St Mary’s News – The May Day or Mayday Edition

St Mary’s News – May Day or Mayday?

This month’s news starts with Revd Heather’s May Day message. Following this, you can find out about events including:

Christian Aid Week – a story of their work in Guatemala, and events to support their work:
- Coffee Morning & Plant Sale,
- Kings Ridge Parishes Big Breakfast,
Kings Ridge Parishes Rogationtide Walk, and

… the usual listings of services & contacts.

May Day versus Mayday

Revd Heather’s message this month:

An AI generated image of Maypole Dancers.

May begins and ends with a bank holiday, which is always rather nice, and with the spring well established now, and as we look towards the summer, we might hope that the bank holidays won’t disappoint us and will produce some good weather, perhaps even giving us the opportunity for a BBQ or family picnic.

March 31, 2025March 31, 2025

St Mary’s News – The Touch Wood Edition

St Mary’s News –Touch Wood for Good Luck

This month’s news starts with Revd Anne’s (farewell) themed on the call for good luck – “Touch Wood”. Following this, you can find out about events including:

… the usual listings of services & contacts.

Message from Rev Anne Mason

‘Touch wood’

“April showers bring May flowers” 🥀 is a saying we may have heard, and it is usually true. The wet, dreary weather we tend to experience in early spring gives way to a beautiful array of flowers in vibrant colours as time passes. The flowers bloom, or vegetables and trees bear fruit later in the season, because of the rain that falls on them – or in very dry periods the water that we give them.

March 26, 2025March 31, 2025

Volunteer of the Year Award 2025

The West Bergholt Volunteer of the Year 2024/25 Award!

Do you know a volunteer who deserves to be celebrated for their outstanding contribution to West Bergholt?

Whether they’ve

spearheaded a local community project,
organised impactful events,
raised charitable funds, or
been a supportive mentor through their volunteer work,

… we want to hear about them.

Nominees must reside in West Bergholt or have carried out their volunteer work within the community. Age is no barrier – we welcome nominations for volunteers of all ages! Form & details are below.

Last Years’ Winner

Announcing the result at the Annual Parish Meeting, Cllr Butcher noted that having had a number of nominations to be the recipients for this year’s award one person stood out:

March 4, 2025March 4, 2025

St Mary’s News – The Spring Cleaning Edition

St Mary’s News – Spiritual Spring Cleaning

This month’s news starts with Revd Heathers Message on Spring Cleaning. Following this you can find out about events including:

Pancakes,
Soup & World Day of Prayer,
Lent Lunches,
Mothering Sunday,
Easter Flowers, and

… the usual listings of services and contacts.

Message from Rev Heather Wilcox

Time for a spring clean?

As the days are drawing out, and there is a sense that spring in the air, it seems to awaken the need to do a bit of a spring clean, even in the Rectory. Don’t get me wrong, I am not particularly house proud, and any cleaning would be a bonus most of the time, but in the spring, I seem to suddenly find myself wanting to organise even the most disorganised cupboards.

January 31, 2025February 1, 2025

St Mary’s News – The Month of Light Edition

St Mary’s News – A Month of Light, Love and New Beginnings

A month of light reflecting the John 1:5 quote

This month’s news with Revd Emma’s Message on the a Month of Light, Love & New Beginnings. Following this you can find out about:

The King’s Ridge Parishes Big Breakfast,
A Wedding Celebration Service,
News of Lent Lunches,
A Thank You from the FiSH Team,
World Day of Prayer, and

… the usual listings of services and contacts.

Message from Revd Emma – February: A Month of Light, Love, and New Beginnings

As February unfolds, we find ourselves moving further into the promise of lighter days and the hope of new growth. Winter may still hold a chill in the air, but beneath the surface, life is stirring. Snowdrops, crocuses, and daffodils are beginning to pierce through the earth, their delicate heads reaching for the sun. It’s a reminder that even in the coldest of seasons, new life is emerging, and God’s creative power is at work in the world around us.

January 5, 2025January 31, 2025

St Mary’s News – The Light Edition

St Mary’s News – The Light of the World

This month’s news with Revd Anne’s New Years Message on the Light of the World. Following this you can find out about:

… the usual listings of services and contacts.

Christmas Message from Revd Anne – The Light of the World

The shortest day in 2024 was 21st December and since then the days have been getting longer and we’ll get more daylight each day until we reach the longest day in June. During these sometimes gloomy months bulbs that start flowering early, such as snowdrops, crocus and hyacinths, grow away in the dark, pushing their way through the cold soil, until they reach the light and give us the joy of seeing their flowers.

Keep warm together

December 10, 2024December 10, 2024

Candlelight Carol Service at the Old Church

Join the Friends of St Mary’s at their Candlelight Carol Service

Once again the Friends of St Mary’s Old Church are holding a Candlelight Carol Service in the Old Church. The Friends look forward to welcoming you back on Sunday 15th December at 2:30 pm.

The service is free and open to all and there’s now dedicated car parking opposite the church. One of St Mary’s ministers will lead the service.

The Friends are also looking for someone to pump the church organ during the service, so if anyone is interested please contact Nicole Long on 01206 240443.

Dress for the weather!

November 30, 2024November 30, 2024

St Mary’s News – The Perfect Gift Edition

St Mary’s News – The Perfect Gift

This month’s news with Revd Heather’s Christmas Message on the Perfect Gift. Following this you can find out abougt:

Christmas Services,
Memory Tree,
Advent Trail,
Food in School Holidays (FiSH), and

… the usual listings of services and contacts.

Christmas Message from Revd Heather – The Perfect Gift

As I write this, it is the 11th November, Remembrance Day. Yesterday in our churches, we remembered, lest we forget, the sacrifice of so many that we might know peace and freedom in our time. But as is always the way, the world is pushing us on, and we are being bombarded by Christmas adverts on the television and through social media. It seems hard to imagine, that we could ever forget that Christmas is coming.

November 15, 2024November 15, 2024

Mulled Wine & Abbey Road

The Friends of St Mary’s Old Church are holding two events over the coming weeks.

Mulled Wine & Mince Pies

The Friends invite you to join them for Mulled Wine & Mince Pies at St Mary’s Old Church on Sunday, 24th November. This free event runs from 11:30am to 1:30pm and all are welcome! The highlight of the day will be an enchanting performance by Octavia, members of Quire, from 12:30pm to 1pm.

November 2, 2024November 2, 2024

St Mary’s News – The Posada & Shoebox Edition

St Mary’s News – Posada & Christmas Shoebox

We start the Advent experience of Posada (a Mexican tradition). Following this we look at:

Operation Christmas Child,
Church Flower Rota,
Day of Prayer for COP29,
Remembrance Sunday,
Update on the Church Hall project,

… the usual listings of services and contacts.

The Advent Experience of Posada

Posada originates from Mexico where people dress as Mary and Joseph and re-enact the journey to Bethlehem, travelling from house to house asking for a place to stay (the word Posada means an inn). In recent years, this idea has been modified by churches in this country by sending the figures of Mary and Joseph and the donkey from house to house during Advent.