About Us
The Revd Elizabeth Sewell (Rector)
The Rectory High Bond End KNARESBOROUGH HG5 9BT Tel: 01423 865273 ejsewell@btinternet.com
Elizabeth is proud to be a ‘Yorkshire Gal’, born in Hull she grew up there before her family moved south, returning to Yorkshire as Elizabeth started in the sixth form (at Harrogate Grammar School!). After obtaining a degree in Food Science she worked as a Research Scientist in the Food Industry. A period running a Consultancy business was followed by her second degree, during theological training in Bristol. Ordained Deacon in 1997 and Priest in 1998 she served as Curate in Rothley in Leicestershire then, in 2001, moved to be Team Vicar in Market Harborough, also in Leicestershire. She moved to Knaresborough in 2007 and describes it as ‘coming home’. Elizabeth shares her home with two dogs, both Jack Russell Terriers, Poppy and Lucky. She competes at Dog Agility with Poppy, who has amassed quite a collection of trophies. Lucky will join the competition circuit when she is old enough. As well as regular local dog walks and Agility training, Elizabeth enjoys walking in the Dales and the Coast, skiing, travel and spending time with her extended family.
The Revd Esther Foss,
(Team Vicar, Holy Trinity)
Esther Foss was born and brought up in Crewe, Cheshire. After studying for a degree in theology at Regent’s Park College, Oxford, she worked with special needs children in two comprehensive schools. She trained for the priesthood at Westcott House, Cambridge, where she gained an MPhil in church history. Her hobbies include travel, art, music and food. She is happiest tucking into fish and chips at Whitby’s Magpie Cafe and spending time with her friends and family, not least among them Tinker the dog!
(Assistant Curate)
Darryl became the curate for the Knaresborough Anglican Team in June 2009. He trained for ministry at Cranmer Hall theological college in Durham. Darryl is married to Sharon and has two sons, 7 fish, a giant water snail, a budget's frog, 2 hermit crabs, and an English Bulldog. Prior to training for ministry he spent 18 years as a carpet retail manager for Calvert's Carpets in Northallerton. As well as full time work at Calvert's Darryl also had a part time job as a self employed Children's entertainer aiming to entertain children from the ages of 5-8 years old with his magic and ventrilloquism routines. This was a skill which proved easily transferable in ministry and his puppets made many guest appearances at St. Gregory's, Crakehall, near Bedale where he used to worship with his wife and two children.
The puppets still make regular appearances around the Knaresborough churches and schools.
Claire Renshaw,
01423 869209
My role will be dealing with the bookings of baptisms and weddings as well as various other administration jobs. I live in Wetherby with my husband and two young children and spend my spare time caravanning with my family and 9 month old black Labrador Rex, being involved in my local church and studying for a degree in Theology and Ministry at York St John University. I love being outdoors walking, sightseeing, having BBQ’s and generally spending time with family and friends. I have spent most of my career so far as an accountant in practice and supporting my husband’s company, but am currently in the discernment process for possible ordination (in its simplest form, this means that I have started the process that leads to me becoming a clergy). I have done some part time work with the Young Offenders Chaplaincy team at Wetherby HMYOI and was an Equality and Diversity Champion there, dealing with race relations and anti-bullying. I am really looking forward to meeting people and being involved in such special times as baptism and weddings.
Father Alan Robinson (Retired Clergy)
Born at Hipperholme, Halifax : Heath Grammar School Halifax : National Service Royal Navy : Keble College Oxford, MA theology : Salisbury Theological College : Ordained priest 1954 in Ripon Cathedral. Curate All Souls, Leeds : Curate St.Margaret's Ilkley : Vicar of Carlton, Barnsley : Vicar of Hooe, Plymouth, Rural Dean of Plympton 1971-75, Rural Dean of Plymouth Sutton 1986-91, Chaplain RAF Mount Batten 1966-92 : Retired to Knaresborough 1995. Hon Chaplain Royal Naval Association 2006.
The Rev'd Peter Atkinson
Peter is a native of County Durham and graduate of University College, Durham. He did his training for the ordained ministry at Lincoln Theological College and was ordained in Rochester Cathedral in 1965. His first curacy was in Beckenham but has since served in parishes in Reading, Sunderland, Windsor and Aylesbury. Reading and Sunderland. In more recent years he was Urban Ministry Adviser and Church Urban Fund Co-ordinator in the Oxford diocese.
Retirement has provided opportunities for him to pursue his interest in cinema. He also enjoys a wide range of music including jazz. He is also a member of Harrogate Hospital Radio Team with a responsibility for collecting musical requests from patients to be broadcast on request shows.
I qualified as an accountant but spent the next few years working in an American Bank.Anthea and I were living in Surrey at the time where we were running the Church Youth Groups. I had always been a Churchgoer but as my Grandfather and his son had been Anglican priests I had no intention of becoming one. The hound of heaven had other ideas and after training at Ridley Hall in Cambridge I began my Yorkshire Ministry as a curate at Wetherby. I then went to become Vicar of St. Cyprian and St. James in Leeds from there to Wakefield Diocese and then I was asked to become Rector of Haxby and Wigginton in the York Diocese from where I retired 3 years ago. A Priest's life is an interesting one - how does one be both pastor and manager? How can we not upset the status quo? However it is a role of great privilege. There are things that I miss and many that I don't and I am having to learn to be a member of a congregation again which for me is not easy!
Andrew Smith read Engineering at Peterhouse, Cambridge, and then obtained a PhD in soil mechanics. He works for Coffey Geotechnics, a firm of consulting civil engineers specialising in the design of foundations, earthworks and deep excavations. In December 2008, Andrew was a member of a team that won the Fleming Award, one of the top prizes in his branch of the profession, for their work on a tunnel currently being constructed under the River Shannon near Limerick.
He is a Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers and of the Geological Society of London.Andrew is a Reader at St John’s and is also treasurer of both the Church and the choir. Music takes up much of his spare time: he sings in St John’s Choir and the Leeds Festival Chorus, and local choir ‘Voix Celestes’
started life as a group of choir mums who met each week at his home to rehearse an item for the Christmas concert. Andrew says, 'I moved to Knaresborough in 2001 to take up my current job. I started going to St John's because it was my local church and I was almost immediately recruited to join the choir. One of the things that I like most about St. John's is the high standards that are attained by Richard Darke and David Salter in making the music an integral part of the worship. I have made many friends both within the church and the choir and this has become an important aspect of my social life.'
Jo moved into Brearton in February 2008 and started going to St Johns later that year, having previously worshipped at the church in Littlethorpe, near Ripon where her parents live.
Jo Says: 'Attending St Johns in Brearton is a unique warming experience. The congregation is small and very loyal and committed. I was made to feel so very welcome when I started going to the services. Alan and Sue take it in turns to lead us in worship. They are lovely, gentle people and their services are very heartfelt and thought provoking. I particularly enjoy the Rogation, Easter, Harvest and Christmas services when the children get involved.'
Simon Oldroyd (Church Warden)
Simon originally hails from sunny Bradford and moved to Goldsborough some three years ago. Married with two adult daughters, he likes nothing better than being in the company of his family. Five years ago he had the opportunity to come out of business after thirty years as a managing director in retail, to persue a new career in counselling, a field he thoroughly enjoys. This is an area that requires constant study and development as the profession strives to increase access to talking therapies. The challenge of church wardenship only began a few months ago for Simon and his knowledge of the workings of the church and contact with the congregation constantly brings new insights! Other interests include walking, visiting galleries and
museums and all forms of live performance.
Richard Boddy (Church Warden)
Richard lived in Harrogate until his marriage to Susan when they settled in Knaresborough. He loves St John’s. Like any father, one of the highlights of his life was giving his daughter’s hand in marriage. This was especially so since the wedding was in St John’s. Richard says that he could not have wished for anything more. “Seeing Helen marry Alastair in our wonderful church with the choir singing and the bells pealing as we emerged from the West Door on a beautiful September day-we were truly blessed.” Richard takes a keen interest in gardening, walking and his grandchildren. When they are desperate, he plays billiards for the Home Guard (no jokes about Dad’s Army please). On leaving school he worked as a lab assistant for ICI and for the last 30 years he has worked a statistician for a small training and consultancy company based in Knaresborough
Sharon Foster (Church Warden)
I am a Yorkshire lass born and bred in Sheffield. My father’s family were connected with the Sheffield Assay Office from the 1800’s. From an early age I attended, with my brother, St. Thomas’s Church in Crookes, both of us singing in the church choir for a number of years. We were also confirmed there. I continued singing in choirs as a student during my teacher training at college in Lincoln. A most memorable occasion was the opportunity to sing in the St. Matthew Passion in Lincoln Cathedral. (Also memorable because I had my arm in plaster having broken my wrist playing hockey!!) Although originally trained as a Primary school teacher, during a 40 year career I have also taught in both Secondary and Further Education. In the 70’s I took a break from the classroom to work in Youth Services which is what brought me to Knaresborough in 1975. Retirement a few years ago provided the opportunity to spend more time with friends, develop interests and become more involved in church life at St. John’s. Time spent as a sidesperson has been a good way of getting to know the congregation better and being a member of the DCC and PCC to understand the workings of the parish! One of the things which drew me to regular worship at St.John’s some 10 years ago was the music. For me music is a wonderful way of expressing our faith through singing hymns and responses and our services at St.John’s are particularly enriched by having one of the best church choirs in the country (Did you see Songs of Praise in 2010?) (if not you can check it out by clicking on the following link http://www.knaresboroughanglicanteam.org.uk/songs-of-praise-comes-to-knaresborough/ (ed) Becoming a church warden has proved to be both a steep learning curve in what goes on behind the scenes, (including knowing more now about drains ….) and a real privilege to be involved in so many different aspects of church life.
David Cardani (Church Warden)
As a Roman Catholic from Reading, it was with much apprehension that I started attending St Johns on a regular basis. I chose St John’s church as I had married into a Church of England family and baptised both my children in my wife’s Cheshire parish. I was openly welcomed by the congregation here in Knaresborough and I have found my inner peace and strength.
Lynn Curl (Church Warden)
I grew up in the mining town of Thorne, then in the West Riding of Yorkshire. Both of my grandfathers were miners at local collieries. I attended St Nicholas Church Thorne from an early age and was confirmed there when I was eleven. Throughout my time there I was privileged to be guided by a most wonderful lady, Deaconess Bridget Smith. I was married at the church in 1979, having been away at Leicester University where I met my husband, Matt. Following our marriage I moved to Harrogate where Matt was already working. I had started my articles with a law firm in Leeds about three months before we married and stayed there after I qualified as a solicitor, leaving in 1983. During this time, we frequently went back to Thorne to visit my family and I continued to worship there.
After our two sons were born I attended the services for mothers which were held at one church or other in the town and the boys were baptised, one at Holy Trinity and one at St John’s. I started to attend St John’s 8am service regularly. That and evensong, which I used to attend regularly in Thorne, are my favourite services. I like the stillness of Prayer Book services and the language used. As a family we are members of the Prayer Book Society. I still attend 8am as I now have to be back at Church for 9.45am to ring the bells. I started ringing about 7 or 8 years ago after Matt persuaded me to join him. He had learnt to ring as a child at his home church, also St Nicholas, in Harpenden. He had gone back to ringing just before the millennium during a recruitment drive for ringers. Both boys tagged along with him and also learnt to ring. They were both confirmed, again, one at Holy Trinity and one at St John’s, each in the same Church in which they were baptised. My younger son, Oliver acted as a server at St. John’s for a number of years until he left King James School to go to university. Many may remember him trudging up the aisle (with wet hair) at 10.30am carrying the cross in front of the choir.
Christine Devine (Church Warden)
St. John’s has been the church I attend since I moved to Knaresborough twenty six years ago. In that time there have been many kindly people in the congregations, umpteen inspiring sermons, some glorious flower festivals and being part of the parish’s continuous struggle to meet the needs of the “flock” while bearing appropriate witness of the Christian message to the town, the visitors, the world. One’s faith through life is a bit like the Church’s year, with a rhythm of fasts and festivals: times of overcast questioning, and others of confident certainty in matters spiritual. In between, like the weeks after Trinity Sunday, there’s the even tenor of Christian life. The church building is a splendid backdrop to all these inner experiences. It is both grand and austere to reflect the Lord’s majesty, yet decorated and embellished with images in windows, and wood and stone carving of great humanity and beauty. Surely the way the purple altar cloth of Lent and Advent picks up the stone’s purple in the surrounding clusters of columns is unique? It is a privilege to be a small part of the team looking after the weekly running of St. John’s in the second decade of the twenty-first century.
Craig Feather-Moore (Church Warden)
Yorkshire is said by many to be “God’s own country”. Although it is a claim that is sometimes made on behalf of other counties, no-one could be left in any doubt about the entitlement of our particular corner of Yorkshire after they have sat on a bench at Knaresborough Castle and gazed out over the truly beautiful Nidd Gorge. It is appropriate, therefore, that an integral part of this extraordinary view is St. John’s Church, as if watching over a unique landscape that God must surely have created. When we moved to Knaresborough in May 2007, our eldest daughter, Olivia, initially attended Manor Infants School which soon became part of what is now St, Johns’ C of E Primary School. Both Olivia and our younger daughter, Amelia, attend the School. There were obviously strong ties between the School and the Church which have subsequently grown even stronger. That connection is the primary reason why we came to St. Johns, but there are also a number of additional aspects that may have subconsciously, at least, influenced us to come in the first place, including its history, location, beauty, as well as the significance of the Church in the wider community. Before we moved to Knaresborough, we attended York Minster and we would have found it difficult to adjust to a Church without a choir. St. Johns is very fortunate in that regard. During the four-and-a-half years that we have attended at St. Johns we have formed many associations and some important friendships with members of the congregation. At the same time, we have found ourselves moving further towards the centre of Church life, by virtue of our participation in various activities. This really began with my wife, Janet, doing readings, and subsequently with my involvement as a member of the PCC and as a Church Warden. The Girls regularly attend Sunday School - as well as Brownies, which, coincidentally, takes place in the Church Hall! All of this has led to St. Johns becoming an integral part of all our lives.
Brian Jelbert (Church Warden)
Brian has been a practising Christian all his life, baptised in Church of England, brought up in the Congregational church (now URC), been for some years an active elder in the URC in Derby, St.Neots and Knaresborough. More recently, he has been a regular worshipper at Holy Trinity in Knaresborough for the past 3 to 4 years. Having “been around a bit” and seen several styles of worship, Brian is fairly ecumenical in his outlook and has been a worshipper at several local churches. After all, we all worship the same God just in slightly different ways.
By background, Brian is a maths graduate from Manchester University, moving initially into IT. He then qualified in accountancy and has been a finance director for over 30 years in several different companies. With his career passing through food and drink, chocolate, beer, toys, greetings cards amongst other sectors, he believes it’s important to be able to “relate to the product” – hence the expanded waist line! Brian and his wife for 40 years, Dot, settled in Scriven, Knaresborough in late 1991 and they have both been an active part of local activities since then. They have two grown up sons. Richard and his family (two grandsons aged 8 and 7) live locally in Knaresborough, whilst Mark stayed in Sheffield after graduating there. A move to Knaresborough followed a period of 7 family homes across England in 20 years so The Jelbert family seem now to have “got stuck” or finally settled on an area! The connection with Holy Trinity was enhanced and cemented through Brian’s membership of Knaresborough Choral Society. Concerts (March and December each year) are held in the church which has excellent acoustics for orchestra and choir. Brian says “Do please come and see us at Holy Trinity Church. The peace and tranquillity of our worship, coupled with a very warm welcome, will hopefully bring to you that extra dimension that you sometimes need and search hard for. We have something for all ages and circumstances.”
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The Revd Darryl Hall,
