Welcome to the website of St Augustine’s – the Church of England in Kirkby-in-Cleveland and Great Broughton. The inhabitants of our two villages have professed their Christian faith, and have worshipped on this site, for over a thousand years and we continue this wonderful tradition.
We are part of a four-church benefice, which includes the Parishes of Ingleby Greenhow, Kildale and Chop Gate, in the Diocese of York.
You will find information on the team, on the services in our church and on our support for all in the community at the key points in their lives, by scrolling through the following pages. The calendar of services and the notice pages, which are regularly up-dated, are a good first point of reference.
The service on 12th January 2025 is at 9:30 am at St Andrew’s, Ingleby Greenhow.
The readings for the Baptism of Christ are: Isaiah 43:1-7; Psalm 29; Acts 8:14-17; Luke 3:15-17, 21-22.
In today’s Gospel reading we hear about the baptism for repentance performed by John the Baptist. John denies being the Messiah, the anointed one of God, pointing instead to Jesus, the one who comes after him. Nevertheless, Jesus also is baptised by John for repentance, although Jesus himself will baptise with the Holy Spirit. Jesus identifies himself here fully with ordinary people, those who know that they need God’s forgiveness. Once baptised, Jesus prays; his relationship with the Father does not stop just because a formality has been finished. And God responds: the Holy Spirit descends on Jesus, and a heavenly voice announces Jesus’ Sonship.
Jesus does not fit into our neat categories. He is both fully human and fully divine, as this passage says. Trying to grasp this has kept some of the best minds in the world occupied over the centuries. Yet it is a question for all of us: how do we respond to Jesus being both God and human?
Website up-dated 9th January 2025