On the weekend of 4th to 6th October we had our first Parish Weekend away at Scargill House near Kettlewell. We were heartily welcomed by the Christian community that live and work there and we all soon enjoyed the abundant tea and cake on offer.
With ages ranging from 1 to 90 you could imagine there wouldn't be something to suit everyone but there was...a plenty. The children's workers were absolutely fabulous, they were engaging and all the children and young people were entertained during their sessions and at other times. The adults were blessed to have their sessions led by Bishop Chris Edmondson and Karen Openshaw. The theme of the weekend was Confident Christians - how could we become more confident in God, God's confidence in us and living confidently.
There was time in the programme for our own space, some went for an organised hike, some went for a sleep, some enjoyed the walled garden and play area whilst others walked into the local village for a pint.
The Saturday evening started with another wonderful dinner and moved onto a highly competitive quiz (don't ask Simon which team won) and more games that engaged all ages. The Sunday morning Holy Communion in the breath-taking chapel was the perfect end to the weekend.
Scargill's aim is to serve guests and make their stay a really positive experience, every single person came back saying exactly that and can't wait for the next weekend away.