 |
 |
A large, Perpendicular Gothic church,
serving the
Parish of Thirsk in the Diocese of York
The Benefice of Thirsk
Rector: Rev Richard Rowling |
St Mary's Church Thirsk: News Page
Lent Fund-raising Events : Lent has traditionally been the time that members of St. Mary’s have raised funds for the Church Army. For the past few years more people have taken part in fund-raising events so it has been possible to support both the Church Army and St. Mary’s. If you would like to host a Lent event you don’t have to invite the whole church to your home. Why not invite just a few friends and neighbours for coffee or afternoon tea?
So far there are 4 events planned. Liz & Barry Thompson start us off with a coffee morning on Tuesday 2nd March. Peggy Griffin, John and Julia Smith will serve refreshments & soup lunches in the Crypt on Monday 8th March. Mary Smith is inviting everyone to afternoon tea on Tuesday 16th March. Stan & Margaret Josephs and Mayla Saunders are having a coffee morning (at the Josephs) on Tuesday 23rd March.
Offers of home-made preserves, scones, biscuits, cakes and raffle prizes will be much appreciated. It will help us with our planning if you let event ‘organisers’ know what you are able to offer.
| The Kitchen Is Where It All Begins -and Ends : 
| Liz and Barry Thompson held the first of this Lent's fund-raising events on Tuesday 2nd March. It was a very busy morning as lots of supporters turned up.The home-made cakes and biscuits were absolutely delicious and very few people had given them up for Lent- or were perhaps giving themselves special dispensation for a good cause!
As well as everyone having a most enjoyable morning a total of £153 was raised.When the other Lent events have taken place all the money raised will go to the Church Army and St. Mary's Church funds.
Liz and Christine were photographed during one of their rare quiet times in the kitchen. | Home-grown Harvest. Calling All Would- be Growers : Please will you help us fill St. Mary’s with home-grown produce and make this year’s Harvest Festival Service extra special? Now is the time to be thinking and planning ahead. Ark Club and Little Ark Club are enthusiastic about the prospect of growing plants in plots, pots, and tubs and we hope that you too will take part and grow something especially for Harvest Festival. If you haven’t a garden it’s amazing what you can grow in a tub on a patio and even if you only have a window sill you can grow herbs, peppers…. Promises of produce will be gratefully received.
| All Wired Up : Thanks to a generous donor the Font cover has been rewired so it may once again be safely raised – even by Marie Rose who was on the receiving end when the cable broke in July 2007.
| Annual Parochial Church Meeting (APCM) : Elaine Coulson, PCC Secretary has put copies of the annual report at the back of church. The APCM will be held in the Crypt 7.30pm Wednesday 24th March. There are vacancies for 3 PCC members - as Margaret Hunton, Alan Morton and Lionel Twiss reach the end of their current 3 year term - and 2 Deanery Synod members. Electoral roll application forms from Cooper Harding, the Electoral Roll Officer.
| Lenten Fund-raising : Liz and Barry Thompson hosted an enjoyable coffee morning which raised £153 and Peggy Griffin, John & I raised £130 with soup lunches and refreshments in the crypt. Mary Smith’s afternoon tea and Stan, Margaret and Mayla’s coffee morning are ‘booked’. Perhaps you could invite a few friends and neighbours in to raise a little money for the Church Army and church funds.
| Refreshments and Soup lunches in the Crypt : In order to continue offering refreshments and soup lunches in the crypt every Monday during the season there has been some reorganisation of volunteers. Sue Armstrong is delighted to confirm there is only a Monday in August that is not yet covered –and that’s far enough ahead to be sorted. Sue will also be pleased to receive any offers to make soup and/or scones.
| Calling All Welcomers and Would- be Welcomers : Ministry of Welcome begins again on Monday 5th April. If you’re interested in being part of this rewarding, invaluable ministry please come to the meeting on Monday 15th March at 10.00am in church. Contact Margaret Hunton on 524904 for more information.
| ‘Make a Joyful Noise/Gladsome Sound’ : Maureen Lewis’s idea of forming a scratch choir became a reality on 23rd February when a surprising assortment of singers joined together to learn and practise hymns old and new. If you were in church on Sunday 7th March you heard its first offering. The next is on Sunday 21st March. If you would like to join the ‘choir’ the next rehearsal is 3pm Tuesday 23rd March in church.
| St. Mary’s Matters : Margaret Ardern has taken over organisation of the distribution of the Parish Information Leaflet. The fifth issue was recently delivered to almost every household in Thirsk. It is hoped every household will be covered next time but with such a huge undertaking there are bound to be hiccups. Margaret will shortly be reviewing the distribution and contacting Distributors to make sure her records are correct. Please contact Margaret on 527735 if you did not receive a copy of the March issue or if you are able to offer help with future distribution.
| Mothering Sunday : All Age Worship on Mothering Sunday is always
very special and the Ark Club and Little Ark Club children enjoyed distributing spring flowers to all the Mothers in the congregation. We are most grateful to Margaret Hunton and the other Women’s Fellowship members who spent a great deal of time on the Saturday morning arranging daffodils and greenery in readiness for this years Mothering Sunday.
| Walk for Tabita - Sponsored Walk for International Women's Day : 
| Lesley McKenzie, whose son works abroad for VSO, persuaded some church members to ‘Walk for Tabita’ and several others to sponsor the walkers. VSO, the Voluntary Service Organisation, had organised a sponsored walk from Chesterton, North Cambridge, as part of the celebrations for International Women’s Day 2010. Despite our willingness there was no way we could go to Chesterton so Leslie devised an alternative 4-5 mile walk starting from Osmotherly, including a bit of the Cleveland Way, stepping stones across the river, alongside Cod Beck reservoir and back.
On Sunday 7th March six women set off from ‘The Coffee Pot’ about 1.30pm. The weather was absolutely glorious –wall-to-wall sunshine but cold. We had been threatened with a muddy walk but it was reasonably dry until the very last bit which made up for it and left us all with very muddy boots. The walk ended with well earned refreshments at ‘The Coffee Pot’. Lesley thought it would raise about £200 but £250 was donated- which is worth so much to women in dire need. |
|