St Mary's Church
Fairford

ChurchWatch 2010

In spite of the snow at the beginning and end of 2010 when there were few or no visitors to the church the number recorded when there were Stewards on duty has been maintained – 11340 recorded in 2010 compared with 11397 in 2009. The maximum recorded in one week was 731 during the Flower Festival when so many visitors came it was impossible to count and they gave up! The highest number recorded in an ordinary week was 369 in August and there were several occasions during the summer when over 100 visitors were recorded for one day.

Stewards Needed

St Mary’s new website and the news that the restoration programme for the windows is complete is bringing us more visitors and the PCC is discussing how the church can cope with the extra numbers and how we can meet visitors’ needs. We are starting our tenth year with Stewards on duty all the year round while the church is open and we are fortunate to have a loyal band of Stewards to provide this service. However, inevitably, some feel the time has come to retire and they are proving very difficult to replace. Stewards do not have to be members of the congregation – or churchgoers. Their role is to ensure the security of the church while it is open, to welcome visitors and deal with general enquiries. No special knowledge is needed but it is interesting and there are opportunities to talk to visitors from all parts of the world. Anyone interested in becoming a Steward at St Mary’s should contact Jo Williams (01285 713341) for further information.

The service provided by the Stewards is greatly appreciated and results in many favourable comments in the Visitors’ Book. Our thanks are due to them all for their work, and especially their efforts to maintain the service during the very difficult snowy conditions of the past year.

Charity of the Month:
Church Mission Society (CMS)

The charity for February is the Church Mission Society (CMS) now in their Oxford Offices. CMS is a community mission service; living a mission lifestyle; equipping people in mission; sharing resources for mission work. CMS supports over 700 people in mission and works in over 60 countries. Sharing Jesus, changing lives could not be a simpler statement of what CMS is about, nor one charged with so much meaning. Looking through their literature on the stand along the south wall, their mission might mean sharing Christ-like love with Children at risk. Or perhaps sharing a community transforming vision with marginalised Pastors. It could mean sharing in the traumas of persecuted Christians or sharing the inspiration that has been found in a humble grassroots project. Above all it means sharing the reality of the risen Christ and opening each other's eyes to his kingdom. When that sharing happens it is sure to change lives.

Your support for the work of CMS is needed in our prayers and in any financial way. There are booklets to read on the shelf and gift aid envelopes opposite. Further information can be had from The Church Mission Society at
Freepost RRJC-GAAU-TCYE, CMS Box 1799, OXFORD OX4 9BN
Tel: 0845 620 1799
Website: www.cms-uk.org.

Previous Charity Fundraising

Monies collected for the two charities for December 2010 were as follows: during the service of Nine Lessons and Carols - £287.97 for CRISIS; during the Crib Service - £344.86 for The Children’s Society. The box on the south wall contained £12.13 and the PCC will add further monies to this. Everyone is thanked for their contributions.

Café Church

Sunday 6th February 4.00 to 5.30 pm in the United Church, Milton Street.

Please join us and meet friends, do crafts, listen to a story, play games, informal worship, share food.

Open to all - ages 0 to 100+!

For more information contact Joanne Roberts on 07881 903045

Organised by Churches Together Around Fairford with support from an Extended Services Grant from Gloucestershire County Council.

Messy Space, Sat 18th February

2.00 – 4.00 p.m. Fairford Community Centre

This month: Hearts and Football teams

Adults and Children (recommended 4 years upwards)— £2 per child (max. £5 per family)
A project of Churches Together Around Fairford.

Mothers' Union

Our next meeting is on Wednesday 23rd February at 2.00 p.m. in the Barker Room. Denny Rawlinson will tell us about her visit to The Holy Land.

The Candlemas Service is on Thursday 3rd February at Southrop Village Church at 2 pm; followed by tea and cake in the village hall.

"We're going to the Wilderness"
Deanery Youth Residential, 8-10 April

Applications are invited from all young people.

building FRIENDSHIPS
exploring FAITH
having FUN

Cost around £55, please contact Chris Saunders on 07918732040 or by email for more details.

Items for Inclusion in the Parish News

must be submitted by the 10th of each month. It may not be possible to include late items.

The editor of the month reserves the right to use editor’s judgement as to the size and shape etc of articles submitted. Do not worry if you cannot arrange the layout - that’s the editor’s job.

Send an Email to: stmaryspn@gmail.com
or place in envelope clearly marked ‘Parish News’ and take to the Parish office (open 10am—12 noon Mon – Fri) (if the Office is closed) put it through Fairford Community Centre letter box,
or post to Parish News, Parish Office, Fairford Community Centre, High Street, Fairford GL7 4AF (don’t forget the stamp).