Events in the past year

Christmas Cracker 16th December

The Churches Together in Wool Christmas Cracker took place on Saturday 16th December.

Holy Rood contributed to a joint church effort, with several Messy Church tables that were very popular, our Choir came along, and we ran our Christmas Stable Photobooth.

Many people have said how much they enjoyed the activities of that morning and here is an idea of what went on -

Bovington Primary School Choir came to Holy Rood at the D'Urberville - 6th December

We had a special surprise treat on Wednesday morning 6th December as Bovington Primary School Minibus Choir came to share some carols (and their catchy Christmas shopping song!) with us, after our 10am Communion service.

It was a great mini-concert, we all enjoyed the music, and the choir is excellent! We are very grateful to all the children and teachers who gave up their time, expertise, and enthusiasm to add to our morning worship in a unique, happy, and very special way. Thank you all.

Carol Singing with the Holy Rood Choir in the Black Bear - Saturday 16th December at 7.30pm

Many thanks to Mel, landlady of the Black Bear, who invited the choir (which was aided and abetted by a few of its supporters who joined in). Mel generously supplied some mince pies and mulled wine - and even before the refreshments it seemed to the choir that a very good evening was had by all! Thanks to all who participated.

Parish Christmas Card

Following from previous years there was an opportunity to give a donation of money or food for the foodbank, whilst signing the Parish Christmas Card. A card was in Church together with a flyer / poster with more details.

Well, did you make an angel?!

Angelfest 2017

Or maybe you didn't but wonder what it was all about?

Have a look at the Angelfest Page!

Christingle Service Sunday 10th December at 4.30pm

Sunday 10th December at 4.30pm - Please come along. (Hot chocolate and cake will be served after this service!)

Churches Together - Christmas Cracker on 16th Dec

Saturday 16th December - in the D’Urberville Hall 10am - 2pm.

Come and join in the spirit of Christmas. Messy Christmas Craft, pop in for coffee and mince pies or perhaps stay and have a turkey or ham roll for lunch.. Have your photo taken in the stable! Lots of activities.

THANK YOU - Christingle Service held on 8th December 2017

Thank you to all who contributed.

£150 was paid into the Children’s Society - Jenny Hunt.

Celebration Assemblies

Wool C of E V.A. Primary School are holding special Celebration Assemblies - usually 2.30pm on the last Friday of the month in term time - at which all are welcome to attend.

Volunteers are needed to assist the PTA serve tea/coffee to parents in school at 3pm after the Celebration Assembly at 2.30pm on Friday 24th November. Please see Rev Carol for more information.

Dorset Historic Churches Trust Ride and Stride - More good news

The total raised by Holy Rood was £155 with £77.50 being returned to Holy Rood. While the rest is used to make grants to help other churches in Dorset. Thank you to all who donated - Jenny Hunt.

Congratulations and very well done to our 2017 Gold Award Winning Churchyard and Maintenance Team!

Congratulations to all those involved with Church & Churchyard Maintenance - they’ve been awarded the top GOLD award from the Dorset Wildlife Trust. Previously, they had received Bronze awards for three years running, so this represents an amazing achievement.

The assessors have also awarded them the second place Bishop's Prize of £50. Well done to you all.

Planned Giving Envelopes

Please find your envelopes ready for collection at the back of the church. Should you want to know more about setting up a standing order, which will reduce the costs of providing envelopes or to pay through the Gift Aid scheme, then contact Chris Corteen (01929 462642).

Thank you for your planned commitment to God’s mission in this parish and beyond.

Holy Rood's cheque details - a small but important bit of admin

Please note that if you write a cheque for Holy Rood Church please make it payable to “The PCC of Wool and East Stoke” which is the official name of the Holy Rood Bank Account.

(In the past cheques have unfortunately been refused by the bank for having the wrong payee name.)

Thank you as always for your support.

Invitation to anyone who may be interested in helping with ‘Open the Book’

Please see the notice board at the back of church, the article in ‘Church Without Walls’ newsletter, and/or speak with Rev Carol.

Girls in Fellowship Together (GIFT)

This is a young mums group that meets in term time at the home of Mrs Pauline Matthews (01929 462128). From 7.30pm until 9pm on the first and third Tuesdays each month, we chat, have tea or coffee and cake. We end with a thought for the day and a prayer. All mums are welcome. Phone Pauline for more details.

Homegroups

Our homegroups meet (during Term time only) for Bible study, discussion, prayer and fellowship - there is a choice of Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.

See Pew Sheets for more details.

Important Announcement About The Churchyard

Diocesan Churchyard Regulations

A reminder that all items apart from an authorised headstone or wooden marker should be removed from graves in accordance with Diocesan regulations. Any items not removed will be collected and stored in, or in the case of pot plants alongside, the churchyard shed. Items in the shed may be collected at the times indicated on the notice on the shed door. Thank you to all those who have responded to previous requests. We are hopefully in the final stages of removing artificial flowers/plant pots etc from the churchyard and would ask if word could spread about the necessity to remove such items as soon as possible - Rev Carol would be most appreciative.

You will be aware that the churchyard extension is now complete. The PCC has allocated scarce resources to ensure that the parish has access to a churchyard and we now have one of the largest in the Diocese. Obviously this comes with costs; complying with the regulations helps to keep down costs and ensures that the churchyard, which is a public place, remains a well-kept, restful and respectful place.

Incumbent and PCC

Monday Home Group

Our Advent seasonal course started on Monday 30th October 2017

"Ready for Christmas? - Thinking through Advent"

- written by Peter Dainty

From the book's Introduction :

We spend an enormous amount of thought, emotion and energy in preparing for Christmas, but do we have time to prepare ourselves for Christ?

More details on days and venues via this link.

Teapot news

At the “Teapot Club” meeting on Tuesday 24th October, Jill Jenkinson spoke about her work with "Wheels for the World", a charity taking refurbished wheelchairs and other equipment, and aid for street children, to Ghana in west Africa. Jill is there for most of November and our prayers for her, and the team she is leading, would be welcomed by her.

Second Wind, Spirituality and the second half of life’ - from our friends at the Methodist Church

1st and 3rd Wednesday 2-3.30pm in either Wool or Wareham Methodist Church.

6th Sept, 4th Oct, 1st November & 6th December at Wool Methodist Church

20th Sept, 16th Oct, 15th Nov at Wareham Methodist Church.

There is a flyer with further information on the table at the back of the church.

Saturday 21st October was the ‘LAST NIGHT OF THE PROMS’ in Holy Rood, 7.30pm with Wareham Town Band

Many came to wave a flag - or just enjoy the live music from our local concert band.

Teapot Club sent another shipment to Africa

On 21st September, some of our Teapot Club members became parcel packers, as they put together baby clothes and blankets, knitted by members and their friends, to send to Rugarama Hospital in Kabale, Uganda, East Africa. Rugarama is a private, not for profit hospital, that was founded on Christian principles by an initiative of the late Bishop Festo Kivengere. The hospital's main purpose is to offer quality health care to the poor communities at an affordable cost, through curative and preventive medicine.

The funds for posting the parcels (which is quite an expensive thing to do) are raised in the meetings, little by little, by members who put small voluntary donations aside that always seem to be just enough to cover the costs.

This work to help our Christian brothers and sisters to minister in practical ways in another country is much appreciates by Rugurama, who write back regularly with thanks and greetings.

Wool CofE VA Primary School Christmas Fayre

Friday 1st December from 3.15pm onwards.

Lots of entertainment, stalls and a visit by Santa!

An invitation to afternoon tea, with John and Rosemary - Friday 1st September 2017 at 2.30pm

This was a chance to have tea and cakes at 1 Vicarage Close, raising funds in aid of The Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Society on Friday 1st September 2017 from 2.30pm - 4.30pm at 1 Vicarage Close. Please come and support this worthwhile cause.

Many thanks to friends and neighbours who helped and supported this popular event. A total of £159 was raised and sent to the MS Society.

Church & Churchyard Maintenance

When they met on 2nd September, the team set about clearing weeds from paths and attending to the leaking tap at the top end of the churchyard.

They downed tools at 11am and gathered in the church for a meeting to consider the Surveyor’s latest Quinquennial Report. It contains a rather daunting list of tasks to be undertaken, but most are not urgent and if taken one by one, they shouldn’t present too much of a problem for the team.

Some jobs such as fixing roof tiles will require professional attention, so can be completed as funds permit

- Tony Smale.

Staycation - ‘A 1950’s Day at the Seaside’

Thursday 17th August 11am - 3pm

All the fun of a day at the beach at Holy Rood Church to include: picnic lunch (provided), deckchairs, sandcastles, knobbly knees competition, making postcards etc.

This event was aimed at anyone who could actually remember the 50's but attracted a wider clientele. It was much enjoyed by all who came - and here are some pictures (thank you, Gill Webb!) to give the general idea:

The knobbly knees competition - and the clear winner:

More good news from the swallows in the porch -

- their second brood has not only hatched but appeared to be flying round the church at the 8am Sunday Communion Service on 13th August.

Now all these babies need is enough sense of direction to find their way out again, and they can begin to sort out the route of their trip from here to South Africa - leaving in 4-6 weeks time.

Picture from Revd Carol

For more details of what their next moves are likely to be, see the RSPB page at:

https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/bird-and-wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/s/swallow/migration.aspx

Churchyard Maintenance - Saturday 5th August

Luckily, the rain held off until the end of our work session on 5th August, so we got plenty of jobs done. Some of us were clearing out the wooden shed while others were out in the fresh air, tidying the Calvary mound, strimming nettles and shaping the saplings along the top boundary - you can now see the new hedgerow taking shape, with a handful of saplings left to grow into full size trees. Now, I know we’ve only just had the Summer Fete, but John was busy measuring up the area next to the church ready for next year’s event - obviously not letting the grass grow under his feet! - Tony Smale.

The Shoebox Coffee Morning and Lunch - Tuesday 8th August

Our prayers for a fine day were answered (for that part of the day at least!) and it was a great success with many people attending and helping raise funds for the hundreds of shoeboxes with gifts within, that Pauline and her helpers will send to underprivileged children once again this year.

A total of £870 was raised on the day which is a staggering amount and a huge tribute to everyone's generosity as well as a wonderful result from all the work that went into it. (Since then more funds have been donated or given directly raising the total to over £1,000.)

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A BIG THANK YOU to everyone who supported this event. The total so far £1,005 and counting (13th August 2017).

- Pauline and Gren

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Here are a few pictures from the day -

Church Fete - Saturday 1st July 2017

Many thanks to all who helped and especially to John Williams who again has done a wonderful job of organising it all.

There was a good attendance on a beautiful day, and funds raised were as follows:

	To set aside time for God and feel closer to Him
	To discern his will and guidance at times of transition or difficulty
	To be strengthened in faith
	To feel inspired by the communion of saints who have gone before us

- from The Pilgrim's Way website (at http://www.pilgrimswaycanterbury.org/why-pilgrimage)

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Last modified: Monday, 12 September 2022