Tees Swale Mission Partnership

It is with sadness that due to an ageing congregation and a failure to secure funding to repair a deteriorating building a decision was taken to close the URC in Barnard Castle on 2nd October 2016. We take this opportunity to thank all of the church members, both past and present, for their devotion and service to the church in Barnard Castle over many years. We also thank all of the friends of the church who have supported us over the years.

Although the church has closed we are maintaining our links with the URC by travelling to Northgate URC, Darlington on the first Sunday of the month to join in their monthly Communion service. On other Sundays individual members are joining in worship at other churches in the town - Methodist, Christian Fellowship and Anglican, where they have received a warm welcome.

For those who were unable to attend the final service attached are a copy of the Final Order of Service and a Souvenir Leaflet produced for the occasion and these can be accessed by clicking on the links below.

On Pentecost Sunday, 24^th May 2015, LYRA, a vocal ensemble of four choir members from St Petersburg Cathedral visited Keld United Reformed Church for the Swaledale Festival Service. Their voices really filled the Chapel with great depth and harmony. They sang three times during the service to the delight of the congregation of sixty people filling the ground floor of the Chapel.

An ecumenical congregation, it included people from other local churches some of which had closed their own services so that people could attend. Others came from various parts of the country, here to support the Swaledale Festival. Our guests from St Petersburg were not the only international visitors for the service. Among the congregation there were also visitors from California and New Zealand – a truly eclectic congregation joining together for the purpose of worship. The volume in the singing was amazing, as was the atmosphere throughout, and most stayed for further fellowship over light refreshments in Keld Public Hall.

The Swaledale Festival is an annual two-week long festival of Music, Arts and Walking in the Yorkshire Dales. This year it runs until 6^th June with a varied programme of concerts and events in different venues in Swaledale and Wensleydale. For information and tickets, visit www.swaledale-festival.org.uk

This is the monthly magazine of the United Reformed Churches in Barnard Castle in Teesdale, and Keld & Low Row in Swaledale, part of the Tees Swale Pastorate. Please take the time to read the magazine to learn more of the life of our churches by clicking on the attachment link(s) below to see the latest edition(s).

This is the monthly magazine of the United Reformed Churches in Barnard Castle in Teesdale, and Keld & Low Row in Swaledale, part of the Tees Swale Pastorate. Please take the time to read the magazine to learn more of the life of our churches by clicking on the attachment link(s) below to see the latest edition(s).