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St Marys News – the Eco-Bronze Edition

Eco Church Bronze Award

In this edition St Mary’s looks at progress including winning the Eco Church Bronze award

After hearing about wining the Bronze Eco-Church award this edition continues with:

Eco Church – Bronze Award

We are delighted to announce that St Mary’s has achieved the Bronze Level award for the Eco Church Scheme!

Eco Church is an award scheme for churches in England and Wales who want to demonstrate their care for creation as an integral part of loving their neighbour and following God faithfully.

The scheme is run by A Rocha UK, part of a worldwide family of A Rocha organisations committed to nature conservation as an expression of Christian mission. It looks at the life of our church in relation to worship and teaching, buildings, land, engagement with the local community and in lifestyles.

Things we introduced to achieve the Bronze award included: using fairtrade and recycled products where possible, measuring our carbon footprint, twinning our toilets with toilets in Zambia, talking about environmental issues in our Sunday services and home groups, and carrying out a wildlife survey in the church yard. There is more that we could do however, so now we will be working towards the Silver award!

Parish Share Increase

AI generated image of coins jumping into a piggy bank

A few weeks ago, we celebrated Harvest as a time of thanksgiving. As we give thanks to God for the many good things we have received from Him, it also presents us with an opportunity to reconsider our giving, our natural response to the outpouring of love we have received from God.

In the last few weeks, the church has received its parish share request for 2024, which is just shy of £30,000. This represents an increase from 2023 of just 2.87%, thankfully below the rate of inflation, but still a big ask! The parish share, amongst other things, enables churches to have a parish priest and the training of lay and ordained ministers. As a church we are dependant on the generosity of our members and have met our parish share for many years, but we are beginning to struggle to match the increasing demands with our level giving.

The church is there for everyone in the community and we want to see the church remaining at the heart of the community – it is of course so much more than just services on a Sunday morning! If you are already supporting the church financially, a Big Thank you, but if you feel able to give a regular gift to the church and perhaps have never considered it before, please contact Joy Budden on 01206 241871, or the parish office. All gifts no matter how big or small are greatly appreciated.

Thank you so much! Rev. Heather Wilcox

New Heaters Installed

We are delighted to announce that new heaters have now been installed in the church. They are very efficient and much quieter than the old ones. So a warm welcome awaits you!

Christmas Shoebox Appeal

Operation Shoebox

A reminder that individual items or filled shoe boxes for the Samaritan’s Purse Project Operation Christmas Child need to be left in the church by Friday 17 November.

Pre-printed shoeboxes are available in church.

Advent Windows Trail 2023

Advent trail windows 2020
Some of the 2022 Advent trail Windows

Returning for 2023! The plan is for 21 windows around the village to be decorated to represent a favourite Christmas Carol, with a new window being revealed each day from 3 December, up until Christmas Eve.

HIDDEN MESSAGE!  Each window will feature a hidden letter, and the letters from all the windows will spell out the name of a Carol. If you solve the puzzle, you can claim a prize at the Crib Service on Christmas Eve. A map of the trail will be available in due course.

If you would like to DECORATE or HOST a window in this year’s advent trail, please contact Liz Dixon via [email protected] or 07914 001212 by Monday 20 November.

You can use any window that’s visible from the road. Here are just a few of the amazing designs people created in previous years to inspire you.

A list of carols is available to choose from, so sign up quick before your favourite is taken!

This months ‘special’ services

Remembrance Service

Remembrance poppy

This is on Sunday 12 November @ 10.45am in the church. We look forward to welcoming the West Bergholt Concert Band and the village’s Scouts and Guides groups to our Remembrance Sunday service.

Café Church

A reminder that the next café is on Saturday 4 November @ 10am-12 midday. Hot drinks, bacon butties and home made cake will be served.

Services & Other Dates

5 November9:30 amHoly Communion
12 November10:45 amRemembrance Service
19 November9:30 amHoly Communion and a talk by the McCanns
26 November9:30 amCafé Church

Our Team at St Mary’s

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