A miracle for March
Letting the light back in at St Mary's
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Welcome to St Mary's March news - and a minor miracle! After some ten months of work, our west-facing windows are going back in this week and the scaffolding is coming down. Happily, it looks as though everything should be back to normal in the church for Easter.
We’ve also completed our latest storm repairs to the church roof. Both Storm Katie in March and Storm Angus in November wreaked havoc on our slates in hard-to-reach places. Fortunately, Doris did much less damage and that has been relatively easy to fix.
Sometimes people express concern about the costs and effort involved in looking after our church building. It's true that it's a big task. But there have been long periods when St Mary’s was under threat of closure and vital repairs and maintenance fell off. Much of our work now is simply catching up with decades of inadequate building care.
So a more positive way of looking at the situation is to give thanks that we are no longer facing closure and that we are able to invest in the building’s future for the good of our worshippers and the wider community.
We remain incredibly grateful to the Heritage Lottery Fund, the National Churches Trust and our other funders for their support in bringing St Mary’s back from the brink of dereliction. But the building, lovely as it is, is only one part of the story. Welcoming people from all walks of life and growing the St Mary’s community is an equal challenge, and one that is driven by love and open-heartedness, not funding.
You can help us celebrate the ongoing renewal of St Mary’s on Mothering Sunday, 26th March, when Bishop Martin of Chichester will be presiding at our 10 am service and rededicating the reinstated windows. Or else join us for some of our beautiful Easter music offerings, which include Antoine Brumel’s magnificent 15th-century ‘Earthquake Mass’, Bach’s Cello Suites, and, on the Wednesday of Holy Week, our traditional performance of Stainer’s Crucifixion.
There’s an eclectic range of other events too, including the next Kemptown Community Market in the church hall on 11th March, Butlers’ Australian wine-tasting on the 18th, and Music Carousel’s hands-on children’s concert on the 25th. Plus we have our regular activities. Charity knitting group The Purlers meets on Mondays at 10 am, our Tea & Company friendship café is on Wednesdays at 3.30 pm, and Kemp Town Talks, our free drop-in English-conversation class, takes place on Fridays at 10 am.
If you’d like to join in or volunteer with one of these activities – or even propose a new activity – please get in touch. We’d love to hear from you.
Fr Andrew Woodward
Priest-in-charge
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Friends' History Night
Congratulations to the Friends of St Mary’s for their very successful local history night in the church hall on 24th February with guest speaker Dr Geoffrey Mead. Almost 60 people came along to eat fish and chips and hear Geoffrey’s entertaining, illuminating - and occasionally stomach-churning - history of the development of the old slum housing to the east of St Mary’s. It was a great evening and, as a bonus, the Friends raised almost £500 towards a new grand piano for St Mary’s.
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Thank you to Geoff, the organizers, and also the kind folks at Sawadee Thai Restaurant for their gift of a meal for two as our main raffle prize.
Interesting historical fact: Geoff Mead last spoke in St Mary's Church Hall in April 1994!
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Round table talks!
We're delighted with our new round tables, which have brought us closer together at Tea & Company while also giving us more room for circulation and making it much easier for wheelchair users to fit in at the tables. Thank you so much to the Arthur and Doreen Green Fund, East Brighton Trust and the Sussex Community Foundation for funding them.
Tea & Company is on Wednesdays, 3.30 to 5 pm. This season runs until 29th March, then we're back after an Easter break on 19th April. Please get in touch if you or someone you know would like to attend or volunteer to help with catering and conversation. Thanks, as ever, to our cheerful partners from Time to Talk Befriending and Brighton College. Together we make a great team!
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Lent Study Course
Beginning this Monday, 6th March, St Mary's is offering the Diocese of Chichester's Lent Study Course which follows the theme of the Year of the Bible. There are six sessions in all, starting with an overview of the Bible and following with sessions on the Torah, the Prophets, other Old Testament writings, the Gospels, and the New Testament Letters.
Our Monday sessions are at 2.30 pm. If you'd like to join in with one or more of them, please call Fr Andrew on 01273 698601.
To download the course materials and read about the authors, click here.
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A short film about St Mary's
In case you missed it in last month's newsletter, here's another chance to see a short film about St Mary's made by Sussex University Media students, Hsin Yun (Cindy), SeppO and ShinYoung in the run-up to Christmas. See their website too for some lovely photographs and a podcast.
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Getting more from the internet
Digital Brighton & Hove is a network of local organisations that help people with technology. It has a listings website to find free or low-cost help – or you can ask at any library.
If you run a community group and would like to organise a one-off IT event, get some coaching for volunteers, or set up your own IT activities, please ring Judith Field, the Digital Brighton & Hove Co-ordinator on 07471 351969. Judith works for the charity Citizens Online, and can arrange free-of-charge assistance.
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Saturday, 11th March, 10.30 am
Kemptown Community Market
in
St Mary's Church Hall
An appealing mix of FOOD (cakes, pies, charcuterie, breads, spices, pickles, oils, cheese, farm fresh eggs and milk...) CRAFTS, GIFTS, and lots of local producers to talk to. More
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Saturday, 25th March, 11 am
Family Concert - The Magic of Film
Especially for families and children, Music Carousel brings film themes to life with a friendly French horn, booming bassoon and deep, deep double bass. Shudder with delight at Wallace and Grommit’s pranks, whoosh into wizardry with Harry Potter, and strut your stuff to music from the Thunderbirds, Pink Panther and Razzle Dazzle. £8 adults / £5 children. Doors open 10.30 am for 11 am start. More |
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Saturday, 25th March, 7.30 pm
Earthquakes and Eternity
Music for Easter by Byrdsong
Written for twelve parts, Antoine Brumel's Earthquake Mass - Missa Et Ecce Terrae Motus - is one of the musical masterpieces of the fifteenth century. Brumel was one of the most revered and influential composers of the Renaissance. This is a rare chance to hear his work in Brighton and that of his contemporaries Robert Carver and Nicolas Gombert.
Byrdsong is an occasional choir of professional and amateur singers who join together to sing lovely music in, and in aid of, lovely churches. Tickets £10 / £8 conc. Refreshments available.
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Monday, 6 March, 2.30 pm - Lent Study Course
The Diocese of Chichester's study course for Lent is themed on the Year of the Bible and includes sessions on the Torah, Prophets, Gospels and New Testament Letters. Six weeks from Monday, 6th March at 2.30 pm. Course details are available here; to reserve a place please call Fr Andrew on 01273 698601.
Saturday, 11 March, 10.30 am - Kemptown Community Market
Another wonderful mix of foods, crafts and gifts comes to our church hall in the third Kemptown Community Market. Get along to support this new venture and the producers behind it, and drop in to see us at St Mary's while you're there. More
Saturday, 18 March, 12 noon - Bike for Life Cycle Maintenance Course
Bruce Jonas returns to the church hall with Level 1 of Bike for Life's comprehensive, three-part cycle maintenance course. Dedicated, hands-on tuition in a small group, with the first class covering all the basics and subsequent classes tackling more specialist knowledge. For more details and to book, visit Bike for Life's website.
Saturday, 18 March, 7 pm - Matthew Jukes' Top 100 Australian Wines
Cassie and Henry from Butlers Wine Cellar are back at St Mary's (it's their home-away-from-home) with renowned wine writer Matthew Jukes in tow and an amazing 50 of his 100 top Australian wines for 2016/17 to sample. Tickets £20 direct from Butlers. Numbers are limited, so book early.
Saturday, 25 March, 11 am - Family concert with Music Carousel
Music Carousel bring film music to life especially for little children. A delightfully happy way, as this video shows, for children to learn how to listen to music and try out different orchestral instruments. Tickets and more info available here.
Saturday, 25 March, 7.30 pm - Brumel's Earthquake Mass / Byrdsong
A rare chance to hear a 15th-century masterpiece, Antoine Brumel's mass for 12 parts, Missa Et Ecce Terrae Motus, sung by occasional choir Byrdsong. Tickets £10/£8. Proceeds to Nepal Water for Health and St Mary's Piano Fund. More
Sunday, 26 March, 10 am - Mothering Sunday
Bishop Martin of Chichester is our preacher and president on Mothering Sunday, when he will be rededicating the memorial windows in the north aisle after their recent repairs and reinstallation. Followed by morning tea. All welcome.
Sunday, 2 April, 12 noon - Annual Parochial Council Meeting
This is the equivalent of the AGM for St Mary's Church, where we elect new officers for the year ahead, present the annual accounts and review last year's progress.
Saturday, 8 April, 6 pm - Ivana Peranic plays Bach's Cello Suites - FREE
The first of our free recitals for 2017. We're delighted to have cellist Ivana Peranic playing three of Bach's Cello Suites. Free entry, with a retiring collection in aid of music performance at St Mary's and complimentary refreshments.
Sunday, 9 April, 10 am - Palm Sunday
We begin Holy Week on Palm Sunday with a traditional procession of palms and hymns. The service includes the moving narrative of Christ's Passion from the Gospel of St Matthew. See details of all our Easter services here.
Wednesday, 12 April, 4.30 and 7 pm - Stainer's Crucifixion
Our traditional 'come and sing' performance of John Stainer's oratorio The Crucifixion (1887). Singers are invited to join the choir for rehearsal at 4.30 pm. Please bring a score if you have one. The performance is at 7 pm and entry is free. Refreshments available. Info: 01273 698601.
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Do you love old buildings?
Could you spare an afternoon or morning a month to keep St Mary’s open for people to visit and learn about its history? An affection for old churches is sufficient qualification – we don’t ask our openers to provide pastoral care or religious support. Just to share our love for the special atmosphere at St Mary’s. If this appeals, we’d love to hear from you.
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Please use our space!
You're welcome to hire the church and church hall for many activities. We host everything from drama workshops and music classes to public meetings and very big concerts. Our rates are affordable and we will always try to accommodate your event if we can. Please see our website for more details about venue hire. |
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Opening times, services and regular activities
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Please contact Fr Andrew Woodward for enquiries about baptisms, weddings, funerals, counselling and confessions on 01273 698601 or info@stmaryschurchbrighton.org.uk.
Monday 9.30 am – 1 pm
9.30 am - Morning Prayer (BCP)
10 am - The Purlers knitting group
2.30 pm - Lent study course
Tuesday Closed
Wednesday 8.30 am – 5.30 pm
8.30 am - Morning Prayer
12.30 pm - Midweek Eucharist
3.30 pm - Tea & Company (until 29 March)
Thursday Closed
Friday 9.30 am – 1 pm
9.30 am - Morning Prayer
10 am - Kemp Town Talks – Free English Class
Saturday 10 am – 4 pm
Sunday 9 am – 2 pm
10 am - Sung Eucharist
11.15 am - Tea & coffee drop-in
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Our opening times can change depending on the availability of volunteers to staff the church. If you’re making a special trip, please call 01273 698601 in advance to ensure that we’ll be there to meet you.
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