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Regular Services At St Mary's
Rector’s Message - Rollestonian (Winter 2013)
St Mary’s Events - Rollestonian (Winter 2013)
Rector’s Message - Rollestonian (Autumn 2013)
St Mary’s Events - Rollestonian (Autumn 2013)
St Mary’s Events - Rollestonian (Summer 2013)
Rector’s Message - Rollestonian (Spring 2013)
St Mary’s Events
St Mary’s South Wall Restoration
Sunday Services
| 8.00am | Holy Communion [1st Sunday] |
| 9.30am | Morning Service [a modern service & family friendly] with Stay & Play crèche area every week |
| 6.30pm | Evening Service [a quieter service using the service from the 17th century] |
Mid-week Thursday Communion 9.30am
Thursday Coffee Mornings 10am to 11.30am in the Old School Room
Bellringing every Thursday from 7.30pm
Choir Practice most Sundays from 7.30pm
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Dear Friends,
Many will know that as Christmas approaches I become a bit of a ‘scrooge’. It always seems to me that Christmas starts too early and doesn’t last long enough! Let me explain; Advent is supposed to help us get ready and Christmas festivities are supposed to last 12 days. Today Christmas surrounds us and stresses us out for 30 days or more and lasts until we’re overstuffed with turkey and you can’t wait for the relatives to leave; usually around 4pm. It is as though we have too much of a good thing for too long and then it’s over. I much prefer the slow build up of expectation through Advent and I would then much rather have the traditional 12 days of Christmas to enjoy through into the New Year.
Many of you will know that there has been a slow build up to my taking on the responsibility for Tutbury Parish that began back in June. It has been a slow discussion and deliberation for finding ways in which this might happen. It has not always been easy and for Tutbury it has been painful at times acknowledging the loss of a Vicar in the Parish. From 1st January I will have Anslow-Rolleston-Tutbury to care for as their parish priest and I will not be alone in this. Two other clergy will be joining us Rev Alan Wheale and Rev Pip Short and so in time over the coming year you will see them around and may meet them in the course of the Christian life of the parishes. I hope you can welcome them as you welcomed me 14 years ago.
The theme for St Mary’s Advent Festival this year is Great Expectations, a wonderful theme to conjure with in creating so many wonderful trees and garlands. Expectations are always around us from what present we might get to how dry the Turkey might be! There will also be expectations in the churches and in our communities in this coming year. Some to be feared and some to be welcomed...it will be down to us how those expectations will be realised.
Ian Whitehead
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The produce given at our Harvest Festival this year was again used to support local charities. Tined and dried goods were given to YMCA for their food bank, while fresh produce was sold at the Harvest stall outside Rolleston club and raised £207 for the work of the local Salvation Army. St Mary’s support the YMCA food bank on a regular basis, and any food donations for this may be left in the church to be taken to YMCA, a list of goods required is on the blue noticeboard in the church.
Rolleston History Day had a varied set of topics well enjoyed by all who attended, as was the excellent lunch provided by Beryl Toon. The Day produced a profit of £400 for St Mary’s Fabric Fund.
Monthly Munches continue in the Old Grammar School on 4th Wednesday of each month at 12.30, a varied 2 course lunch, good company and all for just £4.
“Great Expectations”, this year’s Advent Festival will be over by the time this Rollestonian is delivered, and I would like to thank everyone who took part, especially “Beatus” who stepped in at a late stage to provide our traditional opening concert. This year in addition to our “usual suspects” we were pleased to welcome two new participants from Tutbury.
We look forward to our involvement in Rolleston’s major community events next year including our own Garage Sale, Gardens’ Sunday and the special “Airing of Quilts”. Remember, St Mary’s welcomes any appropriate suggestions for its use as a community venue.
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There are all sorts of changes going on at the moment in the village and in everyday life. Money isn’t stretching as far as it did for most of us, there seems too much of the month at the end of the money. This is a reality for many as the monthly need by Burton YMCA for food tins and provisions to give as food parcels proves.
Money doesn’t seem to be an issue when it comes to building within the village. It seems that wherever there is a patch of land someone has the bright idea of filling it with housing, but then maybe money is an issue there after all.
Within the Parish and the Church there are changes going ahead which are based somewhat on money. In our area there are not enough clergy to cover all the churches and all the parishes and there is not enough money available to pay for them. Before anyone says “Church is the richest landowner in the country”, that’s partly true, but most of the money has nothing to do with the local church and more to do with paying for retired clergy, their housing, bishops and cathedrals. Your local parish church sees none of this money in real terms, and so within the area here there has to be a reduction in clergy numbers. That is the main reason that plans are in motion for your Rector to become Vicar of Tutbury in addition to Rolleston and Anslow. That will mean changes in the way in which I work, but it will change little in the way in which your church will continue to be here for you in the village. I will still be here as part of this, your church. Fourteen years now I have been here with my family and I aim to be here at least for a good many years to come. I, with you, will see many changes to come in the village, but as we have seen in the past Rolleston will continue with Rollestonians a part of it.
Ian Whitehead
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There was a bumper crop of gardens for this year’s Garden Sunday and we do thank everyone who helped the day to raise over £2,500 for St Mary’s. The Celebrity Scarecrows were out in force and once again the judges had a difficult time in choosing the final winners.
Next year Garden Sunday will be a week later, July 13th, to satisfy Wimbledon
fans and the Scarecrows will be having a holiday to be replaced by “Pails of
Posies” or “Buckets of Blooms”!
Other dates to note are;-
October 26th 2013, History Day and
September 13/14th 2014, “Airing of Quilts” details of which you will find
elsewhere in Rollestonian.
“Monthly Munches” now take place on the 4th Wednesday of the month at 12.30pm in the Old Grammar School. All are welcome to enjoy a two course lunch and pleasant company for £4.
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St Mary’s Events
Musical friends entertain Rolleston
St Mary’s Church
Sunday June 23rd 3 – 6pm.
Tickets £7.50 to include cream tea
Tickets are now on sale for this midsummer afternoon concert in aid of St Mary’s church and can be obtained from Starbuck’s, St Mary’s Church, Sylvia Martin (813320), sue.tansey@btinternet.com .
The three groups performing are: Cadenza, a small ladies choir who have previously performed for the BBC & the National Trust. The Four Winds Quartet, woodwind teachers and performers who gave their first performance at the Philip Marshall memorial concert . The Brewhouse Youth Choir, formed in 2009 as part of the “Sing up Burton “ project.
July 7th will see our 22nd Garden Sunday &
Celebrity Scarecrow Trail, see separate notices, it’s not too late to offer your
garden or build a scarecrow!
September 1st Family Treasure Hunt, keep a look out
for notices about this event.
September 29th Harvest Festival followed by the
Harvest Pop-Up stall on Monday 30th September outside Rolleston Club.
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Into the New Year and already so much is happening.
It is great to hear of the Rolleston Scouts going off to Kenya – what a challenge!
The Parish Council hard at work in the village needing two more villagers to stand for election – what a challenge!
The Civic Trust, always on the side of the village, is looking for ‘new blood’ to be part of the committee – what a challenge!
St Mary’s church completing the Walls Project, debt free, with your help – what a challenge that was!
Lent with overtones of what to give up – what a challenge!
BUT hang on a minute…is that it? No, of course there are always other challenges throughout life – some much harder than others.
Lent in the Christian faith is a time to consider the challenge of challenge just as the Bible records Jesus doing. Traditionally that has been in giving something up but more often today the challenge is to consider taking something up. 40 days isn’t long but it is long enough for habits, characteristics and outlook to change – what a challenge!
What then, Christian or not, might you consider a challenge? Going to Kenya or standing for the Parish Council? Helping out at a village event or joining the Civic Trust?
This village has a long tradition of helping others out & rallying round and long may that continue because in today’s financial and time pressured climate that is a valuable thing.
The challenge of Lent, with faith or none, is to consider what that might look like for you…and looking critically at ourselves and our lives…WHAT A CHALLENGE!
Ian Whitehead
Confirmation Service planned for 2nd June with the Bishop of Stafford. Anyone interested in finding out more about being confirmed as a member of the Church of England and joining us for the Bread & Wine of Communion contact Rev Ian Whitehead 01283 810151 or revirwhite@aol.com
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Lent will soon be upon us and the planning of what is happening around St Mary’s over this period is underway.
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It seems a long time ago now, but I would like to thank everyone who contributed to last year’s Advent Festival. The event was as popular as ever and raised over £2,500 for St Mary’s.
One event that was a casualty of the weather was the “Beer, Cheese & Chocolate Evening” – this has been postponed until Friday April 19th and there are still a few tickets available at £7.50 - phone Sylvia (813320) if you are interested.
Our next big event will be the Grand Garage Sale Tour on Monday May 27th. As always this will be in combination with Transport Day, so a good number of visitors will wandering around looking for bargains! Now could be the time to think about taking part, either with a sale in your own garage, or by adding to the church stall. You will find registration forms in the Spring issue of Rollestonian.
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In January 2013 thanks to generous contributions from villagers and support from the Fundraising Committee at St Mary's, the PCC have managed to raise the funds for the South Wall Appeal and all the repair work has now been completed. Grants were received from English Heritage, The Wolfson Foundation, Garfield Weston Foundation, Staffordshire Historic Churches Trust and the Allchurches Trust.
We have benefitted from the expert professional advice of our Architect Mark Parsons from Anthony Short and Partners LLP in Ashbourne and the skilled craftsmanship of Stephen Anstey Stonemasons from Costock, Leicestershire.
The support of the village cannot be emphasised enough-from Coffee Mornings and Pudding Parties, Plant Sales and Garden Sunday to the Transport Festival and Barn Dance. Many private individuals have simply put their hands in their pockets to help.
It is a testament to the importance of St Mary's to the village that even in these difficult financial times we have been able to see the project through and ensure the continuity of St Mary's for our lifetime.
Next time you are nearby, have a wander around to the back of the church and see the difference.
It is Rolleston's only Grade 1 Listed building and we should be proud of it!
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Last updated: 9 February 2014