This morning we came together under blue skies with no wind, a glorious change, for Matins.
Some 40 people, choir and congregation sang the Canticles, the first eight verses of Psalm 119, and three hymns. Readings from the King James version were from Ecclesiasticus and St Matthews Gospel. Father Stephen talked about our straight and narrow path of the Christian Life, leading between wisdom and innocence, likening it to walking on a narrow ridge on a mountain, and pointing out that these tests or choices that we have to make along the way, are as St Paul tells us, watched over by God, who never tests us too much. The Choir sang 'Lord for thy Tender Mercy's Sake' words from J Bull, Christian Prayers and Holy meditations (1568) music by Farrant edited by Anthony Greening, as the Anthem.

The Churchyard in the winter sunshine

Flowers to appreciate before we start Lent

This Sunday in our Parrish Eucharist we had a Baptism. The parents of Michael Alfred chose to have his baptism as part of our service which was a great joy. His parents, God Parents, family and friends joined our regular congregation for the service. Father Stephen was helped by some of the older boys, who poured the water into the Font, and after signing with the specially blessed oil of Chrism, Michael was baptised and his Father was presented with a lighted candle to symbolise the light of Christ in which he will now live and grow.
We then went on to celebrate the Eucharist. After communion the Choir sang Ave Verum in the setting by Charles Gounod.

The Baptismal Party

Spring is on its way!

Today was an historic day for St Mary our Lady. At the Family Service for Candlemas we admitted to the Choir 5 Junior Choristers who are following the Royal School of Church Music training and were admitted as full members of the Choir. This is the first time in at least 40 years junior choristers have been admitted, a wonderful occasion for everyone and a great and joyful sign of  the work of the Spirit in our community.
Seth, China, Hazel, Amy, and Lucy who is to be head Chorister, were presented to Father Stephen by Joanna Chilvers and were duly admitted, they receive their Cassocks and Lucy received her medal as Head Chorister. They then sang together the solo in 'Lead me Lord'  words from Psalms music by Samuel Sebastian Wesley (1810-1876).

In addition to this wonderful event, we also heard from Father Stephen about the festival of the Presentation of Christ in the Temple. This occurs 40 days after Christmas and marks a turning point in the year as we move from thinking about Christ's birth and childhood and look forward to Lent and Easter and thinking about His Passion and Resurrection. We lit and held up individual candles during the Gospel from Luke recounting the events of the Presentation.  After Communion the Choir sang 'When  Mary to the Temple Whent' Translated from the German by J Troutbeck, Music by Johannes Eccard. At the end of the service Father Stephen blessed the new alter candles that we will use throughout this year. There was coffee after the service, and lots of photos of the new choristers and the whole choir were taken, thanks to Steve Amos for pressing the button!!

China, Amy, Lucy. Hazel and Seth our new Choristers

The whole Choir with Joanna

Lucy and Amy with Father Stephen

A busy weekend at St Marys with a most successful evening on Saturday and a well attended service on Sunday.
Saturday night we were treated to a Burns Night Supper in the Village hall. A really splendid occasion wonderfully catered by Hilary Platts and her team, the pudding being duly addressed in the traditional way, a Dram was drunk to toast the night and the arrival of a new baby grandson for Chris and Colin Field. After the wonderful food David Blackford played his accordion to accompany the singing including Auld Lang Sine. With the raffle and the sale of the lovely Primulas on the tables a total of £466 was raised for the New Rooms. Fantastic!!
The 10 o'clock service was well attended and we were joined by the Lay Chair of the Deanery Synod who is visiting all the parishes in his Deanery. In his sermon Father Stephen talked about the new Baptism Service, the wording of which no longer mentions the Devil. Father Stephen concluded that it is difficult to put words to mysteries.
The Choir sang 'The Crown of Roses' words by A.N. Pleshcheev translated by G. Dearmer and music by P.I.Tchaikovsky.

Next week, our family service will celebrate Candlemas!

Our first Mattins of 2014 took place on a beautiful sunny dry morning, such a contrast from recent times! We return to the canticles of Venite, Te Deum and Benedictus, and the psalm set for today was Psalm 40. The readings from the King James version of the Bible were from Isiah and St John's Gospel. It was the second reading, describing how the disciples moved from following St John the Baptist to following Jesus. father Stephen took up this story in his sermon, talking about how John had gone on to challenge Herod, It is as we are transformed by our relationship with Christ we also must go out and proclaim the good news.
The Choir sang 'A Closer Walk with God' setting by CV Stanford. 
Only one ticket remaining for the Burns Supper next Saturday night which promises to be an excellent event.

Winter sunshine in the Church yard

Epiphany Flowers

In our Eucharist this Sunday we commemorated the Baptism of Our Lord, Both readings related to the story of Christ's baptism in the River Jordan, In his sermon Father Stephen talked of the importance of water, including his story of swimming in the sea and loosing his footing and nearly drowning! He impressed on us how baptism symbolises drowning and being reborn to a new life in Christ.
The Choir sang 'Ave Verum. setting by W.A. Mozart.

The last few tickets for the Burns Night Supper on January 25th are available from the Church Wardens!

Happy New Year to every one!! This Sunday our family Service celebrated the Feast of the Epiphany, Twelfth Night, marks the move of the Christmas celebrations into the Epiphany period. To mark this the Choir and Junior Choir sang the Twelve Days of Christmas (Traditional Arr. J Rutter) and between each verse, the narrator explained how this traditional song could be related to the Creed. Well Done Harriet for your reading, and the Choir for singing, this was instead of a sermon, and was a very jolly presentation.The adoration of the Baby Jesus by the Magi is an important part of the Christmas story, and during our Offertory Hymn the Sunday School enacted the arrival of the three Kings or Magi while the Congregation sang 'We three Kings of Orient Are'
The service, which gave us a very enjoyable start to the new year, was followed by coffee.

Don't forget to get your tickets for the Burns Night Supper on Jan25th 7pm in the Church Hall. £10 each for a 3 course supper in traditional Scottish Style. Tickets from the Church Wardens!

Three different representations of the Magi