Churches October 2025

The Diocese of Newcastle has published a Lessons Learned Review (2023) regarding the conduct and conviction of the Revd Peter McConnell, former vicar of St Helen’s, Longhorsley.

If you have a genuine concern arising from this review and would like to speak to someone within the diocesan safeguarding team, please contact the current vicar, the Revd Elaine Jones, at revelainejones@gmail.com to arrange this in confidence. You can also contact the safeguarding team at the diocese safeguarding@newcastle.anglican.org to speak in confidence with a member of the team.

Your voice matters, and you will be listened to with care.

Thought for the Month

Welcoming Rev. Elaine Jones: A New Chapter for Our Parish

On September the 8th, the village of Longhorsley marked a joyful and significant moment as we welcomed our new vicar, Reverend Elaine Jones, officially to the parish. Her installation service, held at St. Helen’s Church, was a truly uplifting occasion, bringing together members of our congregation, family, friends from neighbouring parishes, people from other churches and members of the wider community. The church was filled with warmth, music, and heartfelt prayers as we officially welcomed Elaine into her ministry among us.

Reverend Elaine joins us with a deep commitment to pastoral care, a love for rural ministry, and a passion for building inclusive, thriving communities. Elaine is also vicar to Mitford, Hebron and upper Wansbeck churches. And before coming into the ministry later in life she has also worked as a horse riding instructor, a teaching assistant then Youth, Community and Schools Worker within the church as well as a wife to Andy and mother to two now grown-up daughters Alexandra and Rebecca.

It felt especially fitting that Elaine began her ministry here during the month of September, as we have reflected as a church on the theme of generosity during the month. Generosity is often seen as the giving of material things and money - but as Elaine reminded us in her first Sunday sermon, true generosity is also about giving our time, our attention, and our willingness to be present for one another. In a world that often urges us to hold back or protect what we have, Christian generosity invites us to live with open hands and open hearts. Elaine also reminded us that God gave first and our generosity is an expression of Gods generosity to us. We are only giving back what we have already been given.

This spirit of generosity was evident in the many volunteers who helped prepare the church and hall for the installation, in those who brought food to share, and in the warm conversations that continued well into the evening. It is clear that Longhorsley is a community already rich in the kind of generosity that nurtures real connection.

As we step into this new season together, may we continue to reflect on what it means to be generous - not only in what we give, but in how we welcome, forgive, and support each other. We are blessed to have Elaine among us, and we look forward with hope and gratitude to all that lies ahead. All are warmly invited to join us at St Helen’s whether it’s to an event, Sunday morning service or to our monthly Messy church. As we continue this journey - whether you’re a regular, a newcomer, or just curious. There is a place for everyone here.

Diane Armstrong, St Helen’s Longhorsley

Brinkburn Partnership of Catholic Parishes

St Thomas Catholic Church

Every Monday and Thursday - Mass at 12noon

Every Sunday - Mass at 11.15am

longhorsley.stthomas@rcdhn.org.uk

Website: www.stthomaslonghorsley.com

St. Thomas of Canterbury Catholic Church had a very beautiful summer activity. We celebrated the jubilee of religious profession of Fr. Ascensio Vincent Waiga CSSp. The religious profession is done when a person takes the vows of chastity, celibacy and obedience in a particular religious order. For him that took place 25 years ago, where he professed into the order of the religious congregation of the Spiritans (Holy Ghost Fathers). In that celebration we included the theme of this year’s jubilee: “We are pilgrims of hope working together to build a better world’’. The jubilee year was declared by late pope Francis in November 2024 which will close this year November 2025. There was an open garden party in which our Christians from both St. Aidan’s and St. Thomas participated actively.

We improved the statue of our Lady by painting and cleaning all around it. We are planning to build a grotto and stepping up the devotion to the blessed virgin Mary in St. Thomas of Canterbury.

We celebrated a very powerful and beautiful marriage of Mr and Mrs Charles on the 13th September. This was my first wedding conducted in the United Kingdom. For the last 20 years of my priesthood I celebrated many marriages, however this one was different and new.

In the coming month of October, which we dedicate to the blessed virgin Mary, we shall have the prayers of the rosary throughout the month. We shall close the month of October with mass dedicated to Our lady, the blessed virgin Mary.

Lastly, we were saddened by the passing on to eternity of a beloved member of our community which took place on the 8th July. Her funeral was held on the 29th July. We pray for the family of late Maureen Patricia Fletcher. She was a dedicated member of our Church, generous and humble.