St Mary’s News – The Great Expectations Edition

St Mary’s News – Great Expectations

After Revd. Heather’s reflections around ‘Great Expectations’, this editions includes:

Great Expectations - Pip starting his journey to Germany - AI generated

A Happy Sustainable New Year!,
January Events, and
The usual listings of services and contacts.

A New Year Reflection from Revd. Heather

Great expectations

For those that enjoy Christmas movies, the season for watching them, which appears to span anytime from the end of October to December is finally over. One book, which seems to feature over and over again in Christmas films, albeit under many different guises, is that great Charles Dickens novel, A Christmas Carol.

Another novel of Charles Dickens is Great Expectations.

December 11, 2017December 12, 2017

Christmas Celebrations with Methodist Church

Come & Join the Christmas Celebrations

Starting this Wednesday the Methodist Church have a number of events to help get the Christmas Celebrations going. All are welcome to join in any of them although you will need to bring some kids along for at least one.

Coffee Morning – 13th

Taking place from 10:30am – 12noon in the Methodist Church Hall on Continue reading “Christmas Celebrations with Methodist Church”

November 27, 2017November 27, 2017

Mince Pies, Gifts, Parade & Carols – Is it Christmas?

Mince Pies, Gifts, Parade & Carols

The Methodist Church kicks off the Christmas period this weekend with two events:

Christmas Coffee Morning

Between 10-12 on Saturday 2nd December, the Church Hall doors will be open for coffee/tea and mince pies as you browse the stalls. You can start your christmas shop at stalls selling:

home made cakes,
preserves,
cards,
gift wrap,
Christmas novelties and
bric-a brac.

All are welcome.

Gift & Parade Service

Join the Uniformed Organisations as they take part in a Gift & Parade service at the Methodist Church from 11am on Sunday 3rd December. All are welcome, particularly parents of youngsters in the uniformed groups. A chance for an early Christmas celebration, particularly aimed at the children/young people from the Uniformed Organisations. Come along and take the opportunity to sing some well known Carols.

July 13, 2017February 23, 2019

Methodist Church has Invites for Young & Old

Silver Sunday – Sunday 23rd July at 3pm

For the older members of our community. Particularly if you are elderly, living alone and have no family and/or friends living nearby, this could be for you. You are warmly invited to Afternoon Tea with folk in a similar situation to yourself. The tea will be in the Methodist Church Hall. If wanted, transport will pick you up from your home, bring you to the tea and return you home afterwards.

Please contact Judith Fletcher 241969 or Andrew Wilks 242511 if you, a neighbour or someone else you know, would like to come or need transport.

About Silver Sunday

The invitation has been issued by the West Bergholt Methodist Church who have said:

There has been much publicity that the proportion of our population that are elderly is increasing. Also that there is a significant proportion of elderly people who live alone and can be lonely and become isolated. A charitable trust has set up “Silver Sunday” in trying to raise this issue and try to take steps to address it (www.silversunday.org.uk). We became aware of this and felt we as a Church would like to respond.

As a follow-up to the popular events we have already held this year we are holding another simple afternoon tea on Sunday July 23rd at 3.00pm and inviting folk to attend.

We recognise that it could be quite difficult to reach elderly, lonely isolated people and encourage them to come to such an event. We are contacting as many relevant organisations with contacts in the village as possible to seek support with this and are encouraging them to let us know of anyone they feel could be invited.

While it is likely that many of our target audience will not have access to the web it is possible that we might reach some this way or at least neighbours who may know someone to invite.

Coffee & Craft Mornings

West Bergholt Methodists are holding two of their popular Coffee and Craft mornings for young families this Summer. They take place on Monday July 31 and Monday August 14, both from 10.30 to 12.00. They promise fun activities for families for just £2.50 per family.

These will take place in the Methodist Church Hall, Chapel Lane, CO6 3EF. ALL ARE WELCOME but, sorry, we are unable to accept unaccompanied children.

For more details please contact Andrew Wilks on 242511.

February 2, 2017February 2, 2017

Coffee Morning – Keep the Bell Ringing

The Friends of St Mary’s Old Church are holding a coffee morning to support their “Keep the Bell Ringing” appeal. Taking place on Saturday 18th February, in St Mary’s Church Hall, coffee, tea, squash & delicious cakes will be on offer from 10:30 until midday.

All are welcome, no charge will be made but Continue reading “Coffee Morning – Keep the Bell Ringing”

June 23, 2016June 23, 2016

Action for Children

Action for Children Coffee Morning

The Methodist Church is holding a special Coffee Morning on Saturday July 2 from 10.00 to 12.00 in the Methodist Church Hall. They are raising funds with coffee, cake, books & stalls, for the Methodist Church children’s’ charity, Action for Children, which runs a wide range of activities and projects to support families and children in the UK. Continue reading “Action for Children”

November 17, 2015November 17, 2015

News Update 17th November

Methodist News update 17th November

Three Christmassy news items to report today:

Christmas Coffee Morning

We are holding our special “Christmas Coffee Morning” on Saturday November 28th from 10.00 to 12.00 in the Church Hall, Chapel Lane. Entrance is free and all are welcome. Coffee, tea, biscuits and mince pies will be available. There will be a variety of stalls including Home made cakes and preserves, books, jigsaws, cards and Christmas wrap, bric a brac, mystery parcels and novelty gifts.

Will you meet Mary and Joseph on their journey this year?

Posada - Mary & Joseph touring West Bergholt & Great Horkesley The churches in West Bergholt and Great Horkesley, as part of their Christmas preparations, are supporting Mary and Joseph on their journey around the villages.

They will be visiting the various West Bergholt Guide, Brownies, Cubs, Beavers and Rainbow packs in the lead up to the Gift and Parade service with the Uniformed organisations on Sunday 6th December at 11.00am. This will take place in the West Bergholt Methodist Church, Chapel Road and all are welcome to come to this celebration service.

Mary and Joseph will also be visiting other groups/organisations that are happy to offer them hospitality. Their itinerary is still being finalised but it is already known that among others they will be visiting:-

Bluebell pre-school
Christmas tree festival at Great Horkesley
St Marys for young people’s activities

This custom of the figures of Mary and Joseph going on a journey in the local community stems from Mexico where it is known as ‘Posada’. As we welcome the figures of Mary and Joseph we are encouraged to remember those who are homeless and outcast today and to reflect on how we might offer hospitality to others this Christmas. These figures of Mary and Joseph are travelling around West Bergholt and Great Horkesley to remind us of that first Christmas journey to Bethlehem. When they arrived no room could be found for them, except in a stable, but hopefully this year they will receive a warm welcome in the groups that they visit and there will be places for them to stay. They are keeping a diary of their travels which will be available at West Bergholt Methodist Church from their Candlelight Carol service at 6.30pm on 20th December onwards. All are welcome to join us on December 20^that West Bergholt Methodist Church, Chapel Road.

If your group is interested in having a visit from Mary and Joseph and would like to welcome them please contact Andrew Wilks to arrange this (01206 242511; [antibot mailto=”[email protected]”]).

Candlelit Carol Service

On Sunday December 20th there will be a Candlelight Carol service in the Methodist Church at 6.30pm. There will not be a service at 11.00am or 3.00pm.

July 20, 2015

Summer Coffee & Craft

West Bergholt Methodist Church are holding some more of their popular fun activity mornings for young families during the school holidays.

The Summer Coffee and Craft sessions will all take place on Monday mornings from 10.30 to 12.00 in the Methodist Church Hall, Chapel Lane, West Bergholt, CO6 3EF. There will be a variety of craft activities and free coffee, tea, squash, biscuits and cakes will be available.

There will be an entrance fee to cover the cost of craft materials of £2.50 per family (any number) but please note that, sorry, we are unable to accept unaccompanied children. Each morning will follow a different theme, which will be reflected in the craft activities. The dates of the mornings are:-

Monday July 27th 10.30 to 12.00 – Seaside Fun,
Monday August 10th 10.30 to 12.00 – Animals,
Monday August 24th 10.30 to 12.00 – Sky.

All are welcome.

For more details contact Andrew Wilks on 01206 242511.

March 6, 2015March 6, 2015

Easter Coffee & Craft

West Bergholt Methodist Church are holding another of their popular Easter Coffee and Craft mornings for young families. This is taking place on Monday 30th March from 10.30 to 12.00 and promises fun activities for young families. The session will take place in the Methodist Church Hall, Chapel Lane and ALL ARE WELCOME but, sorry, we are unable to accept unaccompanied children. The cost is £2.50 per family.

Further details from Andrew Wilks on 01206 242511.

February 4, 2015February 4, 2015

Half term Coffee & Craft

Half Term Coffee & Craft

West Bergholt Methodist Church are holding another of their popular half term Coffee and Craft mornings for young families. This is taking place on Monday February 16 from 10.30 to 12.00 and promises fun activities for young families. The session will take place in the Methodist Church Hall, Chapel Lane and ALL ARE WELCOME but, sorry, we are unable to accept unaccompanied children. The cost is £2.50 per family.

Further details from Andrew Wilks on 01206 242511.