St. Mary’s Church News March
MARCH REPORT
We have on our church notice board the words “Croeso I bawb” that is “welcome to all” and that is what we offer to our congregation whenever we gather for worship in church. Our church is a welcoming church to all who wish to join us in worship to the One true God and His son Jesus Christ. We are now in the penitential season of Lent, that period of forty days leading up the great festival of Easter. You will notice that the church is a little bare, with the flowers taken away and there are less brass ornaments on the altar and sacristy. We do not have as much singing in the service as usual, the message being that in Lent we give up doing the usual pattern of a sung service to a more simple form. Lent is a time of not only giving something up, but of going that further mile in helping someone you know who would appreciate a little gesture of friendship, help with an everyday task, a telephone call to make sure they are O.K. a donation to the Food Bank to help those in greater need than ourselves, Lent can be used as a means of helping others, try it, you will e following our Lord, as he went about, seeking out the lost and the lonely.
Ash Wednesdays
The first day of Lent was kept in the Wenvoe and Sully churches as we began our journey through Lent with a solemn Eucharist and Imposition of Ashes. As Lyndon wrote “This is the day we begin our penitential season of Lent with the remembrance that we are mortal symbolised by receiving ashes on the forehead” our Lenten study will continue on Tuesday evenings on ZOOM at 7 –8 pm Email Vicar Lyndon for ZOOM info at lyndontssf@ outlook.com The Lenten Weekday Eucharist on Wednesdays at 10.00am 1st and 3rd Wednesday in Wenvoe and 2nd and 4th Wednesday in Sully. See full details of the services for HOLY WEEK 2024 on the notice boards in the church porch.
Jude Billingham has been outlining the plans for this year’s Christian Aid Week in May ( full details in next month’s What’s On) and in the meantime wearing her Food Bank Hat, Jude has been letting the congregation know how desperately the food banks need our gifts as they find themselves overwhelmed with the demands on them, whilst at the same time donations of food and other essentials have dried up. You can leave your gifts in the containers in the church porch, and there is a list of items they need most. Jude and Nigel then take them to the Food warehouse in Barry on a Thursday morning A big thank you to all the regular givers, your gifts are really needed. Another way to help is to give a cash donation, which enables the team in Barry to go out and purchase items in most need. You can leave your donation in the secure post boxes in the church porch and the church hall porch. Thank you.
It has become our custom in the month when there are 5 Sundays to meet as a joint congregation in our churches on a rota basis. However this year the 5th Sunday in March happens to be Easter day and it was felt that each congregation would want to worship in their own church, the following Sunday the 8th April we will be gathering at St. John the Baptist church in Sully at 10.00am Do please join us and meet up with new friends. Refreshments and fellowship to follow the service.
The Chattery
Has met on the 2nd Thursday of the month in Wenvoe Church Hall and has increased in numbers, with lots of chat and NEW Beakers for the hot drinks and plenty of posh biscuits and numerous FREE raffle prizes. Make it a date in your diary, next meeting March 14th. All are most welcome.
Have you seen the display of miniature daffodils planted by the Wenvoe Branch of the Women’s Institute to commemorate their 100 years in Glamorgan. The planting takes the form of a underlined “W.I” and is a very good floral addition to the larger display of daffodils now In bloom.
Maundy Thursday March 28th
AGAPE SUPPER at 7.00pm in the church Hall incorporating the Holy Eucharist concluding with a Watch Service in Church. An appeal for soup makers to provide an assortment of soups. (please contact Sandra Davies) Donations in aid of Christian Aid. All are welcome.
It has been our custom for many years to decorate the church with extra flower displays for Easter Day to commemorate loved ones who have passed to their greater glory. Donations please with names to be recorded by Palm Sunday March 24th.
Palm Sunday March 24th
9.30am Eucharist and Palm Procession from the Church Hall Car Park will have a donkey to accompany us and will also be in the churchyard following the service. ”The Holy Journey through the Cross to the Resurrection begins with the Palm Procession recalling Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem”
There is a warm welcome for you in church God Bless……
Parry