A busy weekend for St Mary our Lady, with a bring and sing performance on the Saturday and the Palm Sunday service followed by the Annual Parish Meeting.

On Saturday afternoon at 3 pm a group of singers, including the church choir and a number of visiting singers convened in Church to rehearse 'The Crucifixion' by John Stainer. We were joined by soloists John Palmer (Tenor) and Jake Stevenson (Bass) . Joanna Chivers Gibb, directed the rehearsal and played the Organ. At 5 pm we stopped singing and walked down to the Church Hall to partake of a splendid tea provided by Anne Wade and team. We reconvened in Church and at  6 pm a performance of the work was enjoyed by a sizable audience. The Choir and both Soloists gave a wonderful performance which was much enjoyed. A very fitting start to Holy Week

On a blustery damp Sunday morning we gathered for the Palm Sunday service which included a procession with palms, and a reading of the passion gospel. We managed to conduct our procession in the dry, and returned to church to the dramatic reading of the Gospel in which many parishioners took part, the whole narrated by Mike Fowler, crowd parts by the choir. During Communion the Choir sang 'Here Oh Lord I see the Face to Face' setting by Percy Whitlock. Father Stephen announced that the church had received a grant of £15000 towards the works required to be done on the roof, a marvelous piece of news!

The Procession with Palms 'Hosanna'!!

Reading the Passion Gospel

After the Service and a quick cup of Coffee we started the Annual Meeting. Father Stephen opened the meeting with a summary of the 'best of 14' for us. The meeting received reports from the Churchwardens, and the Treasurer, and discussed the contents. The Church Wardens were re elected for another year, and the PPC re-elected two members.  The Mission Action Plan was preseented with its current updates, and many thanks were given to the Church Wardens, Gill Cook the minutes secretary, Joanna Chivers Gibb for the Music and everyone who works so hard all through the year to keep our beautiful lively happy musical, loving, church moving forwards and growing in faith!!

Father Stephen opened the Annual Parish Meeting

Services for Holy Week include Stations of the Cross on Wednesday, Maundy Thursday Service on Thursday evening. On Good Friday our services are at 11:30 and 2pm, On Holy Saturday the evening service and of course Sunday Morning Easter Day. You might like to follow the journey to the cross and to resurrection by attending all these services, but you will be welcome at any one that you can come to!!!

May the message of the Cross and the empty Tomb strengthen your faith this Easter.