Magazine – St. Mary The Virgin

January 2025 – From the Vicarage

by churcheditorMagazine, Vicars Message January 1, 2025December 26, 2024Comments are Disabled

From the January 2025 Parish Magazine Dear friends, Happy New Year or as the Japanese would say, akemashite (the New Year has dawned!) omedetou (Congratulations!) gozaimasu! I'm offering you the Japanese version of Happy New Year because of their acknowledgement that the New Year has begun. We often seem reluctant, I think, to pause in …

Advent Weekend Celebrations

by churcheditorMagazine, News January 1, 2025December 26, 2024Comments are Disabled

From the January 2025 Parish Magazine From November 29th to 1st December St Mary’s had a busy weekend with the Christmas Tree Festival, Rushden Town Brass Band concert and finishing off with the Advent Carol service in church. Even though a little cold with no heating, the warmth of the start of the Christmas season …

December 2024 – From the Vicarage

by churcheditorMagazine, Vicars Message December 6, 2024December 6, 2024Comments are Disabled

From the December 2024 Parish Magazine Dear friends, Time flies when we are having fun! Hopefully you will feel like this too; it only seems a few days since I was licensed as Vicar here and yet both Becky and I feel well settled into the church and wider community - if feels like we …

A Bumper Harvest

by churcheditorMagazine, News November 1, 2024October 26, 2024Comments are Disabled

From the November 2024 Parish Magazine This year’s Harvest services produced a bumper crop, not only of produce but also for attendance in church. Including the Sunday morning communion service, the joint Harvest Supper and Songs of Praise with the Wesleyan Chapel and the schools’ Harvest service. There were over 769 people who were welcomed …

November 2024 – From the Vicarage

by churcheditorMagazine, Vicars Message November 1, 2024October 26, 2024Comments are Disabled

From the November 2024 Parish Magazine Dear friends, As we approach this season of Remembrance, I have been thinking about our duty as Christians to be people of peace, to promote peace, and to be peaceful in all that we offer. I'm basing this on John 14: 27 where Jesus said: 'Peace I leave with …

October 2024 – From the Vicarage

by churcheditorMagazine, News, Vicars Message October 1, 2024September 30, 2024Comments are Disabled

From the October 2024 Parish Magazine Dear friends, A month has gone by since you welcomed Becky and I so wonderfully into your community - thank you so much for such a memorable day. +Debbie commented on how perfectly the service had gone and how warm and friendly you as a community came across. It …

Fifty Years of Ministry

by churcheditorMagazine, News September 2, 2024August 26, 2024Comments are Disabled

Looking Back on Fifty Years of Ministry Reverend Stanley Howarth (From the September 2024 Parish Magazine) Looking back over fifty years of ministry as a priest. When I was ordained priest in 1974 my bishop, archdeacon, rural dean and incumbent were all men and modern language services were just being introduced in the form of …

September 2024 – Message from the Churchwardens

by churcheditorMagazine, News September 1, 2024August 26, 2024Comments are Disabled

From the September 2024 Parish Magazine We are both truly thankful to those who continue to offer us as new churchwardens support and guidance. In the next few days we will be welcoming the Rev’d Morna as our new incumbent at St Mary’s. We hope that you will join us for this special occasion on …

September 2024 – From the Vicarage

by churcheditorMagazine, Vicars Message September 1, 2024August 26, 2024Comments are Disabled

From the September 2024 Parish Magazine Dear friends, I would like to begin by thanking you for your wonderful welcome to us - your cards, letters, flowers and produce have all been so beautiful and heart-warming. We are really beginning to settle in well and are looking forward to getting to know you all better. …

August 2024 Message from Fr Stan

by churcheditorMagazine, News, Vicars Message August 1, 2024July 28, 2024Comments are Disabled

From the August 2024 Magazine Fr Stan writes: When I was preparing for ordination at Salisbury and Wells Theological College in the early 1970s our Principal, canon Harold Wilson (not the prime minister of the same name), instilled in us the importance of the “Vicar’s Letter” in the parish magazine because, he said, more people …