To mark our Patronal Festival we are having weekend of events on a theme of Musical Theatre. Friday September 5th - on Friday evening we have a Preview Evening to launch the weekend 7pm to 9pm - come along and be amongst the first to see the colourful and imaginative tableaus made by ten groups and business within the village, each display is based upon a different show. (Admission is Free)Saturday 6th September During the daytime we have a mix of things to come an enjoy.Walk around the church to view the colourful and imaginative displays made by ten groups and business within the village We have a Children's Story time at 11.30am and 2.30pm.There will be Coffee served from 10.30am and then later we will be serving Tea & Cake between 2 - 4pm. During the afternoon there will be live music - There is a return visit to St Mary's of the Hurdy Gurdy duo playing on their amazing instruments and Quintessential will also be performing.(Admission is Free)Saturday evening at 7.30pm We have a special concert by White Horse Opera who will be presenting a varied programme tilted Music from the Shows. (It could not really be anything else !)Ticket are £10 from the Village Shop [also on the door subject to availability]Sunday 7th September our Patronal Service is at 11am and is a service of Holy Communion led by Revd Katey Minshall.From 12.30 pm the church will be open for further viewing of the colourful and imaginative displays on the theme of musical theatre.
On 17th July St Mary’s was awarded Bronze Status in the Eco-Church scheme - read Rosemary's introductory article below. For more info on the Eco-Church programme see https://arocha.org.uk/what-we-do/eco-church/ St Mary’s is a grade 1 listed building, deservedly so, it is a beautiful church dedicated in 1500 so being awarded an Eco-Church bronze award is very gratifying. Over many years the small team have worked to fulfil our obligations to our creator God.Caring for those in need wherever they are and whatever their needs is an accepted Christian duty and a comparatively, and long standing, easy response. Caring for the rest of creation was we felt more of a challenge! But we have reduced our carbon footprint by several initiatives –LED lighting to have been the simplest and offsetting the carbon used at events buy planting a tree being a joy. We are dedicated to recycling and using ethical products wherever we can. Sharing and encouraging one another in the congregation is important.Our wild area is important but on heavy clay hard work! Easier is the releasing of butterflies on our brambles each year. Within the church we have information about wildlife and we enjoy an annual Creation week end which includes the wildflower count and a children’s activity. There is much more we do, and much more to do, but we are proud to have moved this far, so far!Well done to Rosemary for all her hard work on guiding us to this wonderful achievement - next stop on the journey Silver?
Creation Weekend 2025 7th - 8th JuneOn Saturday 7th June from 11am to noon we had our children's activity (adults were very much welcome to join in as well) titled - " I live in a hole" a come and search activity for creatures in and around the church and also the opportunity to make new homes for the endangered hoverfly. On Sunday 8th June we continue with the natural world as the theme of our monthly 10.30am Family Service, this month titled "Morph" - a 30 minute service, of hymns, prayers and and a special interactive talk - followed by refreshments. Click on the attached images of " our sculpting and forming " done during the service.
"Andrew’s unscripted talk was both interesting and intriguing. Although the title for his book comes from a poem, ‘church going’ is what he does for his living. As a stonemason he knows all there is to know about ‘stone’, where it comes from and how to work it. His first book The Stonemason was a wonderful introduction to his craft and to his career and it is this work that has taken him to so many churches and historic buildings around the country so it is no wonder that he has peeked into corners in some strange places and discovered many lost or broken treasures. His natural curiosity has led him to discover the history of and the ‘why?’ of the different parts of a church- the rood screen and the knight’s tomb and such like. With the aid of some of his photos he explained the sights he had seen and the work he has done. Andrew is obviously delighted by our church and has explored each part of it. He has cast his expert eye over our flying buttresses that don’t fly! Some of them are not attached to the clerestory wall as they should be so there has always been a question as to whether they were unfinished or were taken down. Andrew too was intrigued so he took a close look and is able to tell us that the latter would be the case. So we can be fairly sure that the nave roof was originally of stone. The falling spire probably damaged it. The replacement wooden ceiling, so much lighter, didn’t require the support of the buttresses and so where partially removed. Thank you to all who came and gave so generously. And if you missed the talk and would like a copy of Andrew’s book we still have a couple of copies of both and delightful reads which won’t bog you down; phone 01380 870119 Andrew is also giving a talk in Frome on July 7th and having a Carving Workshop on July 5th again in Frome both as part of the Frome Festival - see their website for more information Home - Frome Festival
