Events in 2024

4 Feb: Parish Lunch
10 Feb: Jumble Sale
9 Mar: Organ Recital
16 Mar: Children’s Society Coffee Morning
23 Mar: Lent Quiet Afternoon
20 April: Book Sale
6 July: Summer Fete
14 Sep: Jumble Sale
12 Oct: Book Sale
30 Nov: Winter Market
7 Dec: Advent Quiet Afternoon

Christmas 2023

Sunday, 17 Dec: Lessons & Carols at 4pm.

Sunday, 24 Dec: Sung Mass & Blessing of the Crib at 8pm.

Monday, 25 Dec: Sung Mass at 10.30am.

Then Mass each day at 9.30am until

Sunday, 31 Dec: Sung Mass at 10.30am.

No weekday Masses in the first week of January, except 

Thursday, 4 Jan, at 9.30am.

All back to normal from Sunday, 7 Jan.

Fiesta

 

We have had a busy few weeks in the parish - a very successful Jumble Sale followed in short order by one of our regular Book Sales, which raised £2000 in about two hours! We rounded things off with a festive Parish Mass of St Teresa of Avila, at which the celebrant and preacher was the Bishop of Richborough, on what was probably his last official visit to St Mary's. Our love and prayers go with him.

On the Hottest Day of the Year

 

It was good to welcome walkers and cyclists taking part in the annual Ride and Stride. And it was a pleasure to baptise Violet and to welcome her family and friends.

Autumn 2023

Summer Fete

 

Quiet Afternoon

 

Final preparations for our Quiet Afternoon on the Stations of the Cross are underway. We begin with Mass at 2pm.

Roger Smith Memorial Organ Recital

David Gibbs will give a recital at St Mary's on Saturday, 13 May, at 11.00am. Bach and Widor will be on the programme. Free entry. Refreshments to follow. Cake Stall. Donations to be shared between the Motor Neurone Disease Association and St Mary's Church.

Book Sale and Cafe

 Our next Book Sale takes place on Saturday, 25 March, between 10am and 12 noon. The cafe will be open too. Do come along to support us and bag a bargain.

All Sorts

 Much has been happening in the parish - our best-ever Jumble Sale and Community Cafe, which raised well over a thousand pounds; an impromptu Lenten car blessing; some heavy snowfall enhancing the beauty of the church; celebrations for the 150th anniversary of the Guild of All Souls, our parish patron; and most recently, our annual Lent Study Day on Pilgrimage with 'medieval pilgrim' Michael Brown. Many thanks to him and all those who turned up to hear such an interesting presentation.

Organ Recital To Be Rearranged

 The organ blower motor is presently being repaired and so we have decided to re-arrange the Organ Recital which had been planned for 4 March. New date to be advertised soon.

We Hae Meat

 

Hot on the heels of India Republic Day came our parish Burnstide Celebration. Many thanks to those who organised and ran the event and to those who prepared our meal - haggis, tatties and neeps, and clootie dumpling to follow. Great fun was had, wee drams were much in evidence, and the vicar was presented with a bottle... of Irn-Bru!

India Republic Day

 

It is always good to support India Republic Day at the Hindu Community Centre.

Dates 2023

4 Feb: Jumble Sale 

5 Feb: Burns-tide Lunch

22 Feb: Ash Weds Sung Mass at 6.30pm

11 Mar: Lent Study Day at 10.30am (coffee from 10am)

18 Mar: Children's Society Coffee Morning

25 Mar: Book Sale

1 Apr: Quiet Afternoon

6-8 Apr: Easter Triduum

9 Apr: Easter Day

5-8 June: Walsingham Pilgrimage

8 July: Summer Fete (NB new date)

23 Sept: Jumble Sale

7 Oct: Book Sale

15 Oct: Bishop of Richborough's Visit

25 Nov: Winter Market

9 Dec: Advent School of Prayer