Thought for February
A Prayer for Lent
Lord God, for the many ways in which we fail to live as followers of your Son Jesus Christ, forgive us.
Guard us from temptation and teach us to live by your Spirit.
Amen
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Tomorrow is the Third Sunday after Epiphany, and we will be celebrating the Conversion of Paul.
There will be a Benefice Service of Holy Communion at St Augustine’s at 10 a.m. (please note the change of time) and the speaker will be Joey Chattaway, from the University of St Andrews, on the subject of assisted dying.
We would love you to join us!
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Changes to the Family Service
From Sunday May 5th the 8:00 and 9:30 a.m. Family Service, on the first Sunday of the month, will be replaced with a single service of Holy Communion at 9:30 a.m.
All are warmly invited.
From September 2024 all Benefice Services will commence at 10 a.m.
PLEASE DO SUPPORT THE BENEFICE SERVICES, ALL WELCOME!
Midweek Services at St Augustine's
Please join us for our Thursday 10 a.m. Holy Communion Services on the first two Thursdays of the month.
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During february, Holy Communion will be Thursday February 5th and 12th 10am at Kirkby-in-Cleveland.
There will be a coffee morning after the service on 5th February in the Church Hall, all welcome.
Ash Wednesday is February 18th 2026
Ash Wednesday Service on Wednesday 18th February, at Kirkby 10am, will be Holy Communion with the imposition of ashes.
There will be no service on February 19th ( see the Lenten challenge.)
A Challenge for Lent
During the following weeks of Lent there will be a Holy Communion service at 10am on each of the Thursdays 26th February 5th,12th,19th, 26th March and ending with the one on Maundy Thursday at 10am (2nd April).
There will be a special Lent themed short address, except on Maundy Thursday.
These will explore controversial issues facing the Church in 2026.
Speakers will include: Rev Laura Wild, The Archdeacon of Cleveland, Nick Land, Mark Sutcliffe and Gina von Bradsky.
Can you attend them all?
There will be a prize for anyone who can as a celebration of drawing closer to God in Lent?
Lent Talks: The Church in 2026 Thursday 26th February 10am
Should Christians always pay tax?
The Church’s relationship with the State (Romans 13:1-7) Rev Laura Wild
All are short talks, within a service of Holy Communion, 10am at St Augustine’s Church Kirkby .
Confirmation
If any adult or child aged eleven and over would like to prepare for Confirmation please let Anne Heading know.
If you are unsure what would be involved then please do ask.
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Notes from The Parochial Church Council
1. When you come into the church porch, please do not forget the porch box for charitable donations.
These monies do not go for church funds but for some other charity nominated by PCC members.
2. If you would like to have your say in the Governance of the Church of England then the way to do it is by becoming a member of the Deanery Synod. This meets three times per year & is the local decision making body. Members of Deanery Synod can vote & resolutions may be passed to Diocesan & then further to General Synod, as the need arises.
If you would be interested please contact Anne Heading.
Members of Deanery Synod must be baptised and communicant members of the Church of England.
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Electoral Roll:
If you are baptised and resident in the parish and would like to join the Electoral Roll of the Church then please let David Chadwick or Anne Heading know.
Being on the Electoral Roll entitles you to vote in annual meetings if you wish to do so.
Many thanks to Gift Aid Secretary, Angus Sanderson for all his work for our parish and to Gill Sockett and all who helped and contributed to the Stokesley Town Hall Coffee Morning in January
Coffee Morning
It's Back ! (Every First Thursday)
Monthly Thursday Coffee Mornings
The 'open house' monthly coffee mornings restarted in September,
on the first Thursday of every month.
However, in January, please note, the coffee morning will be on the second Thursday, Jan 8th. A good opportunity to catch up with friends after the Christmas break.
We look forward to seeing familiar faces and we hope some new ones as well.
All welcome.
Alison, Anna and Sheila
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Coffee and Cakes
We would like to thank all those who have supported the coffee mornings last year.Thanks to your generosity, we had £450 in the kitty after the last coffee morning in April. It was decided to support three charities this year: Headway, RDA and Parlinson's. They will be receiving £150 each. We hope you enjoy the summer and we look forward to seeing you again when the coffee mornings resume again in September.
Alison, Anna and Sheila.
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Herbert Johnson R.I.P.
Herbert Johnson, aged 89 years, sadly passed away.
Herbie's Funeral Service will be held on Tuesday January 20th 2026, 10 a.m. at St Augustine's Church
Kirkby in Cleveland.
Derrick Dale R.I.P.
Sadly, Derrick Dale,aged 96 years, recently passed away. His funeral will take place on Tuesday January 20th, 2 p.m. at St. Cuthbert’s KILDALE
Frances Taylor R.I.P.
It is with great regret, we announce the passing of Frances Taylor, aged 46 years. Her funeral will be on Wednesday, February 4th, 11a.m. at St Bede’s Chapel. TEESSIDE CREMATORIUM
Our thoughts and prayers are with their families.
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Please follow our churchyard etiquette further down the page.
Thank you for complying with the graveyard rules.
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Thank you to all who organised and supported the Food Bank Collection at Harvest and the Rotary Wrap Up Coats Campaign.
Dates for your Diary
Wednesday 10 December. 7:30 p.m.
St Augustine's Church
The Erimus Singers, conducted by John Dixon, performing their seasonal Programme
Tickets £12
The Erimus Singers, a well-established small choir based at Middlesbrough Town Hall, will give a concert of seasonal music in Church on Wednesday 10 December at 7.30 pm.
Tickets cost £12 and are available from the Choir on www.erimussingers.co.uk
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Steps
For all pre-school children and their carers
Steps Service
in St Augustine's Kirkby in Cleveland will start again in the Spring.
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Help needed to run the Church Hall
Could anyone, maybe recently retired, like to offer a few hours to the community by joining the small team who administer and run Kirkby Church Hall?
The Hall is an acknowledged asset to the village but needs another person to lend a hand opening and closing the hall for intermittent bookings, keeping an eye on tradesmen, maintenance jobs etc and ensuring everything is kept to a high standard for the many regular users each week.
Contact Anna 712797, Sheila 712321
Those of you who have been in the hall over the past month will have noticed that the main hall floor has been cleaned and resealed. We would like to thank Andy from DriNOW for the excellent finish he has given to the floor. We ask that people using the hall respect the floor and do not drag chairs or equipment over it. There is a trolly for moving the chairs in the store cupboard
Christian Aid
Many thanks to all who contributed and helped with Christian Aid events both at Christmas and throughout 2025.
The Christmas greetings raised £1508, the Wine and Cheese event raised £1197 and the school cake bake raised £90.00. When added to the quiz, soup lunch and Christian Aid week the grand total for the year was £4780.
The funds for the Christmas period were primarily directed towards supporting families who have fled extreme violence and conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The goal of the appeal was to provide immediate lifesaving and hope to mothers struggling to protect their children in temporary shelters.
Tickets are now available for the 16th Brains of Broughton Quiz on Friday 13th March. Tickets are available from committee members. Further details from Jean Taylor on 01642 712458.
Maybe you are new to the villages or perhaps recently retired and have time on your hands?
We would welcome new helpers to join in our fundraising. It’s not too onerous, just 4 or 5 events per year. We have a lot of fun, fellowship and friendship as well as raising substantial amounts to help those people in the world who are not as fortunate as ourselves.
If you think you could help please ring Jean on 01642 712458.
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Kirkby & Gt. Broughton School 
To keep in touch with what's happening in school our website address is http://www.kirkbyandgreatbroughtonschool.uk.org
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Kirkby & Gt. Broughton School To keep in touch with what's happening in school the website address is http://www.kirkbyandgreatbroughtonschool.co.uk
Happy New Year to you all, from all of us at Kirkby and Great Broughton Primary School.
Everyone at school has made a superb start to 2026!
Reception class are finding out about How Things Change this term, and we have started by looking at the change in seasons and exploring winter – perfect for the snowy weather we have been having. We have also started to use books to record our work, and we have seen some super handwriting, segmenting and blending!
In Year 1, the children have been enjoying investigating curtain properties for Teddy’s bedroom, along with learning about primary colours in their artwork.
Year 2 children have been enjoying measuring in maths and watching the spring bulbs push through the soil, from the autumn term Year 3 are studying crime and punishment and will be having a visit from a police officer this term. In English, they are writing a discussion text.
In Year 4/5 children are also enjoying their studies of crime and punishment, dance in PE, and looking at living things in detail in their science learning.
The Year 6 children have been critiquing their own artwork and improving it using editing stations. They are also keenly embarking on a project all about WW2!
Other School News We have had two pupils in Year 3 shine particularly brightly.
One child has been especially generous, by donating the winnings from his football draw to a homeless charity in Middlesbrough. When asked why, he said:“I just wanted to give it away to help others because I didn’t need it.”
Another child held a fundraiser and, with the money she raised, we have been able to purchase some dyslexia-friendly reading books for the children in KS2.
We are sure you will join us in thanking both children for their kindness.
The children are truly following in the footsteps of our school vision.
Many children are engaging with different clubs in school. This half-term, some of our older children are participating in STEM club, while our younger children are enjoying football club. Many children also attend multi-sports on a Thursday after school. Many of our Upper KS2 children are looking forward to the cross-country event at Stokesley School in the coming weeks.
Kind Requests Would you, or someone you know, be interested in reading with our children on a voluntary basis?
Please get in touch with the school office – we would love to hear from you!
This would take place in afternoons, but don’t worry if you are not sure where to start; training will be given, so don’t be shy in coming forward and sharing your love of reading.
Have you had a post-Christmas clear-out? If anyone has a working desk lamp or standard lamp they are looking to rehome, please get in touch, as we are still looking for some for our classrooms.
Nursery and Reception classes are still on the lookout for balance bikes and suitably sized helmets. If anyone has any they wish to donate, please contact us.
Lastly, you may have heard, if you have passed school on a Friday lunchtime, the success of our Funky Music Fridays! We are looking to update board games in our quiet area, along with adding some drama props such as hats, wigs, bags, etc. Do you have any lurking in a cupboard that need a new home?
The school office can be contacted at: admin@kirkby-in-cleveland.n-yorks.sch.uk
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Organist Wanted!
We need a replacement Organist at St Augustine's, starting as soon as possible. There are two, occasionally three, morning services per month; adding in the special services at Christmas, etc., this totals about 38 per year The organ is a Copeman Hart two-manual instrument; it was installed in 1998 and is one of the best in the area. There is a considerable library of both organ and choral music. We understand that a pianist of Grade 4 standard would have the right level of technical competence to be able to transition effectively to the organ.
Please contact Anne Heading for further details
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Our Eco Group Gains Bronze Award
St Augustine's is part of an initiative by the Church of England to Care for God's Earth called Eco Church. The aim is to engage Christians of all denominations with stewardship of God's creation, the earth we all share. At St Augustine's the green team have been working towards achieving the Bronze Standard through interaction with the local community especially the Primary School, increasing the biodiversity of the churchyard and encouraging involvement in green issues in the Benefice. Thanks to all who have supported us in any way as we achieved our Bronze Award on the 5th October. Many congratulations to the Eco Group on the Bronze Award!
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Church Flowers Love Flowers?
We would welcome anyone in arranging flowers once a year.
Please contact Gill Sockett 712432
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Friends of Darlington Memorial Hospital 
Stamps – Francobolli – Timbres – Sellos – Briefmarken – Stampaichean
I am still collecting used postage stamps for the Darlington Memorial Hospital voluntary drivers' expenses
Can you please save used stamps to help fund their Voluntary Car Service. Just post them through the letterbox of 46 Kirkby Lane, opposite Gt Broughton School or leave them in the Church Porch.
Also check their website for cheap postage stamps offer.
Thanks Heather Stamp
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Recycling at Gt Broughton Village Hall
Please use the allocated recycling bins in the entrance hall for stamps and plastic milk bottle tops (only)
Two charities are being supported by these recycling schemes:
Stamps - Parkinson’s UK
Plastic milk bottle tops - Marie Curie (Cancer Care)
Thank you, GBVH Committee
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The Churchyard
The Churchyard is a tranquil, peaceful and welcoming space for all who visit and we encourage the placing of floral tributes on individual graves in memory of those who are no longer with us. However, please do not use glass containers; biodegradable materials are preferable, where possible. Flowers (and their containers) should be removed when they are past their best and we are grateful to those who do this. We ensure that the grass is cut and trimmed regularly during the summer months and a small team puts a lot of effort to keep the whole area tidy and the paths clear of debris. We would only move containers if they obstruct grass cutting. Please could you ensure that any item that does not comply with these guidelines is removed. With many thanks. We are always happy to welcome volunteers to help us look after the Churchyard and keep it in good order for future generations in our parish.
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Kirkby Church Hall
Is there anyone living in Kirkby or Great Broughton with a few hours to spare who would like to join the small (but very friendly) team of volunteers who run Kirkby Church Hall? This is a well appointed hall that is popular with our regular hirers and we are only able to keep the rental charges down because it is administered by volunteers. Duties would include occasional opening up or closing the hall for one-off hirers, being a key holder, helping with Christmas decorations etc. If are interested please contact Sheila (01642-71232
Kirkby Church Hall is available for hire. Contact Sheila 712321
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Church Warden Needed.
The PCC is seeking a churchwarden - if you can serve as Warden then please contact Ros Tomlinson to discuss the role Tel. 01642 711796.
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(Church) Electoral Roll
There is occasional confusion between the Civil Parish and Church Parish. The Civil parishes of Kirkby and Great Broughton are quite separate and anyone on the national Electoral Register is entitled to vote in elections for the Civil parish, in which they reside, as well as County Council and General elections. The Church Parish of Kirkby, based on St Augustine's church, however, covers all the area of Kirkby and Great Broughton civil parishes. Anyone who is baptised and resident in that area and, subject to certain conditions, living outside the area may apply to be included on the church Electoral Roll, which entitles you to vote in annual meetings of the church.
The church Electoral Roll is renewed every 6 years and everyone who was on the previous roll must apply in the same way as those wishing to be included for the first time. Of course you can apply at any time during the currency of the Roll. This is the start of a new Electoral Roll 6 year period and you will find an Application Form enclosed with this news letter. If you wish to be included in the Church Electoral Roll please complete the Form and leave or send it as stated at the foot of the form in the newsletter.
Many thanks to our Gift Aid Secretary, Angus Sanderson for all his work for our parish
Electoral Roll Enrollment Form
Please consider joining the Electoral Roll for our parish, it gives a stake in the local Christian community and supports the wellbeing of the parish church. A person enrolled in this way may vote in our church meeting and is eligible to take on certain responsibilites such as that of Churchwarden. The criteria for joining the Roll and details of who to contact may be found in the Application Document (click on the link below.)
You are welcome to join us! Rev Dr Anne Heading, Vicar.
The Parish Newsletter for December 2025 and January 2026 has been published and can be accessed here
The Book of Psalms can be a great source of comfort and inspiration; Psalms 16 - Preserve me, O God, 23 – The Lord is my Shepherd - and 121 – I will lift up mine eyes to the hills – are commended.
The Church has a Facebook page - St Augustine’s, Kirkby & Great Broughton - which, like the website, is regularly up-dated