What to look for...
This month (July 07) we should at last see the protection for the church
windows going up. Martin Johnson, the company from York who are specialists in stained glass and window conservation, will be on site to put powder-coated steel mesh sheets over 25 windows (both plain and stained glass ones). This work will be mostly funded from monies raised last year by many of you and the PCC has agreed to meet any shortfall from reserves. Including VAT the work is likely to be over £12,000.
A lot of work is going on around the church which is costing nothing - apart from stiff backs and knees and perhaps stung or scratched hands (from nettles or brambles). Back in March there were members of the church cutting brambles from graves and clearing paths, on six consecutive Saturdays: a good Lenten discipline. The local Round Table joined us the day before Easter and for several months there has been a team from West Yorkshire Probation Unpaid Work
(National Offender Management Service). Supervised by Andrew Ward, they've come on most Mondays and Fridays and are performing a great service. Please encourage them by going along and telling them they're doing a good job. They won't bite!
Another bit of work in hand is the 'car park.' Oulton Hall cleared an area just off their entrance drive on the 1st of May and further work is planned. It is hoped that the site will be levelled and covered to suppress weeds but allow free drainage; some sort of finish will then be provided. The resulting parking area would therefore be temporary and it could revert to nature - thereby keeping the planners happy.
Returning towards the church we have one of the biggest churchyards in Leeds, if not the county, and it requires a lot of attention. It's a proverbial "Forth Bridge". If you have a family grave there please help the church by keeping it tidy, and that includes keeping the grass and weeds cut back. In time it is hoped that the churchyard can be opened up a lot more with the judicious removal of branches from some trees and the clearing of ivy, ground elder, and the like. New vistas could be opened up which will not only highlight the beautiful setting of St. John's but will also aid security.
In the churchyard there are eight Commonwealth War Graves which commemorate ten men who died in wars of the 20th century. Two of the graves have only come to light through the extensive clearance that is going on. The PCC have agreed for new Portland stone memorials to mark these graves.
Some articles end with: 'Watch this space' and these words also apply to our churchyard. Watch it develop but, better still, come along and get involved with some clearance yourselves.
The Churchwardens.