We’re using the 12 Days of Christmas to say thank you to some very important people in our church and wider community #12BigThankYous
2nd 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.
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.
St Mary’s has begun celebrating the birth of the baby Jesus with our Carol Service and Crib Service. You can see pictures here and, if you missed it, watch the Carol Service here. Midnight Mass is at 11.30pm tonight (Christmas Eve) and tomorrow (Christmas Day) there is a service of Holy Communion at 8am and Parish Eucharist at 9.30am.
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?
Forget the cold for an evening and enjoy the warmth, colour and taste of Brazil with your hosts, Nick and Janet Nelson. The perfect antidote to the British January weather.
The Friends of St Mary’s are appealing for more gardeners to open their garden on Saturday 31st May and Sunday 1st June as part of Ross Open Gardens. Could this be you, or do you have a neighbour who might help us?
Gardens don’t have to look like Wisley, indeed most visitors prefer small ones with ideas they can take away. Gardens don’t have to be immaculate, in fact this time round we’re teaming up with the Herefordshire Wildlife Trust to feature wildlife gardens also.
Gardeners on the north side of town have been poorly represented over the last few events … St Mary’s Garden Village must have some nicely established gardens by now …
This is one of the big events for the town, and one which raised £9,000 for St Mary’s in 2023. Please think about how you might help it to continue. Please contact us if you can help.
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.
The Bishop of Hereford is delighted to announce that the Revd Prebendary Kelvin Price has been appointed as Rector of Ross with Walford and Brampton Abbotts.
The licensing service will be held at St Mary’s Ross on Wednesday 30th April at 7pm.
Kelvin comes to us from the north of the diocese and has been in the Ludlow Benefice for the last ten years where he has been Rector since 2016.
As we eagerly await his arrival, we hold Kelvin, Ruth and their family in our prayers as he prepares for this next stage of his ministry, and for the people in the Ludlow Benefice.
Kelvin would like to thank all those involved in the discernment, orientation and interviewing groups that made him feel welcome and encouraged during the two interview days in October.
‘My family and I are very much looking forward to joining you all, and becoming new members of the church body within the Ross Benefice. I am sure together we will achieve great things for Christ and His church.
There is still much for me to complete here in Ludlow. But for now, please do pray for my family as we begin to turn our sights towards moving. Also, I would appreciate prayers for Ludlow as they focus on their future as well.
April will soon be here, very much looking forward to meeting you all in person then!’
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 visitsafespacesenglandandwales.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
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.
St Mary’s occasional choir, Round Byrd, sang Evensong at St Mary’s, Ross, to remember John Kyrle who died 300 years ago. Music was by Henry Purcell, a contemporary of Kyrle. At the end of the service Mr Paul Deneen OBE JP DL laid a wreath over the place where Kyrle was buried in the sanctuary of St Mary’s Church. The service marked the end of a three month celebration of the life of John Kyrle, The Man of Ross.
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
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).
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.
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.
We’re looking forward to Harvest Festival tomorrow (Sunday 29th September). This year, our Harvest Service will be an all age service for all the churches in the Ross Parishes and will take place at Walford Church, at 9.30am. Parking is available in the church field next to the church. (There’s no 9.30 service in Ross).
If you live in Ross or Brampton Abbotts and need transport to Walford, please let us know and we will organise it for you.
Then at 1.00am we’re having a bring and share Harvest Lunch in St Mary’s Church, Ross-on-Wye.Please book a free place so we can monitor (and if necessarily, limit) places. Please book early to avoid disappointment. Please bring along some food to share with others, there is no charge.
If you’d like to give a harvest gift, which will again be given to the community larder, please bring it along to the lunch in St Mary’s rather than the service in Walford.
The Ross Parishes: Ross-on-Wye, Walford & Brampton Abbotts 