday 8th April 9.30am – 11.30am
Items to sell on the cake stall, or raffle donations would be much appreciated.
For further information, please contact Margaret Denton Tel: 015396 20521
This Saturday: St John’s Cowgill Spring Coffee Morning
- 10am–12pm, Saturday, 28th March
- Coffee, cakes, craft, and raffle!
- St John’s Church, Cowgill
Special services for Holy Week and Easter
The coming week is Holy Week, a special time in the Christian year that leads to Easter Day. As in previous years, we have three special joint services across the Western Dales Mission Community. They are Palm Sunday (10.30am, St Andrew’s, Sedbergh), Maundy Thursday (7pm, St Andrew’s, Dent), and Good Friday (3pm, St Andrew’s, Sedbergh). You can see our full list of services and events over Easter by following the link below.
Maundy Thursday Taizé Choir – singers required!
For our special Maundy Thursday service, Judith Bush is putting together an ad hoc choir to sing Taizé chants and would welcome any singers who would like to take part. There will be only one practice – at 5.30pm in the church before the service. The service starts at 7pm. If you would like to join in, please contact Judith (judifbush@gmail.com). Music can be provided in advance if wanted.
Pilgrim Cello – lunchtime concert on Holy Wednesday
1pm, Holy Wednesday, 1st April 2026, St Andrew’s Church, Sedbergh
A free performance with donations gratefully received
Kenneth Wilson tells the story of a unique journey - a 1,900 mile bicycle pilgrimage around England’s 42 cathedrals, with his cello, performing a Meditation on the Seven Last Words of Jesus in 41 of them. Come and hear his music, and his story.
’Left us spiritually transformed’ The Very Revd Dr Simon Jones, Dean of Lincoln
Easter Activities for Children and Families
There’s lots going on for children and families in and around the churches of the Western Dales to celebrate Easter this year. Why not come along to one or more of these special events? We’d love the see you there.
Easter flowers donations request for St Andrew’s Sedbergh
Donations towards the cost of the Easter lilies would be greatly appreciated as we prepare the church for our Easter celebrations. If you would like to contribute, please pass your donation to Anne Reed Screen. Thank you for your support.
Flowers for Easter Day cross decoration at Cornerstone
Please remember to bring a few brightly coloured flowers to Cornerstone Community Church for the Easter Day service, as we decorate the cross together. Thank you.
Final Lent Lunch this Wednesday
Our final Lent Lunch is this Wednesday, 1 April, 12–1pm, St St Andrew’s, Sedbergh. The profits will be divided equally between Manna House, Kendal
and St John’s Hospice, Lancaster. And why not stay on for our Pilgrim Cello concert at 1pm? (details above)
New steward required for Cornerstone Community Church
Church stewards support the minister by providing practical leadership in worship, pastoral care, administration, and the day-to-day life of the church. If you would be interested in considering this role please speak to Andy or one of the existing stewards, Debbie Wilson, Ralph Sutton, or Martin Cope.
A special Vision Day coming up in May
If you are part of any of our churches in the Western Dales, you are warmly invited to join us for a special day together, as we help shape our priorities for the next 5–10 years.
- Date: Saturday, 16th May 2026, 10am–3pm (tea & coffee from 9.30am)
- Venue: Sedbergh School, Hirst Centre Hospitality Suite (Busk Lane)
Together, we will take time to reflect, pray, and think about the future of our Mission Community. This will be an opportunity for everyone to contribute, as we seek to discern where God is leading us in the coming years.
WDMC Coffee Morning
There will be a coffee morning in aid of The Western Dales Mission Community at St Andrew’s Church, Sedbergh on Wednesday 29th April, 9.30am - 11.30am.
Items to sell on the cake, bric-a-brac or book stall plus raffle donations would be greatly appreciated.
- Please contact Ben Maunder: ben.maunder@westerndales.org.uk
Dentdale Choir performs Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas
We’re delighted that once again the Dentdale Choir are holding their annual concert in St Andrew’s Dent. They will perform Henry Purcell’s dramatic opera The Loves of Aeneas and Dido on Saturday 11th April 2026 at 7.30pm in St Andrew’s Church, Dent. This powerful tale of love, intrigue and tragedy features Claire Booth (Dido), Terence Ayebare (Aeneas) and Laurie Ashworth (Belinda), alongside a distinguished group of musicians and The Julian Cann Players, conducted by Nicholas Hurndall Smith. Refreshments will be served during the interval (donations welcome). Tickets are £15 on the door or available online via www.thedentdalechoir.com.
This Week
Sunday 29 March
- 8.30am BCP Holy Communion (St Andrew’s, Sedbergh)
- 10.30am Palm Sunday Joint Service (St Andrew’s, Sedbergh)
- 10.30am Quaker Meeting for Worship (Brigflatts Meeting House)
- 12pm Roman Catholic Mass (St Andrew’s, Sedbergh)
- 6pm Choral Evensong (St Andrew’s, Sedbergh)
Monday 30 March
- 9.30am Morning Prayer (St Andrew’s, Sedbergh)
- 1pm Funeral of Jean Dobson (St Andrew’s, Sedbergh)
- 6.15pm Prayer time (Dentdale Methodist Church, Dent)
- 7pm Compline in Holy Week (St Andrew’s, Sedbergh)
Tuesday 31 March
- 10am Open House Wellbeing Cafe (Cornerstone Community Church, Sedbergh)
- 6pm Bell Ringing Practice (St Andrew’s, Sedbergh)
- 7pm Compline in Holy Week (St Andrew’s, Sedbergh)
Wednesday 1 April
- 11.30am BCP Holy Communion (St Andrew’s, Sedbergh)
- 12pm Lent Lunch (St Andrew’s, Sedbergh)
- 2pm Community Corner (Dentdale Methodist Church, Dent)
- 6pm Christian Meditation (Online Zoom Meeting)
- 7pm Stations of the Cross followed by Compline (St Andrew’s, Sedbergh)
Thursday 2 April
- 7pm The Liturgy of Maundy Thursday (St Andrew’s, Dent)
Friday 3 April
- 11am Sedbergh Ecumenical Walk of Witness (St Andrew’s, Sedbergh)
- 3pm The Liturgy of Good Friday (St Andrew’s, Sedbergh)
Saturday 4 April
- 8.30am Prayer time for Young People (Cornerstone Community Church, Sedbergh)
- 2pm Easter Fun Afternoon (Firbank Church Hall)
- 8pm Kendal Deanery Easter Vigil (Holy Trinity, Kendal)
Sunday 5 April
- 6.45am The Dawn Service (Summit of Winder)
- 9am Easter Day Holy Communion (St John the Evangelist, Cowgill)
- 9.30am Easter Day Service (St Mark’s, Cautley)
- 9.30am Easter Day Holy Communion (Holy Trinity, Howgill)
- 10am Easter Day Service (St John the Baptist, Garsdale)
- 10.30am Easter Day Service (All Saints, Killington)
- 10.30am Easter Day Holy Communion (Cornerstone Community Church, Sedbergh)
- 10.30am Easter Day Holy Communion (St Andrew’s, Dent)
- 10.30am Easter Day Holy Communion (St Andrew’s, Sedbergh)
- 10.30am Quaker Meeting for Worship (Brigflatts Meeting House)
- 12pm Roman Catholic Mass (St Andrew’s, Sedbergh)
- 4pm ‘Eggstraspecial’ Tea with Easter activities (Dentdale Methodist Church, Dent)
- 6pm Christian Meditation (Online Zoom Meeting)
Contacts
Notice Compiler: Emma Brown admin@westerndales.org.uk
Deadline for Notices: End of day Tuesday
Revd Andy Burgess
Vicar, Methodist Minister, WDMC Leader
015396 20018, andy.burgess@westerndales.org.uk
Ben Maunder
Children, Youth, and Family Worker
07525 065018, ben.maunder@westerndales.org.uk
Revd Dr Sally Pickering
Associate Minister (part-time)
07476 959936, sally.pickering@westerndales.org.uk
Revd Christine Brown
Priest with Permission to Officiate, Anna Chaplain
015396 25418, christine.brown@westerndales.org.uk
Judith Bush
Licensed Lay Minister
015396 20058, judith.bush@westerndales.org.uk
Heather Fraser
Lay Pioneer Minister
015396 25727, heather.fraser@westerndales.org.uk
Pam Dent
Lay Preacher
015396 20042, pdent123@btinternet.com
Sarah Woof
Local Preacher
015396 25212, sarahwoof@hotmail.com
Chris Fawcett
Local Preacher
07966 009486, ccfawcett@gmail.com
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