BBC Radio 3’s Choral Evensong on St David’s Day comes live from St Davids Cathedral (Wednesday 1st March at 4pm). The service will be accompanied our very own Laurence John.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001jcv7
Choral Evensong for St David
News & Events
Book Talk – The Story of the Quakers in Ross – John Powell
Time to book your tickets for this great book talk.
Wednesday 29th March 2023 – 7pm. The Story of the Quakers in Ross – In telling this story, John Powell manages to relate not just their story but also a social history of Britain from the time of the Civil Wars to the present day: of attitudes to religion, of social networking, of people standing up for what they saw as their rights, of attitudes to the well-off, of the mores of society at any given period and of petty mindedness, often amongst people of whom one would hope for greater things.
John will give a talk in St Mary’s which will centre on the subject of his book but cover other aspects of church life, especially with reference to St Mary’s.
Book tickets on Ticket Source:
Nick’s Guided Tour of Archenfield – St Mary’s Talents
Nick’s Guided Tour of Archenfield
You will see the Castle, the Parish Church of St. Ethelbert the Martyr, the Market House, the Royal Castle Hotel, and lots of local businesses such as Anna’s Cakes, Andrew Morris Solicitors, Colin Smith, Callwoods Butchers, the Silver Tabby, the Duke of Edinburgh pub and the Archenfield Gazette offices.
Below the town you will see Archenfield Wharf on the Wye Navigation, with Wilton Deep Lock connecting to the river.
Then passing the I.K. Brunel Hotel (known to locals as the Ike), we reach Archenfield Junction Station, where we can jump on a train to Marcle St Bartholomew and visit Eastons Cider Works. In the other direction, we can travel to Dancing Green and maybe change for Phocle Bottom.
Please note that the tour takes place about 100 years ago so disabled access has not been invented. You need to be able to step up about 18 inches onto a viewing platform.
Tours £5 0s 0d per person, which includes refreshment.
Please contact Janet and Nick Nelson to book your personal tour during lent. Phone: 07887 997932
Easter and Islam
The Revd Canon Professor David Thomas is Emeritus Professor of Christianity and Islam at The University of Birmingham, and now a regular member of our community at St Mary’s. Wednesday in Holy week is an entirely appropriate time to come and hear David’s talk.
- Christians and Muslims both hold Jesus in the highest regard
- They differ greatly in their reverence of him
- Can Christians learn anything from Muslims about Jesus?
This is one of several events at St Mary’s that celebrates and uses the talents of individuals to raise money for St Mary’s this Lent.
Here be Dragons
Don’t miss the opportunity to hear St Mary’s very own, Janet Cooper on this fascinating topic. Her talk will be richly illustrated with dragons across the country. There be at least 3 living in St Mary’s!
This is Janet’s response to the 2023 Lent Talents appeal. Please support it generously and bring your friends.
Saturday 18th March at 6pm in St Mary’s
Coffee @ St Mary’s is now in Welsh!
It’s Coffee @ St Mary’s, next Saturday (4th March). And …
Ross Welsh Speakers & Learners ‘Sgwrs’ Group will meet for coffee, cake and a chat at
Coffee @ St Marys – Saturday 4th March, anytime from 10:30 to noon at St Mary’s Church Ross-on-Wye
We are planning to meet on the first Saturday of each month at St Mary’s. An opportunity for Welsh speakers and learners to come along and have a ‘sgwrs’ (chat) with each other, in Welsh. It is free and informal, you can purchase a coffee and some delicious cake and come and go as you please. No need to book, just come along.
Make use of your talents this Lent and help St Mary’s
Do you remember the Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30) – The master entrusted his servants, to look after his money while he was away from home – different amounts were given to each according to their ability. Two worked hard to increase their share while the third hid his share away until the master returned. Two were rewarded while the other was shunned. The parable was of course not just about money, it also drew attention to the need to make good use of all our God given gifts and talents.
As our Rector says, “There is no life experience or ability that you have, that God cannot use!”
During Lent we are inviting you to reflect on this parable and consider how you might make use of your talents to help further the church’s mission.
We have two ways you can use the talents with which God has trusted you.
One
The church has a variety of “things” which need doing, either occasionally or on a regular basis.
It is lovely to come to a warm, welcoming, clean and tidy church. We have music to listen to and to join in with, we have flowers to enjoy, we are read to and we are provided with coffee.
Who makes it like this—or does it happen all by itself? People like you and me make it happen. People with talents who use them for God.
You may have talents which you might never have thought God could use. For example:-
Do you like to sing ……… Why not join the choir?
Are you good with children ……….. Help with our children’s work.
Can you arrange flowers ……… Join the flower rota.
Are you happy to speak in public ………. Help with reading lessons or intercessions.
How about mopping, sweeping or dusting ………. Join the church cleaners.
Do you like “tech” and have a good eye ……….. Help stream our services
Like gardening ………. Become a churchyard angel.
Maybe you are a good listener ………… Help us with our Pastoral Care.
Do you like meeting visitors ……… Join our church welcome team.
Are you good at baking ………… Help us with refreshments.
And last but not least, do you have ideas for fundraising …….. If so, we really want to hear from you.
Two
Just like the master in the parable, we would like to give you £10 to look after. We invite you to see how you can “grow it” just like the first two servants did. We have a few suggestions on ways of doing this but hope you will come up with some innovative ideas.
You could use it to:-
Buy the ingredients to bake cakes to sell (you can advertise them on the newsletter the week before)
Fund a coffee morning or a tea party for friends
Buy car shampoo to offer to wash your neighbour’s car for a fee
Organise a games evening and persuade your friends to buy tickets
Buy materials such as flowers, paints or wool and get creative and then sell the results
Plant cress seeds and then sell ready to eat cress.
We don’t recommend buying Lottery Tickets—you might lose all your money, Similarly, don’t just put it in the bank (or even dig a hole and bury it). While interest rates may at last be creeping up, we are sure you could do much better by using your God given talents!
To get your £10, complete the form below then collect your £10 after any of the services on Sundays 19th or 26th February, Ash Wednesday or Thursday 23rd February.
If you would like to know more about using your talents to help our church, fill in the form and we will get back to you.
Ukraine – one year on
Pancake Races
Congratulations to Team St Mary’s on winning the relay pancake race at the annual Ross Pancake Races.
St Mary’s Choir at Hereford Cathedral
St Mary’s Adult Choir is delighted to be singing Choral Evensong in Hereford Cathedral tomorrow (Saturday 18th February) at 5.30 (we’ll be there rehearsing from 4). It’s always good to see a few familiar faces in the congregation so if you happen to find yourself anywhere near, supporters are always most welcome.
For those who like to know about these things: Smith Responses, Psalms 93 & 94, Sumsion in G, O Radiant Dawn by James MacMillan.
Advanced notice: Our summer cathedral weekend this year will be in Chichester, where we’ll be singing service on Friday 1st, Saturday 2nd and Sunday 3rd September. A lovely part of the world and a great cathedral.
Celebrate St David at Walford Church
St Michael and All Angel’s Church, Walford HR9 5QP
Wednesday 1 March 2023 6.30 pm
You are invited to a small celebration of Saint David, Dewi Sant – a said service of Evening Prayer from the Book of Common Prayer, 1662
Readings from the Authorised Version of the Bible
Parking, toilets, no refreshments, no heating.
In aid of a new sound system for this place of worship and community space.
Mawrth cyntaf 2023 Dydd Gwyl Dewi
Piano recital
The Friends of St Mary’s welcomed Ross Macmillan who introduced an audience of nearly a hundred to the music of Ludovico Einaudi. The church, lit with candles and coloured lights looked spectacular, creating the perfect atmosphere for this lovely evening.
Piano Recital of Popular Music
Saturday 11th February 2023 at 7.30 pm.
Ludovico Einaudo writes very popular music – much of it regularly featured on Classic FM. You can hear some of it when Ross Macmillan gives a concert in St Mary’s Church, Ross-on-Wye this Saturday (11th February) at 7.30. Tickets in advance (£10): https://fosmross.org.uk/piano or on the door. It will be a great evening. Your first glass of wine is included in your ticket price!
Programme: Le Onde | I’Giorni | Una Mattina | Nuvole Bianche | Experience | Fly | Primavera | Divenire | Life | Due Tramonti
More on Ross’s website, including some reviews of previous concerts and a video taster.
Confirmation Service at St Mary’s
Join us tomorrow at St Mary’s when Romerleigh, Ty and Ella – all members of St Mary’s Youth Choir, will be confirmed by Bishop Richard.
At the same service, Romerleigh and Ty will be made head choristers and Gabriella will be admitted to the choir.
After the service there’s an opportunity to buy a range of goods, including aromatherapy candles, lavender bags and cards. All made by Izzy and Abby (yes, St Mary’s Youth Choir) in support of Heart Heroes, a charity that supports families who are living with Congenital Heart Defects / Disease.
What a wonderful lot they are! We hope to see you at 9.30.
Book Talk – Stained Glass of Herefordshire – Wed 1st Feb, 7pm
Don’t miss Robert Walker’s book talk on Wednesday 1st February at 7 in St Mary’s. He will be talking about his book The Medieval Stained Glass of Herefordshire and Shropshire.
https://fosmross.org.uk/2022/09/20/book-talk-robert-walker/This is a joint event by Rossiter Books and The Friends of St Mary’s. Tickets £8, available on the door or in advance: https://fosmross.org.uk/2022/09/20/book-talk-robert-walker/
Rhona Burston RIP
It is with huge sadness that we have to report the death of the oldest member of St Mary’s congregation. Rhona Burston died on Sunday evening at Ross Court, aged 104.
Rhona moved to Ross in 1957 with her husband Nick when they immediately became members of St Mary’s congregation and remained so until their deaths. We recently saw Rhona over Christmas, she is pictured here at the Christingle service earlier in December.
Rhona was, in her time, the presiding member of the Mother’s Union in Ross as well as a member of the of the Parochial Church Council for many years. She helped regularly with cleaning and was, until quite recently, a server.
She will be greatly missed. If you’d like to read more of Rhona’s life and achievements she was recently featured in an article by the Ross Gazette: https://www.rossgazette.com/news/amazing-women-celebrate-105-and-104-birthdays-585228
Seeing St Mary’s in a New Light
Wow! We are grateful to Ben and Liam at AlderPreece Electrical for the three days they have just spent in St Mary’s replacing fourteen broken lights but also for helping us to make our lighting system more environmentally friendly and providing us with a fantastic range of new creative possibilities.
If you’d like to experience it, consider coming along to Ross Macmillan’s Piano Concert on Saturday 11th February – the creative lighting juices are already flowing to make that a visual feast as well as a musical one.
Piano Recital of Popular Music
Saturday 11th February 2023 at 7.30 pm.
Join us for an evening of popular music as Ross Macmillan Performs the best known works of Italian pianist Ludovico Einaudi – revered for his incredible atmospheric film scores (This is England, The Untouchables) and his Top 40 chart success with I’Giorni. Ross will also unpack the story behind his incredible music, under the gentle glow of candlelight.
The 90-minute concert charts the rise of Ludovico Einaudi, following his introduction to UK audiences by Classic FM DJ, Nick Bailey in the mid 1990s, and draws commentary from those his music has inspired, including film director Shane Meadows and movie star Russell Crowe.
Programme: Le Onde | I’Giorni | Una Mattina | Nuvole Bianche | Experience | Fly | Primavera | Divenire | Life | Due Tramonti
More on Ross’s website, including some reviews of previous concerts and a video taster.
This coming Sunday at Walford Church
Walford Church continues its series of Celtic prayer services on the second Sunday of the month. This week it’s Epiphany.
Come & Sing at St Mary’s Ross-on-Wye
Come and join us for an Epiphany Choral Evensong with St Mary’s Choir and guests and stay for supper afterwards. The service will be at 6 pm, followed immediately by drinks and supper.
If you’d like to join us in the choir, this is also a Come & Sing event and you are welcome to do so. The rehearsal will be from 4 pm on the day and we will supply all the music you need. if you’re able to do a bit of homework, some YouTube clips are linked below to help you become acquainted with the notes.
We need to plan food so please book in advance if you will join us for the supper (£10).
The music will be:
- Small wonder the star – Paul Edwards
- Responses – Humphrey Clucas (first set, after the creed)
- Magnificat & Nunc Dimittis in A – Stanford
- There shall a star from Jacob come forth – Mendelssohn (separate SATB parts available on YouTube in this series)
The Ross Parishes: Ross-on-Wye, Walford & Brampton Abbotts 