News & Events

There’s exactly one month to go before h.Art opens up again around the county and St Mary’s is taking part again this year.

We have nine talented artists who work in a variety of media coming along to fill the space with their work.

Tea, coffee, homemade cakes and light lunches will be on sale for the duration of the exhibition.

Much more at https://rossparishes.uk/h-art

@ceramicsbykarentacey @lisadearartworks @SHARONYORKEARTIST @marydeavilleartist @simonblundell_artist @sally.boehme.5 @art_byfiona @phil_powell_photography

A river pilgrimage to raise awareness and to call for action to stop pollution of the river.

An extraordinary voyage is planned for 15th to 19th August. A sculpture of Our Lady of the Waters and the Wye, mounted on two canoes made into a canoe-catamaran, will be floated for 75 miles downstream, from Hay-on-Wye to Monmouth.

A great deal is planned, and you can read all about it in the attachment below, but please join the Choir of St Mary’s for Evensong in the wonderfull Hoarwithy Church at 6.30 on Wednesday 17th August. The service will be followed by a “bring your own” picnic, down by the river.

Sunday 10th July 9.30 am at St Michael’s Walford. The second of our experimental Coffee and Cake services. 

Out service begins with opening Celtic Prayer with shared fellowship over Coffee, cake and croissants. the service proper then takes place from 9.55 in the lower part of the church – half hour Morning prayer based on Celtic Liturgy including modern music. We finish at 10.30

We are using modern technology during the service so bring your phone and keep it on. Walford WiFi is available. The first Christian Missionaries to our Island were Celtic Christians.

Hope to see you at this month’s Messy Church!

It’s this Thursday at St Mary’s as usual from 3.30 – 4.30pm. 

We’ll be looking ahead to the summer holidays with our crafts, activities, strory, thought starters, songs and prayers. Come and meet new and old friends! Have fun, chat, enjoy some snacks together. 

Come and see the great model of St Mary’s that we made together on Sunday too!

Hope to see you there

Caroline and Tiffany

Congratulations to the 5 choristers who were admitted into the Youth Choir on Sunday and to the 6 who were presented with their orange ribbon awards.

Coffee (and cake) @ St Mary’s tomorrow (Saturday) begins at 10 am until noon. St Mary’s Choir is in charge this month. Eight lots of amazing cakes are in preparation, including these white chocolate and raspberry blondies (which I’ve just tried and am happy to pronounce “exceedingly good” – yes they are home made).

Monday 29th August, 11 am – 4 pm

The revamped Museum Without Walls for Ross by createROSS is now launched with 7 sites to see (that’s 4 new ones), commentaries built into the app and a trail around the town for you to follow.

Site two is in St Mary’s Church, you’ll find a reconstruction of parts of the church from November 1724 – the day of John Kyrle’s funeral. The 1485 rood screen is there, a seventeenth century organ originally built for Salisbury Cathedral, and … well, see if you can find John Kyle, himself!

You’ll need to download the app to your smartphone then scan the sign by the monuments in church.

Here’s Jenny Cannon’s original artwork, go and have a look at the real thing. Have fun, then go and find the other 6 in the town.

Just a few days to go now until our auction on Saturday 25th June, at 7 pm in Church. There are more than 70 great lots on offer, some of them promises, some actual things.

Lot 65 is a four night stay in this fabulous gite in Brittany, https://owlcottagebrittany.com sleeps 6 + child, in April 2023 (not Easter). 10% off travel through Brittany Ferries.

You can browse the full catalogue, place a commission bid and reserve tickets (only £5, includes wine and entertainment) here: https://rossparishes.uk/auction/ or just come on the night.

This evening at 7 – An evening of local history, stories from St Mary’s churchyard.

We’ll begin the evening in church with a presentation from Heather, over a glass or two of wine to hear about the development of the churchyard and its surrounding buildings and who is buried in it. After that, weather permitting, we’ll wander out for one of Heather’s guided walks (a short one) to see it all in context.

And if you’re a member of the Friends of St Mary’s, our AGM is immediately before it at 6.30 pm.

This event has been organised by the Ecochurch group. There will be plenty of tickets available at the door.

Helping Ukrainians In Ross

Many of us may not be in a position to host a Ukrainian family but we may have wondered how we can help. The Ross Refugee Support is a newly formed independent network of volunteers who are offering help. Some are hosting Ukrainian families but others are simply offering a little of their time.

The Support Group meet every Wednesday in the lower room of the Ross Baptist Church in Broad Street.  This is an opportunity for Ukrainians to meet others from their country, helping them to feel less isolated and chat with others who are in the same situation, which in itself is helping many settle in to a new temporary life in the UK. The hosts have also found it useful to meet other hosts who have been able to offer accommodation and they too can exchange useful ideas on many day to day situations.

The Ross Refugee Support Group is planning to help in other areas. Margaret King, who is responsible for steering this group said

“In addition to hosting families and individuals, we can help in so many practical ways such as helping them improve their English, help with transport, form filling, job applications, health and mental wellbeing.”

If you know of any Ukrainian families or hosts who would benefit from this or if you can help by offering a couple of hours or more, please contact us via our website at www.rossrefugeesupport.org.uk

It’s Choral Evensong today at 6 – the best free show the Church of England has to offer. There’s no need to do anything just come along and unwind. The Church of England invented mindfulness back in 1549!

An evening of local history, stories from St Mary’s churchyard.

We’ll begin the evening in church with a presentation from Heather, over a glass or two of wine to hear about the development of the churchyard and its surrounding buildings and who is buried in it. After that, weather permitting, we’ll wander out for one of Heather’s guided walks (a short one) to see it all in context.

And if you’re a member of the Friends of St Mary’s, our AGM is immediately before it at 6.30 pm.

This event has been organised by the Ecochurch group.

We are soon to invest a considerable amount of money into a new sound system in St Mary’s. We have a trial of speakers (the vital bit) on Tuesday 7th June at 3pm. If you’ve ever complained that you can’t hear properly in church we want your views on the next bit of tech. Please come along for a cup of tea.

Don’t miss the exciting events taking place today around the churchyard all provided by the Wye Valley River Festival.

Full details here: https://wyevalleyriverfest.com/events/the-streets-of-ross/#jp-carousel-2866

Coffee and delicious homemade cakes are on offer now (until noon) in church.

This evening Ross welcomes the Pasadena Roof Orchestra, down at the bandstand. Tickets and details here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ross-platinum-festival-with-the-pasadena-roof-orchestra-tickets-329668305777