The Rev Michael Sabell, has bettered the unusual world record he set 33 years ago.
Holy Trinity Church in Dacre Banks, was the setting for the successful record attempt, in which he signed The Bible for 14 hours.
The retired vicar, who is severely deaf, completed a ‘signathon’ over 14 days, in which he used sign language to read pages from the Old Testament in hour-long sessions.
Beating the world record he set in 1987 by two hours, The Rev Michael also raised funds to create a sign language version of The Bible.
The Rev Michael Sabell (centre) with supporters of his world record signathon attempt, including (right) the Mayor and Mayoress of Pateley Bridge, Cllr Mike and Dr Janet Holt. (Photographs courtesy of The Rev Alastair Ferneley)
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The Rev Alastair Ferneley, Vicar of Dacre with Hartwith & Darley with Thornthwaite, told the Stray Ferret:
“We were delighted to support him in his record attempt, which has raised hundreds of pounds that will go to the British Sign Language (BSL) Bible Translation Project.”
Rev Alastair, pointed out:
“Michael was originally planning to do 13 hours of signing over 13 days, but continued for an additional hour and extra day, to conclude the challenge on the 40th anniversary of his ordination.”
Parishioners were able to see the daily signing and among those to support the record attempt were the Mayor and Mayoress of Pateley Bridge Councillor Mike and Dr Janet Holt.
Cllr Holt, said:
“We would like to congratulate the Rev Michael for beating his own world record and, in the process, raising deaf awareness as well as money for the BSL Bible Translation Project.”
The project aims to produce the first real translation of The Bible from the Greek and Hebrew texts to BSL, using deaf presenters, Bible scholars and translation experts’
They will provide a video-based Bible in sign language, giving deaf people independent access to scripture.
Time stands still in Kirkby MalzeardOn an August morning in the peaceful, pastoral setting of the St Andrew’s churchyard in Kirkby Malzeard, it can feel as if time is standing still – and it is.
With a look up to the tower of the centuries-old parish church, villagers and visitors will see that the hands of time are currently unmoved and have been for more than a week.
Following the failure of a spring which saw its pendulum drop and stop swinging, the clock face froze at 11.38 and 30 seconds on Tuesday, August 18.
Parish sexton and verger Cristopher Slater at St Andrew’s Parish Church
The incident came four hours after parish sexton and verger Christopher Slater had checked the church and looked around its grounds, before opening the building for the benefit of regular worshippers and others wishing to make private prayer or simply enjoy the ancient structure.
Mr Slater’s daily visits to St Andrew’s, where he married his wife Mary 56 years ago, are a labour of love and he has particular reason for ensuring that the clock is keeping good time. In 2003, with the help of family, friends and the local community, he raised £3,000 to pay for the clock to have an electronic mechanism installed.
Mr Slater told the Stray Ferret:
“Before then, I had to wind it twice a week – with hundreds of turns each time – one to keep the clock going and the other to set the chimes. It was hard work.”
The new mechanism was installed 17 years ago, after the fundraising campaign which saw Mr Slater carrying a sandwich board around Kirkby Malzeard, containing a message calling for support from businesses and his fellow villagers.
He said:
“I had a lot of help from my friend Kevin Ward, Mary and our daughter Susan. We held raffles with prizes provided by local companies, had open gardens events and sold home-baked cakes and scones.”
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With the target reached, RF Potts of Derby was appointed to convert the clock from one set by hand, to an electronically-driven timepiece.
The company has carried out regular maintenance since and will be back in Kirkby Malzeard soon to complete the highly specialised work required to get the clock with its hourly chimes working once more.
In the meantime, Mr Slater will keep watch on St Andrew’s, carrying out the daily inspections, openings and closings of the building, that have been part of his life for 50 of his 79 years.
Throng of 10,000 angels shines at Ripon CathedralWorshippers and visitors at Ripon Cathedral on Sunday, were greeted by a shining throng of origami angels.
The paper Seraphim and Cherubim, painstakingly made by an army of volunteers, are suspended in netting high above the nave and will remain in place throughout August and up until the feast of St Michael and All Angels on September 29.
Backlit by spotlights and sun shining through the ancient building’s stained glass windows, the installation marks the final stage of the Wing and a Prayer appeal, which has already raised more than £130,000 in donations, to be shared between the cathedral and Yorkshire Air Ambulance.
While the cathedral was out of bounds for many weeks because of COVID-19, the project enabled people to pray for loved ones and key workers by sending prayers online via the cathedral website.
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The project, launched in May, has captured the imagination of the public, whose prayer requests have been read by the cathedral’s priests – among them Canon Ailsa Newby.
Canon Newby told the Stray Ferret:
“This has been a wonderful combined effort that has brought a marvellous result.”
Canon Ailsa Newby, one of the priests who have been reading prayer requests at Ripon Cathedral
The Dean of Ripon, the Very Rev John Dobson, said:
“This project is doing several positive things and responding to a real desire on the part of many people to make their prayers in or through Ripon Cathedral. The angel art installation is an expression of all of these, including memories of some who have died and gratitude for both healing and the exceptional service provided by so many in society.”
He pointed out:
“There is no doubt that the financial support resulting from all the generous donations is very welcome for ourselves and for Yorkshire Air Ambulance; for both of us income has been hit drastically during the time of lockdown.
“Here at the cathedral our support base has been increasing across the region in recent years; this is helping to give us increased resilience in these challenging times and I am extremely grateful to all those who are coming forward to support us financially.”
Approximately 11,000 angels were made – 10,000 of them are suspended above the nave and another 1,000 are in place at other locations within the cathedral.
Angel delight at Ripon CathedralA throng of 10,000 paper angels will be looking down from on high in Ripon Cathedral early next month.
When the doors of the cathedral closed in March due to Covid-19, its development team was tasked with creating a new project to support the community during lockdown.
This led to the Wing and a Prayer initiative, which was run in partnership with Yorkshire Air Ambulance (YAA).
With the cathedral out of bounds, even for private prayer for many weeks, the project enabled people to pray for loved ones and key workers by sending prayers online through the cathedral website.
The prayers were then said by the cathedral’s priests during online services.
Phase two of project saw the creation of thousands of origami angels to reflect the prayers offered.
The final phase will see the creation of an awe-inspiring art installation of the angels that will fly over the nave of the cathedral. Its aim – to inspire quiet reflection and contemplation during these challenging times.
Donations to the appeal have raised more than £130,000, which will be shared between the cathedral and YAA.
The Dean of Ripon, the Very Rev John Dobson, said:
“We never anticipated that this project would capture the imagination of people right across the region in the way that it has.”
Yorkshire Air Ambulance has raised valuable funds through the Wing and A Prayer project (Photograph courtesy of Yorkshire Air Ambulance)
“The thousands of angels speak of gratitude and prayer; adorning the wonderful space that is the nave of Ripon Cathedral. They will be a spectacular arrangement of beauty for all, and an expression of praise for the faithful.”
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YAA and the cathedral appealed for volunteers to help create the angels and within four weeks they had been made.
The volunteers, whose ages range from three to 90 – all live in the area covered by YAA. A number of schools also became involved with making the angels.
Volunteers are now invited to come to the cathedral to help with the preparation of the angels ready for hanging from Monday. They will be attached to a large net that will be fixed in place high across the nave.
The installation will be in place during August and September. Further details are available on the cathedral’s website.