The Benefice consists of the parishes of Leyburn, a small market town in Wensleydale, North Yorkshire, with St Matthew's Church, and Bellerby, a small village less than two miles away, with the church of St John the Evangelist.
The new Priest in Charge for both parishes, Rev Michael Hepper, has been very busy getting out and about in the community to meet the local population.
One way of doing this was to have a stall at the Leyburn Friday market before Christmas to serve free mulled wine and mince pies. These were particularly well received by stallholders and local shopkeepers! He was helped by members of both congregations.
More recently, he arranged an Easter Egg Hunt in Bellerby, hiding 2012 chocolate eggs in the playing field, aided by two of his children. Around 100 children and parents hunted them and enjoyed tea in the Memorial Hall afterwards.
Rev Hepper is introducing a range of new Services, while adding innovative, fun elements to traditional ones so that they are, hopefully, more interesting and enjoyable but full of meaning.
For instance, there was the Palm Sunday 
procession in Leyburn with a donkey and pony, and the Beating of the Bounds in Bellerby, followed by a Rogationtide Service.
For instance, there was the Palm Sunday procession in Leyburn with a donkey and pony, and the Beating of the Bounds in Bellerby, followed by a Rogationtide Service.
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Please check out the rest of this website, including the tabs at the top and scrolling further down to see what is happening in the next four weeks.
