St Mary's Church, Dymock

Reports

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September 28th was the date this year for our annual 'Harvest Festival.' A Service of thanksgiving was first celebrated by a large congregation in Dymock Church. Last year it hadn't been possible to go into the adjacent Parish Hall for the meal after the Service, as there was another event taking place there, so the meal was held in the church. That was deemed to have been a success with a good atmosphere, so this year the meal was held in church again. (Return to top)

After the Festival Service, tables were laid out in the front of the nave and the side aisle to allow the gathering to partake in a Festival Meal of home-made quiches, with a choice of mixed salads, followed by apple pie and cream. (Return to top)

Gloucester Historic Churches Trust (GHCT) arranges an annual sponsored fund-raising event involving cycling or walking around the churches in our diocese with a sponsor's donation per church visited. Alternatively, fund-raisers can do a sponsored silence, or knit-in, etc. (Return to top)

In Dymock we've been very lucky with grants from GCHT towards our Restoration Appeal so feel we want to support them in return but this year only 8 adults and no children made the ride. We await the result of their collecting their pledges. (Return to top)

Sunday afternoon, 7th September saw a special Service in Gloucester Cathedral to celebrate our diocesan overseas links. The Service was expertly taken by the Bishop of Tewksbury, Rt Revd Martyn Snow and began with the placing of a candle on the altar table by each of our Link Officers for: Karnataka Central and Dornakal in India, Västerås in Sweden, Western Tanganyika in Africa and El Camino Real in America. After the Service, the respective candle was to be sent to the cathedral in the respective oversea diocese. (Return to top)

The young people from our Diocese who had visited India and Tanganyika this year gave a short presentation illustrated with a few slides of their experiences. In his sermon, Bishop Martyn referred to the suffering each of our dioceses are experiencing this time before asking us to take back to our parishes two questions: (1) How can we show solidarity with our partners who are suffering? (2) How can we make partnership central to all we do in our Benefice, Diocese and overseas links? (Return to top)

The Revd Gerard Storey was then anointed and commissioned as our partner about to go to Tanganyika to work in that diocese and the Service ended with the dismissal said by Canon Daudi Ndahana from Tanganyika. (Return to top)

On Sunday morning 7th September, 9 children and 1 adult from across the churches in our Benefice were presented to the bishop for Confirmation in a special Service in Dymock Church. Bishop Michael of Gloucester was unable to attend, so we welcomed to Dymock for the first time one of the Gloucester Assistant Bishops, the recently retired Bishop of Guildford, Rt Revd Christopher Hill. (Return to top)

In his sermon, the Bishop made two related points reflecting the Readings for that day: in Confirmation we 'put on Jesus' externally, like putting on armour to protect us, and we receive Jesus internally so we show thenceforth the 'Light of Christ'. He asked us to look at the person next to us and suggested we were looking at Jesus, and then to look at someone else and suggested we were looking into the eyes of Jesus. Dramatic... but making his point. (Return to top)

After the Service, which included a first communion for the candidates, everyone shared in refreshments including a specially made cake. (Return to top)