THEY might not last long. Their intentions may be well-worn like giving up smoking, cutting down on food, drink or even keeping fit.

But New Year resolutions penned by Yorkshire church leaders outline their ideas of what the church's pledges for the year 2001 should be.

The Dean of Ripon, the Very Rev John Metheun says somewhat bluntly: "I wish the church would stop worrying so much about money, sex and power and worry more about people."

Meanwhile, the Archdeacon of Ripon, the Ven Ken Good, says simply: "More communiction and less papers."

The pair were among a string of clergy and lay people invited to give their New Year resolutions which are being published in the January issue of the Ripon and Leeds diocesan newsletter.

Canon Penny Driver, director of ordinands, said her resolution was simply to find a different way of being the church.

The Church of England's schools' religious education advisor, Janet Newell, writes: "Firstly, that we are constantly trying to bring people into the church but that the church should be where the people are.

"Secondly, that we should be rather than do. The presence of Christians and the church is much more powerful when we aren't trying to do too much," she says.

Youth advisor Nic Sheppard strikes a different and shorter note. "Remember that we are never too old to play and never too old to learn," was his contribution.

Meanwhile Maureen Browell, diocesan social responsibility officer, says the church should have the courage to genuinely engage with real issues affecting people's lives. And she wants the church to challenge injustice and inequality wherever it occurs.

And the rural view from the Rev Tim Tunley, Vicar of Swaledale, is a plea for more parish visiting: "because at the end of the day the parish church belongs to the people of the parish not to the congregation."

Well said.

Choral cynic

Our Thirsk reporter was dispatched to Ripon cathedral to summon up the spirit of Christmas with a piece on the work of the choristers during the festive season.

Dutifully, she returned with the feature which appears on page 8, but also with this somewhat alarming example of youthful cynicism.

When asked what the best part about being a chorister was, one polite 12-year-old remarked that although it was hard work it was good fun. "It's the busiest time of year for practises and services, but the music is quite fun," he said.

This provoked the following response from his 13-year-old colleague: "Is that the best you can come up with? For a start it takes 50pc off the school fees."

Style section

When staff of this newspaper booked their Christmas dinner/dance with a local hotel, they were promised: "Don't worry we'll put you all together"

What they didn't realise was that all together meant in a room with our arch rivals the Teesdale Mercury.

The Mercury and the D&S have been battling for the hearts and minds of folk in Barnard Castle for almost 150 years but the temptation to resume hostilities with bread buns and Brussels sprouts was resisted in the interest of newspaper camaraderie.

Rivalry was, however, transferred to the dance floor where independent observers gave the D&S the nod over the Mercury, thanks to a display of enthusiastic, if agricultural, thrashing about.