The Archbishop of York Dr John Sentamu, the Bishop of Selby Dr John Thomson and the Archdeacon of York Sarah Bullock will be joining in the seasonal fun of preparing for the birth of Jesus at Christmas during three days of mission across the town and Deanery of Selby.

Young people and children are to the fore on Friday 8 December as the Archbishop joins a 10.00am service at Lady Elizabeth Hastings Church of England Primary School, Ledston near Wetherby. He goes on to a 12.00 noon lunch date with children of Monk Fryston Church of England Primary School before a ‘Meet the Archbishop’ Q & A session with students of Selby College at 2.30pm. At 4.00pm Archbishop Sentamu joins children and parents of Cawood Church of England Primary School for ‘Messy Church’ – this is an afternoon of teaching about Advent leading into craft activities, with a shared meal to follow.

On Friday evening, Archbishop Sentamu and Bishop John will attend ‘The Big Sing’, a part-candlelit evening at Selby Abbey organised by Christian Aid and featuring performances by local schools and organisations as well as community carol singing.

Steph Cooper, Christian Aid’s Regional Co-Ordinator for North and East Yorkshire, said “Selby Abbey really comes into its own at this time of year as a stunning setting for candle-lit events, and the Archbishop’s in for a treat when he joins us for the Christian Aid Big Sing. We’re always grateful for Archbishop Sentamu’s support, and I know he’ll be interested hearing Maureen Olyaro from Christian Aid’s office in Nairobi, Kenya when she tells us something about her work there.”

Saturday 9 December begins at 8.30am with a Men’s Breakfast for members of several church Men’s Groups and others at the Giant Bellflower Wetherspoons’ pub in Gowthorpe, Selby, where the Archbishop will give an account of his own faith, invite others to do the same and take some questions.

At 10.00am Archbishop Sentamu will drop into a coffee morning at St Mary’s, Carlton, and join in the singing of carols too. This will be a warm-up for 11.00am when the Archbishop and Bishop John will join carol singers from Churches Together in Selby outside Sainsbury’s and Wilco at Selby’s Abbey Walk shopping centre. The team will be handing out invitations to Christmas services at all the churches in Selby.

At 1.00pm on Saturday 9 December Archbishop Sentamu will make an appearance at a ‘Christmas Bake-Off’ event at St Mary’s Church, Birkin, before going on to Brayton where a group of local primary school children who designed some of the new Christmas street lights will light up the Christmas Tree on the village green. Rector of Brayton the Revd Pete Watson said, “This is a festive event that’s always well-attended by the community, and the Parish Council are thrilled that the Archbishop is joining us.”

Meanwhile Bishop of Selby Dr John Thomson will try his hand at Advent wreath-making at 2.00pm at Holy Trinity Church, Barkston Ash. At 7.00pm Dr Sentamu will join and speak at ‘Thrive’, a youth event run by Churches Together in Selby with help from ‘the Bus Stop’, a mobile Christian youth centre based on a purple double-decker bus.

Sunday 10 December begins with a 9.00am CafĂ© Church breakfast at All Saints’ Church, Ledsham attended by Archdeacon of York Sarah Bullock. This will be a celebration of the work of Lady Elizabeth Hastings Charities. The Archbishop’s programme takes a very festive note as he speaks at a celebratory 150 anniversary service at 10.30am at St James’ Church, Audus Road in Selby, which Archbishop of York William Thomson consecrated on the 11 December 1867.

Archbishop Sentamu’s programme ends with a 3.00pm call to speak at a Christingle service at St Mary’s Church, South Milford.

The Bishop of Selby, Dr John Thompson will be at Carlton for the 10.45am service then is attending St Leonard’s Hospice’s ‘Light up a Life’ service at Selby Abbey at 4.00pm.

For media enquiries about the Archbishop, please contact Elizabeth Addy at tel. 01904 772365 or at email: Elizabeth.addy@archbishopofyork.org