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Harvest Festival at the Allotments

Harvest Festival bountyHarvest Festival at the Allotments

St Mary’s will be starting their Harvest Festival at the Allotments this year.  This edition of St Mary’s News also provides listings of services and contacts.

Harvest Festival Celebrations!

This year we will be starting our Harvest Festival at the Allotments at 9.15 am for a short service of thanksgiving and to sing ‘We plough the fields and scatter’.  We will then move on to the church at 9.30 am to continue our celebrations with a family-friendly Communion Service.

The services will be lead by Rev. Chris Smith from St Luke’s, Colchester and all are welcome to join us both at the Allotments and afterwards in the church. Donations of groceries are welcome to support the Colchester Open Door project.

Don’t forget as well, all helpers welcome to decorate the church on Sat 5 Oct at 9.45 am.

Lunch set up5Ts Fellowship Lunch

The next 5Ts fellowship group lunch is at 12.45 pm on Sat 19 October in the Church Hall. New members to the group are very welcome and if you know a neighbour or a family member who would appreciate some company and a nice lunch, do please pass on this invitation to them. No charge but donations welcome.

To help with catering arrangements please book your place with Murray on 242007 by Tues 15 October.

Home Groups

We have 2 home groups, soon to be 3, and new members are always welcome. All groups are currenty looking at a series of studies based on 1 Corinthians about the challenges of working together as a Christian Community. One group meets fortnightly on Tuesday afternoons between 1.30pm and 3pm. The other currently meets fortnightly on Tuesday evenings but from the end of October, due to growing numbers, there will also be a Thursday evening group. Each group meets at members’ homes and starts with tea/coffee and biscuits.

For more information on the Tuesday and Thursday evening groups, contact Shelagh Newman on 01206 241190. For the Tuesday afternoon group, please contact [email protected].

Christmas Shoebox Appeal 2019

We will once again be collecting shoeboxes filled with gifts and useful supplies for the Operation Christmas Child Project. A leaflet explaining everything you need to know, including what to pack in your shoe box, will be available from the church office from mid October. Some pre-printed shoeboxes will also be available.

The shoeboxes need to be dropped off at the church office by 11 November. There will be a reminder in the November newsletter. Last year we collected 59 boxes so thank you for your support! Contact [email protected] for details.

Prayer Weekend—1st-3rd November

Praying together is an important part of our life as a church and so we have arranged for a special prayer weekend with three opportunities to meet together to seek God’s blessing and guidance for our church and community:

  • Friday 1st Nov: 7.30pm—9pm—prayers by candlelight.
  • Saturday 2nd Nov: 3pm-5pm
  • Sunday 3rd Nov: 11am-12 noon (after the morning service).

Each session will take place in the church itself. You don’t have to stay for the full session, just come for as long as you can, but we hope that as many people as possible will be able to take part.

News of Rev. Mandy Elmes

We are very pleased to let everyone know that Rev. Mandy Elmes is recovering well from her knee surgery and hopes to be back with us on 1 December. In the meantime, if you have any queries regarding baptisms, weddings or funerals, please contact Janine Wilde in the church office (details below).

McCanns Prayer News Bulletin from Cambodia

Downloadable PDF file:

Services & Other Dates

All events are at St Mary’s unless stated otherwise.   Note, no Evening Prayer Service during winter months.

Every Tuesday afternoon Home Group – contact Liz Dixon [antibot mailto=”[email protected]”]
Every Tuesday & Thursday evening Home Group – contact Shelagh Newman (241190)
Every Thursday in term-time 9:00 am Open House Coffee Morning in the church hall
Every Thursday afternoon 2:30 pm 5Ts fellowship for over 60s in the church hall
Sunday 6th October 9:15 am Harvest Festival (see above)
Friday 11th October 7:45 pm Wired Youth Group
Sunday 13th October 9:30 am Messy Church
Saturday 19th October 12:45 pm 5Ts Fellowship Lunch
Sunday 20th October 11:15 am Communion
Sunday 27th October 9:30 am Praise on 4 Café Church
Friday 1st November 7:30 pm Prayers by Candlelight
Saturday 2nd November 3:00 pm Prayer Weekend
Sunday 3rd November 9:30 am Communion
11:00 am Prayer Weekend
Friday 8th November 7:45 pm Wired Youth Group
Sunday 10th November 10:45 am Remembrance at Orpen Hall
Monday 11th November Deadline for Christmas Shoeboxes

Contacts

  • Priest in Charge:
    Rev Dr Mandy Elmes, 1 Church Close, CO6 3JZ
    email: [antibot mailto=”[email protected]”]
    tel: 01206 240906.
  • Assistant Curate:
    Anne Mason
    email: [antibot mailto=”[email protected]”].
  • Church Wardens:
    Sue Day—01206 241040;
    Ron Seymour—01206 273579.
  • Lay Readers:
    Richard Chadborn—01206 240541;
    Michael Foster—01206 241022;
    Joy Budden—01206 241871.
  • Parish Evangelist:
    Ron Seymour—01206 272579.
  • Pastoral Assistant:
    Dorothy Chadborn—01206 240541.
  • 3 Parish Families’ Worker:
    Jo Jeffery—07853 586683.
  • Church Administrator:
    Church Office Hours—weekdays (not Weds) 9 am—1 pm
    Janine Wilde —01206 243683,
    email: [antibot mailto=”[email protected]”].
  • Newsletter Editor:
    Liz Dixon—01206 243683
    email: [antibot mailto=”[email protected]”].
  • Hire our hall:
    Nicole Long—01206 240443.
  • Website:
    Stmaryswestbergholt.co.uk.
  • Follow us on Facebook:
    facebook.com/stmaryswestbergholt.
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