Author: MarkSanderson

#12BigThankYous – 4th Day – In the Christian calendar, today is Holy Innocents’ Day and we say thank you to all who look after our children and young people.

Sunday Kids: Anne, Helen, Ruth & Katherine.

St Mary’s Youth Choir: Mark, Sammy and Adrian.

Messy Church: Caroline, Anne, Ann, Viv, Ruth, David, Sue, Teresa, Rachel, Jane & Katherine.

GROW Youth Group: Caroline, Fiona, David, Jane & Hannah

Toast & Toddle: Helen, Anne, Gill, Geoff, Melanie, Susan, Helen and Angie.

Open the Book teams: Martin, Fiona, Melvin, Judith, Dorothy, Karen, Alison, Pauline, Helen, Lynne, Leah, Charlotte, Sharn, Paul, Margaret, Janet, Sandra, Ann, Elizabeth & Wendy.

And to Wendy and Murray for hosting Paddle & Praise at their home in Walford.

3^rd Day – Our Financial Backers

We owe a debt of gratitude to a number of charities and other organisations that have awarded us grants in the past 12 months.

This year we enlarged and improved the platform at the top of the nave; it’s been of real value over the last few weeks. Thanks to all who helped us to pay for that. The William Allen Young Charitable Trust (£5,000), Herefordshire Historic Churches Trust (£5,000), Edward Cadbury Charitable Trust (£3,000), and Ross-on-Wye Town Council (£1,000). The Friends of St Mary’s (£3,000).

Our LifeLink Chaplain project is being partly funded for three years by The Benefact Trust with a total grant of £27,000 – £9,000 each year.

Ross Town Council has also given us a grants to help with the installation of cameras at the top of the tower so that residents and visitors can view our resident Peregrine Falcons. Also to help make some of our community events work, in particular JK300.

Borders Marches Early Music Forum, the Freemasons of Vitruvian Lodge and Rehau’s in the Community Committee have all generously sponsored our free lunchtime concert series, First Wednesdays @ 1 this year.

We’re using the 12 Days of Christmas to say thank you to some very important people in our church and wider community #12BigThankYous

2^nd Day – To all who give us financial support, locally.

Many thanks to all those folk who quietly support us month by month through the Parish Giving Scheme – a tax efficient and easy way to give to St Mary’s and The Friends of St Mary’s. Also to those who are a part of St Mary’s 100 Club.

For the work of The Friends of St. Mary’s Church, Ross on Wye. We’re looking forward to Open Gardens 2025.

Our Fundraising, Fun and Food group (FFF) work hard through the year on all three of those things. Thank you to Rachel, Jean, Paul, Roy, Pat, Janet, Freda and Fiona.

Christmas Eve: Family Crib Service at 4.00pm in both churches, Midnight Mass in St Mary’s at 11.30pm

Christmas Morning: 8.00am Said Communion in St Mary’s, 9.30am Sung Eucharist in both churches.

We wish you a very HAPPY CHRISTMAS from all in the The Ross Parishes.

Full details of services at https://rossparishes.uk/christmas-2024

Brampton Abbotts Church is used just six times a year for services. Monday evening was one of them when the carol service took place.

The local choir, Bramptones, sang Gaudete and that went down a storm. They also sang a few carols at The Green, and a young boy heard ‘Away in a manger’ with 3 part harmony, possibly for the first time sung live. He pronounced it “Awesome!” And asked for an encore.

The service was observed by four wooden angels, behind the altar, which were removed several years ago for building work to be done; they reappeared miraculously on Sunday – no one quite knows how. Perhaps it’s a Christmas miracle. Any ideas?

A magical experience awaits; as the Ross Christmas Fayre ends in town, the tension builds in St Mary’s, at 5.00pm.

The Advent Carol Service is one of the loveliest services of the year: full of growing expectation, wonderful hymns and music, making the most of light and dark from different corners of the building. The service will last about an hour.

You can download the order of service here and bring it on your phone. The service is by candlelight and you’ll find it easier to see.

Today, Sunday 17th November, is Safeguarding Sunday. In the light of the week that has just past for the Church of England, it feels particularly appropriate to highlight the special nature of today and to assure all of the seriousness we attach to safeguarding in the Ross Parishes.

A statement from The Rt Revd Richard Jackson, Bishop of Hereford following the publication of the Makin report and the resignation of the Archbishop of Canterbury: 

In response to the release of the Makin Report last week, I along with many church leaders’ and others read the report in horror.  I am ashamed and deeply saddened that the Church of England failed the victims, despite the bravery of those who tried to speak out about their abhorrent experiences at the hands of the late John Smyth.   

The abuse that took place is quite simply inexcusable. It is a matter of deepest regret that Smyth might have been brought to justice had appropriate, timely action been taken.  I continue to hold in prayer all who have experienced abuse, sexual assault or violence of any kind.  The report rightly asks us some challenging questions.  I hope that we will embrace the report’s recommendations in full and learn the lessons. Safeguarding must be everyone’s responsibility in the Church.   

That is why I continue to pledge that the Diocese of Hereford will always take safeguarding extremely seriously, we will listen to you, believe you, and ensure that you are supported, if you raise a concern with us. My focus as the diocesan bishop remains making our churches safe and welcoming spaces for all.   

The resignation of Archbishop Justin was a matter of conscience. This is the case for anyone in public life or in a leadership role.  I hope that his stepping aside will allow us to refocus our attention on the support of survivors and victims of abuse and our continuing determination to foster a safe church for everyone.    

I continue to pray for all affected by this report and for the wider church.  

Finding Support

If you or anyone you are in contact with are affected by the publication of this report and want to talk to someone independently please call the Safe Spaces helpline on 0300 303 1056 or visit safespacesenglandandwales.org.uk. 

Alternatively, you may wish to contact the diocesan safeguarding team: safeguarding@hereford.anglican.org or telephone Carl Steventon on 07593817717

Judith Wiggins is our Safeguarding officer in The Ross Parishes and be contacted here

More about safeguarding in the Ross Parishes here

The National Safeguarding Team can be contacted at: safeguarding@churchofengland.org. 

Safeguarding in the Ross Parishes

In case you missed Remembrance Sunday on The Prospect and in St Mary’s yesterday, there’s another chance this morning at the Market House this morning (Monday 11th November) at 10.50am.

Join us in St Mary’s this afternoon (Saturday 9th November) at 5pm, as we bring our JK300 commemoration to a close with a special period evensong, sung by our occasional choir Round Byrd

The service, which will last about 45 minutes, follows the town celebrations to reopen the newly restored Market House.

ROSS REMEMBERS – this weekend. Join us, in St Mary’s, for the final JK300 event on Saturday 9th November at 5.00pm when we have a special short service to commemorate The Man of Ross. We’ll be saying special prayers and laying a floral tribute on his tombstone. More at https://rossparishes.uk/round-byrd. Prior to this the Market House will be officially reopened in town.

Then on Sunday it’s Remembrance, with the usual ceremony on the Prospect, from 10.50am followed by a service in St Mary’s.

The two performances of John Kyrle: The Musical take place this weekend (Friday 18th & Saturday 19th October – 7.30pm, both at John Kyrle High School. This is a whole community production, mainly the work of students from across Ross’s schools with several members of St Mary’s Youth Choir are taking part.

The work has been written by Sammy Martin, with gaps for student contribution, both in terms of scenes and music.

All-in-all, a not to be missed experience. Tickets are just £10 (free if you’re 16 or younger).

https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/fosmross/john-kyrle-the-musical/e-kbkygg

Our next JK300 event takes place in St Mary’s on Saturday (12th October) when most of the main Ross based choirs come together for a Gala Concert. The evening ends with a specially commissioned piece by local composer, Eleanor Kercher.

Tickets are on sale now (£10)

Faith@Five – Faith and History in the Early Church

The documents that make up the New Testament are the results of an explosion. Appearing over a period of about fifty years between 70 and 120 CE, they contain within them traces of what that explosion was. But these traces are fragmentary, and the evidence they yield requires the most careful and painstaking work to reconstruct.

This sixth and final session of Faith@Five will seek to examine some of the evidence for Jesus that is contained in the New Testament writings. It will also look at the forms into which the story of Jesus was shaped by the early Christian authors who set down their individual reactions to the explosion Jesus caused. Do these Christian documents allow us actually to glimpse Jesus himself, who he was and what he did? 

Come and find out in St Mary’s at 5.00pm next Sunday, 6 October. When David will spend an hour looking and learning, and end with Evening Prayer at 6.00pm.

Come and help celebrate this Sunday as six of our young people, Monty, Bronte, Amelia, Isabelle, Paisley and Gabriella and two adults, Jerry and Kay are confirmed by Bishop Richard. Please keep them in your prayers. 

They would love to have you present to support and celebrate this important step with them. And they invite you for delicious confirmation cakes after the service! 

St Mary’s, 9.30am All Age Confirmation and Communion for all the Ross Parishes together. 

Here is this week’s newsletter and more, from St Mary’s.

Faith@Five – Faith and History in the Early Church

The documents that make up the New Testament are the results of an explosion. Appearing over a period of about fifty years between 70 and 120 CE, they contain within them traces of what that explosion was. But these traces are fragmentary, and the evidence they yield requires the most careful and painstaking work to reconstruct.

This sixth and final session of Faith@Five will seek to examine some of the evidence for Jesus that is contained in the New Testament writings. It will also look at the forms into which the story of Jesus was shaped by the early Christian authors who set down their individual reactions to the explosion Jesus caused. Do these Christian documents allow us actually to glimpse Jesus himself, who he was and what he did? 

Come and find out in St Mary’s at 5.00pm next Sunday, 6 October. When David will spend an hour looking and learning, and end with Evening Prayer at 6.00pm.

We are delighted, though not surprised, that Wonderful Walford School has been judged as OUTSTANDING in their recent Ofsted report. They said, ‘The moment you step over the threshold at Walford Primary School, you know this is a school that values education.’

We offer Louise George, the pupils, staff and governors hearty congratulations from the Ross Parishes. We have a great relationship with you all and are proud of that.

We’re just worried that “Wonderful Walford” becoming “Outstanding Walford” will spoil the alliteration.

You can read Miss George’s letter to the parents here.