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Christmas 2015 at St Marys

Carol singers

Carol singersChristmas 2015 at St Mary’s

Upcoming events

Decorating the church for Christmas – Tues 22 Dec at 10am

We will be decorating the church for Christmas – all helpers welcome! If you can help, please contact Liz Dixon in the Parish Office tel: 243683; email: [antibot mailto=”[email protected]”]

Crib Service at Boxted – Christmas Eve at 2.30pm

Crib Service – Christmas Eve at 3pm

Our family friendly Crib Service especially for families with younger children, led by Rachel Hutchings.

Christingle at Langham – Christmas Eve at 5.30pm

Welcome to Christmas, St John’s, Great Horkesley – Christmas Eve at 5.30pm

Christmas Eve Carol Service @ 6.45pm

Our popular Christmas Eve service, led by Rev Mandy Elmes, and featuring the St Mary’s Christmas Choir led by Caroline Finlay.

Christmas Eucharist at Boxted – Christmas Eve at 11.00pm

Christmas Midnight Communion at All Saints Church, Great Horkesley – Christmas Eve at 11.30pm

Christmas Day at 9.30am

Our family friendly Christmas Day celebration led by Richard Chadborn.  Bible reading – Luke 2:1-20 – Jesus is born in Bethlehem.  (There is also a  Sung Eucharist at St Mary’s Langham at the same time).

Parish Office Closed – 25 Dec – 3 Jan

The Parish Office will close from 1.00pm on Christmas Eve and re-open at 9.00am on Monday 4 January. If you have an urgent enquiry, please contact our churchwardens Dorothy & Richard Chadborn 240541.

 

Dates for your diary

Senior Citizens Lunch – Sat 16 January

 

Christmas Events Around the Village

Carol singers

Christmas Events Around the Village

Both the Methodist & St Mary’s Churches in the village have issued their latest updates in the run-up to Christmas 2015, the highlights are listed first and other detail dates below that:

Christmas PosadaPosada

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.  This was previously announced on another news update, click to read more.

Christmas Tree Festival – 11th & 12th December

The pupils from Heathlands School will be decorating Christmas trees with gifts for people at the Night Shelter. The trees will be on display in St Mary’s Church on Friday between 3pm-4pm and on Saturday between 1pm-3pm. Come and vote for your favourite!

Messy ChurchMessy Church

At St Mary’s, the next Messy Church is on Sunday 13th when will be having a Messy Nativity! There will be something for all ages in this informal and friendly family service.

Carol singersCarol Singing outside the Co-op – 18th December

Both churches are calling on all to come and join them at the Co-op between 6:15 & 7:30, all voices are welcome and cogffee & mince pies will be available afterwards.  This is in aid of Action for Children

Carols in the Old Church – 20th December

This starts at 2:30pm.

Candlelight Carol Service – 20th December

This takes place at 6:30pm at the Methodist Church, Chapel Road, this service will also be a focus of the travels of Mary & Joseph on their Posada with their diary being available to view.

Craft materialsChristmas Coffee & Craft – 21st December

Running at the Methodist Church Hall between 10:30 & 12:00, this is an event for (accompanied) children aged 0 -11 to engage in a range of festive crafts.  Charge is £2.50 per family.

Decorating St Mary’s for Christmas – 22nd December

Starting at 10am help decorate the church for Christmas – all helpers welcome! If you can help, please contact Liz Dixon in the Parish Office tel: 243683 or email [antibot mailto=”[email protected]”].

Some Related Notes

Alternative Christmas Card

This is now available at St mary’s Church – all money collected will be donated to the Children’s Society. Please gift aid if you can.

St Mary’s Christmas Choir Rehearsals

These are taking place in St Mary’s at 10:45am on 13th December and in the Old Church at 10am on 20th December.

Other Dates

These all relate to St Mary’s unless otherwise noted:

  • Thurs 10 Dec – 9am coffee morning;
  • Fri 11 Dec – 7.45pm Wired youth group;
  • Sun 13 Dec
    • 9.30am Messy Church;
    • 9.30am Communion, St Mary’s, Langham;
    • 11.15am Holy Communion, All Saints, Great Horkesley.
  • Sun 13 Dec – 4.30pm Evening Prayer;
  • Thurs 17 Dec – 9am coffee; 2.30pm 5Ts;
  • Sun 20 Dec
    • 8am BCP Communion, St Mary’s Langham;
    • 9.30am Carol service, St Peter’s Boxted;
    • 11.15am Communion;
    • 4pm Christingle, All Saints, Great Horkesley.
  • Christmas Eve:
    • 3pm Crib Service;
    • 6.45pm Carol Service;
    • 11.30pm Midnight Communion at All Saints, Great Horkesley.
  • Christmas Day – 9.30am Family Christmas Service;
  • Sat 16th January – Senior Citizens Lunch.

Sunday Bible Readings

  • Sun 13 Dec – Luke 3:7-18 – John the Baptist prepares the way for Jesus (cont’d)
  • Sun 20 Dec – Luke 1:39-45 – Mary visits Elizabeth

 

 

 

News Update 23rd November

Diocese-of-ChelmsfordSt Mary’s News Update 23rd November

Ministry & Mission Units (MMUs)

Within the coming year we will be working with a larger group of parishes than we are currently. These will be known as MMUs. We have the opportunity to apply for funding for someone to help with our mission – for example this might be a youth or families worker. We would really like to hear your thoughts on what would be most appropriate for our need. Please write your suggestions on the list in church by 13 December.

Upcoming Events

Routine events

  • Tues 24 Nov – 8pm Michael’s Home Group at Dorothy & Richard’s House
  • Thurs 26 Nov – 9am Coffee morning
  • Sun 29 Nov – 9.30am Communion, St Mary’s, Langham
  • Sun 29 Nov – 11.15am Joint service at All Saints Church, Great Horkesley (no service @ St Mary’s)
  • Thurs 3 Dec – 9am Coffee morning; 10am Rachel’s home group; 2.30pm 5Ts
  • Sun 6 Dec – 9.30am Holy Communion
  • Sun 6 Dec – 9.30am Communion, St Peter’s, Boxted
  • Sun 6 Dec – 11.15am Morning Praise, St John’s, Great Horkesley

Sunday Bible Readings

  • Sun 29 Nov – Mark 13:24-37 – Signs of the end of the age
  • Sun 6 Dec – Luke 3:1-6 – John the Baptist prepares the way for Jesus

Christmas Coffee Morning

Taking place on Sat 28 Nov, West Bergholt Methodist Church – 10am-12 midday.  Stalls, coffee and mince pies.

Joint Service and Christmas Tree Festival

Great Horkesley will be holding their Christmas Tree Festival over the weekend of 28 & 29 November at All Saints Church. The church will be open to visit the displays on Sat 11am – 4pm and Sun 1pm – 4pm. All Saints will also be hosting our 5th Sunday united service at 11.15am on Sun 29th November.

Christmas Choir

Next Christmas Choir Rehearsals – 29th November @ 10am & 6 Dec @ 10.45am

Christmas Tree Festival, St Mary’s West Bergholt

The pupils from Heathlands School will be decorating Christmas trees with gifts for the night shelter and the trees will be on display in the church between 3pm-4pm on Friday 11 December, and again on Saturday 12 December (times to be confirmed).

Dates for your diary

  • Fri 11 Dec – 7.45pm Wired Christmas Party
  • Sun 13 Dec – 9.30am Messy Church
  • Sun 20 Dec – 2.30pm Carol Service at the Old Church
  • Christmas Eve – 3pm Crib Service; 6.45pm Carol Service; 11.30pm Midnight Communion at All Saints, Great Horkesley
  • Christmas Day – 9.30am Family Christmas Service
  • Senior Citizens Lunch – Sat 16 January

 

 

News Update 17th November

Methodist News update 17th November

Christmas stable and cribThree 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 HorkesleyThe 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 20th at 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]”]).

Lit candlesCandlelit 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.

News Update 15th November

Christmas stable and cribSt Mary’s News update 15th November

Christmas Shoe Boxes

Thank you to everyone who filled or contributed to a shoe box for Operation Christmas Child. Maree Foster and I delivered 34 boxes to the drop off point earlier this week!

Visit by Lydia & Jon Smith

It was wonderful to have Lydia leading our Communion service this morning. Many thanks to Kate, Hayley, Dorothy, Richard , Pat & Roy for putting on a delicious lunch (apologies if I have inadvertently left anyone out!).

Christmas Choir Rehearsals

The next rehearsals are on 22 November @ 10.45pm & 29 November @ 10am.  All new singers welcome!

Christmas Tree Festival, All Saints, Great Horkesley Sat 28 & Sun 29 Nov

Great Horkesley will be holding their Christmas Tree Festival over the weekend of 28 & 29 November at All Saints church. The church will be open to visit the displays on Sat 11am – 4pm and Sun 1pm – 4pm. All Saints will also be hosting our 5th Sunday united service at 11.15am on Sun 29th November.

Christmas Tree Festival, St Mary’s West Bergholt – 11th 12th  December

The pupils from Heathlands School will be decorating Christmas trees with gifts for the night shelter and the trees will be on display in the church between 3pm-4pm on Friday 11 December, and again on Saturday 12 December (times to be confirmed).

Upcoming Events

  • Thurs 19 Nov – 9am Coffee morning
  • Thurs 19 Nov – 10am Rachel’s Home Group
  • Thurs 19 Nov – 2.30pm 5Ts
  • Sun 22 Nov – 9.30am Morning Worship
  • Sun 22 Nov – 3.30pm Confirmation Service @ Chelmsford Cathedral
  • Tues 24 Nov – 8pm Michael’s Home Group at Dorothy & Richard’s House
  • Thurs 26 Nov – 9am Coffee morning
  • Sun 29 Nov – 11.15am Joint service at All Saints Church, Great Horkesley

Services in Great Horkesley & Langham with Boxted

  • Sun 22 Nov – 8am BCP Communion, All Saints, Great Horkesley; 9.30am Communion, St Peter’s, Boxted
  • Sun 29 Nov – 9.30am Communion, St Mary’s, Langham

Sunday  Bible Readings

  • Sun 22 Nov – John 18:33-37 – Pilate asks Jesus if he is the King of the Jews
  • Sun 29 Nov – Mark 13:24-37 – Signs of the end of the age

Diary Dates

  • Fri 11 Dec – 7.45pm Wired Christmas Party
  • Sun 13 Dec – 9.30am Messy Church
  • Sun 20 Dec – 2.30pm Carol Service at the Old Church
  • Christmas Eve – 3pm Crib Service; 6.45pm Carol Service; 11.30pm Midnight Communion at All Saints, Great Horkesley
  • Christmas Day – 9.30am Family Christmas Service

St Marys’ Notices – 11th October 2015

st-marys-imagesSt Marys’ Notices – 11th October 2015

Events for the next week:

  • Monday 12 October – 4.45pm Children s’ confirmation class at the Rectory, West Bergholt
    Tuesday 13 October – 11am Village Communion service at St Mary’s, West Bergholt
  • Tuesday 13 October – 8pm Home Group @ Pat & Roy’s
  • Wednesday 14 October – 7.30pm Adult Confirmation Class at the Rectory, West Bergholt
  • Thursday 15 October – 9am Open house in church; 2.30pm 5T’s in church hall
  • Thursday 15 October – 10am Rachel’s Home Group
  • Saturday 17 October – 9.30am-4pm – PCCs Away Day at Assington Hall
  • Sunday 18 October 11.15am Holy Communion led by Mandy Elmes

Services in Langham with Boxted & Great Horkesley

Sun 18 October –  8.00am BCP Communion at St Mary’s, Langham; 9.30am Morning Worship, St Peter’s, Boxted; 11.15am Morning Praise, St John’s, Great Horkesley

Sunday Bible Readings:

  • Sun 18 October – Mark 10: 35-45 – Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant.

Latest News

Congratulations to Dorothy Chadborn who was licensed as a Pastoral Assistant yesterday at Chelmsford Cathedral, following her successful completion of the Diocesan Pastoral Care Course. In case you are wondering what is the role of a pastoral assistant, the following is a definition from the Diocesan web site:

“Pastoral Assistants are those in whom the Church has discerned special gifts for ‘pastoral care in the church and wider community. They are not people who know all the answers. But they are men and women of prayer; people who reflect on the dilemmas of modern life in the light of the Bible and Christian tradition, and people who want to communicate to others the message of Christ through caring action”.

Our prayers are with Dorothy as she begins her new role.

Messy Church – well done to Caroline Finlay and the Messy Church Team for another great service this morning on the theme of the Rugby World Cup. Lots of children had fun decorating (and eating!) rugby ball shaped biscuits, making puppets and taking part in a quiz. There will be no Messy Church in November as St Mary’s will be joining in with the Village Remembrance Service at the Orpen Hall on 8 November, so the next Messy Church will be on 13 December, when we will have a Messy Nativity!

Christmas Shoe boxes – thank you to everyone who has signed up to complete a shoe box or donate particular items. Completed shoe boxes need to be brought to church or to the parish office by Sunday 1 November, but if you are donating individual items, please could we have them by Sunday 18 October to allow time for making them up into complete shoe boxes. If you need labels for your boxes, there are a few left in church and in the parish office.

All Saints Day Service – Sunday 1 November @ 9.30am – Rev Paul Norrington will be leading and preaching in a special service on the theme of ‘gifts for the building up of the church’. Mandy will staying with us at the end of the service because she no longer has to rush off to take another service on the first Sunday in the month. Everyone is invited to stay for coffee and cake after the service and there will be a chance to discuss the Mission and Opportunity Fund.

Reminders:

Tools with a Mission – thank you to all those who have already donated their unwanted tools. The tools will be collected on 23 October, so there is still time to bring them to the parish office or Richard Chadborn if you haven’t yet had chance to look through your garage.

Dates for Your Diary

  • Sunday 8 November – 10.45am Village Remembrance Service at the Orpen Hall – please note there will be no Messy Church at St Mary’s that day (apologies for the error in the Good News Magazine).
  • Sunday 29 November – 11.15am Joint Service at All Saints Church, Great Horkesley, led by Mandy Elmes

Best wishes
Liz Dixon, on behalf of St Mary’s

Silver Sunday Afternoon Tea

Silver Sunday TeaSilver Sunday – Invitation to Afternoon Tea

For the older members of our community. Particularly if you are elderly, living alone and not fortunate enough to have family and/or friends living nearby this could be for you. You are warmly invited to an Afternoon Tea with folk in a similar situation to yourself. We will provide transport to pick you up from your home, bring you to the tea and return you to your home when the tea has finished.

If you, a neighbour or someone else you know, would like to come to the tea please phone Judith Fletcher (01206 241969) or Andrew Wilks (01206 242511).  If you can let us know you are coming it will help with our arrangements.

Do you know anybody who could attend?

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

There has been much publicity about 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 October 11th 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.

.

 

Changes at Methodist Church

Changes at Methodist Church

We have received the following news update from the Methodist Church:

The Methodist Church
The Methodist Church

Sadly it is time for our Minister Rev Ruth Ridge to move on, having completed eight years service with us here in West Bergholt and the Colchester Circuit.  She came to us as a newly ordained minister in her first Circuit and has been a breath of fresh air to us all. Her tireless work and infectious enthusiasm have made an impact on so many. We are grateful for all she has done in our communities over this time and she will be greatly missed by us all.

Ruth is leaving the Circuit at the end of July and there will not be a new Minister in the Manse. The Manse is being let for a year, so please do not try and make contact at the Manse or deliver any messages there. The Rev Ken Chalmers will be joining the Circuit in September but will not be living in the village. He will join our Superintendent Minister, Rev Alan Jenkins, in providing a ministry to all the churches in our Circuit. They will be supported by three retired Ministers.  The Circuit was not able to secure a third full time minister for September 2015.  It is the intention to seek a third minister from September 2016.

All services and activities at the Methodist Church and Hall are continuing as normal.

Contact for the Methodist Church can be made initially through Church Stewards or by telephoning Judith, 01206 241969 or by e-mailing [antibot mailto=”[email protected]”].  We will deal with local matters and also take initial enquiries for weddings baptisms and funerals. We can arrange for one of our Ministers to be in touch with you as needed. If you need to contact a minister directly in an emergency please phone Rev Alan Jenkins, 01206 793888.

See more on the Churches page.

Summer Coffee & Craft

Summer Coffee & Craft with seaside funSummer 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.

Silver Sunday – Invitation to Tea

Silver Sunday – Invitation to Tea

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

Silver Sunday TeaThere has been considerable publicity about the fact 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 an attempt 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 March tea  we are holding another simple afternoon tea on Sunday June 14th 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.

Invitation

Being held for the older members of our community this event will be at the Methodist Church Hall, Chapel Lane on Sunday afternoon June 14th at 3.00 pm.

Particularly if you are elderly, living alone and not fortunate enough to have family and/or friends living nearby this could be for you. You are warmly invited to an Afternoon Tea with folk in a similar situation to yourself. We will provide transport to pick you up from your home, bring you to the tea and return you to your home when the tea has finished.

If you, a neighbour or someone else you know, would like to come to the tea please phone Judith Fletcher (01206 241969) or Andrew Wilks (01206 242511).  If you can let us know you are coming it will help with our arrangements.