The Benefice of Ross-on-Wye with Walford and Brampton Abbotts
Inclusive churches in South Herefordshire
Come along and enjoy an afternoon in a spring garden at Juniper Cottage, Bridstow on Sunday 6th May between 2.00 and 5.00 pm. St Mary’s choir will sing madrigals at 3.00 and there will be delicious tea and cake.
Entry fee is £5, that includes your tea. All proceeds to St Mary’s Church.
Ross and Brampton Abbotts churches are jointly organising an exciting auction of promises that will take place on Saturday 7th July at 7.30 p.m. in St Mary’s.
We’d like your help to gather in as many exciting promises or lots as possible. Please think about what you might be able to provide.
If you are a business or organisation, in or around the area, could you ofeer us something to sell.
You can make a promise or donate an item now by completing a simple form
You’ll find much more detail at rawchurch.org.uk/auction. Please help us to make this major fundraising event a fantastic success.
St Mary’s Choir will be serving coffee and delicious cake tomorrow morning in St Mary’s Hall, Ross-onWye. Come along between 10.30 and 12.00 to enjoy a little snack and delightful company. Share this with all your friends!
We hope you agree that moving tomorrow’s Coffee Morning to next Saturday is a good idea.
Keep warm and we look forward to seeig you all next Saturday (10th March) between 10.30 and 12.00 in St Mary’s Hall for a delicious cup of coffee and some yummy cake.
This year we have an exciting new study entitled ‘Walking towards Glory’, as we walk in the footsteps of Jesus to the Cross on a personal journey of faith.
The course is being held throughout the Benefice beginning on 19 February as follows:
Please contact Canon Chris Blanchard to join a group and for details about the venues.
Come and join the choir on Sunday 25th February. It’s free of charge and we’ll give you afternoon tea. All music will be provided. BOOK YOUR PLACE HERE You’ll find more information on the music website
The Bishop of Hereford will licence Christine Cattanach as our Intergenerational missioner at the 9.30am service at St Mary’s, Ross on Sunday 11th February. This will be a very special event and it would be super if as many people as possible can attend.
St Mary’s History – The church history in the white folder at the back of St Mary’s, offered as a consultative guide for visitors, has been updated to reflect recent changes in the building. This document was originally put together by John Tarrant in the 1990s drawing on material from a variety of sources. You may like to know that you can find this on the website on the St Mary’s Church page. It remains a “work in progress” and will continue to be updated.
We hope that we will be pressing on with the removal of the remaining pews by the end of the year. There has been considerable interest in homing the pews (8 already reserved). If you’d like one, or know of anyone interested it would be worth having a word with Mark Sanderson before too long to avoid disappointment. They are being sold for £150 each. You’ll find much more information on the reordering website
It’s great news that our new nave altar has arrived in time for Christmas and at the same time as phase one of the reordering is complete.
This is a specially commissioned piece of furniture, crafted by Timothy Hawkins (Fine Furniture Ltd in Hereford. It has been given by two generous members of our congregation.
The new altar replaces a temporary one from the 1980s! It has been made in light oak and therefore matches the new flooring, chairs, screens and oak panelling of the new building work elsewhere in the church. It has a completely open design so that now it is possible to see beyond it to the chancel.
St Mary’s is deeply grateful for this wonderful gift. Another step in the regeneration of our building and community.
The annual and popular candlelit carol service takes place at St St Mary’s on Sunday 17th December 2017. Come early for a good seat!
We are delighted to announce we have appointed Christine Cattanach as our Intergenerational Missioner.
Christine comes to us with a wide experience of helping to lead churches and to organise worship in a contemporary style. Christine is a lay person and will have special responsibility for the formation of new congregations in Ross. She will connect with young families and we are hoping that this will result in the involvement of younger people in the church in Ross.
She will of course be an asset to the whole benefice and the opportunities which are created by her work will be open to parishioners of Walford and Brampton Abbotts.
Christine will start with us on 2nd January.
A number of people have mentioned that their copy of this Christmas CD, recorded by St Mary’s choir in 2002, is no longer working. We’re flattered you’re still listening!
We’ve made some replacement copies that you’ll find at the back of St Mary’s; please help yourself.
If you weren’t around then and would like a copy, again please help yourself. If you feel able to make a donation via the donations safe by the north door that would be lovely.
Alternatively you’ll find many of the tracks on our music website
Tickets are now available from Margaret Mason for the Epiphany Party on 6th January at 7 pm in St Mary’s Hall.
Come along to welcome back the travelling crib figures and hear something about their journey around the parishes.
Tickets are £5 each to include Pizza and other refreshment. Further details from Margaret or Freda.
The final counting is done and we can confirm that the Christmas Tree Festival has raised just over £3000.
Thanks to everyone who entered a tree, we had 50 in the end. Thanks to those who gave financial donations and to all who came along to see the trees.
Here’s to Christmas Tree Festival 2019!
Christmas Wreath Making Workshop – Tuesday 12th December starting at 10.00 am at St Michael’s Church, Walford. The session will include a demonstration of wreath making and all materials provided for you to make your own. Bring any ribbons etc to decorate your wreath.
£20 per person including tea/coffee and mince pie.
Please contact Heidi England on 07870 601588 to book your place.
Numbers are limited for this fun and festive event.
Thanks to the the excellent Ross Garden Store for the mention in this week’s newsletter.
You can pop along there and get your tree and then enter it here.
We’re all looking forward to the Christmas Tree Festival in just two week’s time. These organisations have all promised trees. Can you help by offering one?
St Mary’s Christmas Tree Festival is just two weeks away now. We’re aiming for a bumper crop of trees this year and would be grateful for any offers from individuals to put up a tree.
There’s no charge for this and no need to do anything special, just get your tree down from the loft a bit earlier than usual and bring it to church any time between 3.00 on Thursday 16th and lunch time on Friday 17th November.
If you can, please let Val or a member of the fundraising committee know that you can help, but feel free just to turn up with a tree. Happy Christmas!
Would you be interested in joining us for Encircled in Care, a three week training resource for pastoral visitors and all who offer care in the church and the community.
We are going to be running three sessions intended to help us be even better at what we do and how we care and share experience and wisdom with one another.
The dates are 2nd November, 9th November & 23rd November 7.30 p.m. – 9.00 p.m. in St. Mary’s Hall. For more information email Simon or put your name down on the sign up sheet that you’ll find at the back of St Mary’s and St Michael’s.
