St Mary's Church
Fairford

Coffee Morning and Bring and Buy and Cake stall

In aid of Open the Book.

Open the Book teams take Bible stories into primary schools throughout the country, including Fairford Primary School, offering a weekly assembly which presents different Bible stories and involves the children themselves as much as possible. For many, if not most, of the children these stories will be unknown as their parents’ generation has missed out on hearing Bible stories. In order for Open the Book to be introduced in more primary schools, do please support this event.

Gloucestershire Historic Churches Trust Annual Ride and Stride

This  annual fund-raising event will take place on Saturday, 12th September. Participants ride (cycle or horseback) or walk their own planned route to visit as many churches as they wish. Sponsorship is sought - our members were very generous last year, helping us to raise over £700. Half of the sum raised goes to GHCT and half to our own church.

If you would like to participate this year or merely seek more details please speak to me in person or call me on 01285 712421. Please also have a look at the poster in the church porch. See the website.
Phil Trickett

Charity of the Month:
Farms for City Children

This is an educational charity, founded in Devon in 1976 by children’s writer Michael Morpurgo and his wife Clare. Talking of early days of the Charity, Michael once said: "Every week the children came we had one very clear aim in our heads – to make it as intense an experience as possible, to make it a week that would build their self confidence and self worth as they worked out on the farm, a week full of fun too, the most memorable week of their young lives.”

Now, forty years on, there are three farms and every year around 3,000 children from towns and cities all over the UK come to have the most memorable week of their young lives with us. We offer urban children from all over the country a unique opportunity to live and work together on a real farm in the heart of the countryside.

An intense “learning through doing” experience of a different life for children who may not know where their food comes from and have limited opportunities to explore the outside world. Groups of up to 39 children aged 8-11 come to the farms with their teachers for a week-long stay, throughout the year, in all seasons and all weathers. They work in teams alongside our real farmers, getting involved in everything necessary to keep the farm going. The farms are located in Devon, Gloucestershire and Pembrokeshire – full details are available in the leaflets which will be available in the church from 1 September.

This is a new charity to St Mary’s - which I am sure our rural community will want to support – every year they need to raise half a million pounds to support the 3,000 children booked to stay, and a further half a million to look after their farms and three historic properties. The congregation at St Mary’s is always very generous with their support of our Charity of the Month and I am sure this one will be near to the hearts of many of you – thank you for your gifts.
Website.

Previous Charity Fundraising

The amount raised in July for Mission to Seamen was £73.55. The PCC will add a further amount.

Date for your diary

Autumn Fair 14th November 2015, Community Centre to raise money for church funds. Help needed running stalls etc.

Jesus and Me Club

6th September
10am St Mary’s Church, Fairford
Stories, craft, fun and food
JAM club is on the FIRST Sunday of the month.

Funday Sunday/Messy Church

We meet on the second Sunday
of every month.

There will be a Funday Sunday on:
Sunday 13 September

St Mary's Church 4pm-6pm

Crafts, Games, Celebration, Cooked Meal
FOR FAMILIES.

The theme is 'The Biggest Party Ever' and it will be based on Jesus's story about inviting guests to a wedding. The party theme suits us very well as at the same time we are going to celebrate changing our name. We are now entered on the Messy Church website and we are going to change our name to 'Messy Church' instead of Funday Sunday. Everything else remains the same - activities and games in the church from 4pm, followed by a Celebration and then a cooked meal in the Community Centre, finishing about 6pm as usual.

No need to book but it will help us with catering if you can let us know that you are coming. If not - just turn up on the day.

Email stmaryslmt@gmail.com.

Messy Space, Sat 19th Sept

2.00 – 4.00 p.m. Fairford Community Centre
Crafts and Coffee Bar for families

This month's theme: After the summer it's back to work and back to school so it must be time to start thinking about indoor activities for the whole family.

Adults and Children (recommended 4 years upwards)
£2 per child (max. £5 per family)
Concessions available

A project of Churches Together Around Fairford.
Enabling families to enjoy being families.

Summer Lunch With Pig Roast
Sunday 16 August

After an ‘iffy’ week of weather and an uncertain weather forecast, we are delighted to report that the sun came out and shone down on this year’s Hog Roast. After a slow, nerve racking start, the ticket sales boomed and we finally sold 96 tickets! It was lovely to see the children and hopefully this may be the start of things to come.

We would like to extend a huge thank you to all those who came bearing a fantastic array of salads and puds which made our catering task so much easier. Your generosity was very much appreciated and helped generate the final brilliant profit.

However our biggest thanks must go to the big band of helpers who in many different ways helped and contributed to the making of a very successful day. We really could not do it without you – you are all fantastic.

The final profit after taking all the expenses into account was £1,225.74 – a much needed boost to church funds.

Thank You from Becky and Barbara
and to Becky and Barbara from the church community.

News August 2015
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St Mary's News Round-Up 2014
St Mary's News Round-Up 2013
St Mary's News Round-Up 2012
St Mary's News Round-Up 2011