15th September 2024 Drone Video
Big thanks to Barry Brown from DroneBiz who took a lovely aerial video of our church and has allowed us to use it.
Heritage Weekend 7th & 8th September
Our heritage weekend involved delving into our parish history. For children, we had a treasure trail quiz with prizes. There were refreshments too, and lots of other activities.
A renovated black and white wattle and daub church by Peter Carson should visitors what the original St Mary’s would have looked like.
There was also a graveyard trail linked to the memorials and the windows in church.
6th September 2024 Parish Day Out
Valmai Bonnard organised a wonderful day out for our church and community to Blists Hill Victorian Town near Ironbridge. It is a great place with some fascinating exhibits and amazing industrial heritage. It was good to be together having fun.
1st September 2024 Back to School Service
On 1st September we held a special Back to School Service where we welcomed children and their families for lively service and we and prayed for our local schools and colleges as they start the new school year. Our theme was, “Be loved. Be kind. Be you.”
August 2024 – Art on Loan
John Elcock, an artist who works with the Williamson Art Gallery in Birkenhead, has loaned an art-work to St Mary’s for six weeks. The exhibit is a stone engraved with a phrase in Middle English which can be seen next to Yew Tree in the Graveyard.
4th August 2024 – Guest Choir
On Sunday 4th August St Mary’s Church welcomed an excellent guest chamber choir, for special services of Holy Communion and Evensong. Singers from Ellesmere Port Music Society and members of Saint Mary’s Church Choir and friends combined under the baton of Malcolm Perry to bring sublime sacred sounds to both of our Sunday services and enhance our worship with some heavenly harmonies.
We also welcomed a talented guest organist, Stephen Hargreaves for evensong. Big thanks to Malcolm for organising the events and running the rehearsals.
Our New Noticeboard – July 2024
We are delighted to have a new and up-to-date noticeboard with the strap-line Ancient Jewel Living Church which is such a great way to describe St Mary’s.
July 2024 Millfields C of E Primary School Leavers’ Service
Nikki Matthews, Rev’d Beth and Paddington Bear led a service of prayer and worship for year six leavers as they embarked on their journey to secondary school. Year six pupils were presented with youth Bibles.
Saturday 1st June Eastham Seaside Picnic in Torr Park .
This event was a lovely celebration of community, culture and creativity, organised by Eastham Churches and sponsored by Wirral Borough Council . It was a great day with a seaside theme.
Easter 2024
On Thursday 4th April we held a Free Easter Egg Hunt in church
We welcomed around 200 children and their families for our popular Easter Egg hunt. Children had fun searching for eggs and had the chance to enjoy some lovely refreshments. Every child took away a goodie bag which included a chocolate egg and Easter activities.
Easter Decorations 2024
There were beautiful flower arrangements and displays both inside and outside our church as we celebrated the resurrection of the saviour.
Holy Week 2024
Holy Week 2024 has involved movement, music, reflection, prayer, craft and creativity as we have explored the theme of God’s healing touch and journeyed with Jesus towards the cross.
On Maundy Thursday the church was stripped of the church of all its ‘trappings’ to reflect on Jesus’ isolation as he faced the cross.
Our Good Friday many children helped to create Easter ornaments for our willow tree and adults added feathers to the tree of life below as we reflected on Christ’s healing love for us shown at the cross.
School Visits Easter 2024
Both Millfields C of E Primary School and Heygarth Primary School visited St Mary’s for their Easter services. The children learned about the real story of Easter and Freddie, The Easter Bunny, was evicted from the story!
Puppets and Palm Crosses
On 20th March 2024, 19 toddlers and their childminders came to St Mary’s. They saw a puppet show with music all about the real Easter Story. Everyone left with a palm cross from our big palm cross in church.
Children’s Afternoon on the theme of Love Wednesday 21st February ❤️💒
Games, singing🎶, drama🎭, stories📕, craft, film🎥 cakes🍰 drinks 🧃and goodies to take home were enjoyed by over 40 children and their families who joined us for this lively special event.
Memorial Service 11th February 2024
Memorial Service February 2024 . This special service was an opportunity for people to remember loved ones who have passed away, to pray, light a candle and receive God’s comfort.
Candlemas 2024 🕯
Candlemas Evensong 🎶. We marked the official end of Christmastide on 4th February at 6.00 pm with a beautiful service of choral evensong. The choir were joined by some guest singers and they sang the pieces listed below:
- Preces and Responses by William Smith
- Psalm 24 (The psalm for the Presentation of Christ in the temple) Chant, John Barnby
- Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis in D by Herbert Brewer
- The choir anthem is Candlelight Carol by John Rutter.
Advent and Christmas 2023
Christmastide at St Mary’s
Cracking Christmas Crib Service
A donkey and a sheep enchanted the the children and families crammed into our Christmas Crib service. The story of the nativity was told in story, song and action. Children had a chance to dress as shepherds or angels. The children took home copies of the Christmas message with some sweet treats too!
Chapel of the Good Shepherd
Rev’d Beth and members of the church choir visited the Chapel of the Good Shepherd in Carlett Park for a Community Carol Service.
Children’s Christmas Visits
Heygarth and Millfields Primary schools joined us for special Christmas Events.
Heygarth School held a busy and popular Christingle service. 🍊🕯
Local childminders brought their young charges for a special visit to the Bethlehem stable in the Stanley Chapel which involved a puppet show with music.
Outdoor Nativity Scene
Many members of our congregation and the local community enjoyed seeing the nativity scene in Ferry Road in Eastham.
Carol Services 🎶
We had a lovely Advent Carol service at St Mary’s on 3rd December 2023.
Choral Christmas Carol Services were held at St Mary’s and St Peter’s during Advent.
Friday 8th December Carols by the Church Lychgate 🎵with the 🎺 Salvation Army.
This was a fabulous festive event. The Salvation Army Brass Band played and people sang with great enthusiasm. Children enjoyed adding baubles to the outdoor Christmas Tree. Afterwards, mulled wine and mince pies were served in church 😋🍷🥧
Sunday 3rd December Advent Sunday Angels flew in 😇👼🏻
St Mary’s was decorated with angels everywhere and the Christmas tree 🌲 arrived.
Advent Angel Fish
Casting the Net Wide was a project in the Diocese of Chester which included a community art initiative, led by Birkenhead artist, Wendy Williams. Parishes in the Diocese of Chester created 3D fish from recycled materials. The fish were then used as an art installation at Chester Cathedral. For details see this link .
When the exhibition ended, we had a chance to recycle ♻️the art work in a special way.
At St Mary’s, the Chester art installation fish were recycled to become lovely paper angels as part of our angel festival!👼🏻😇. Children helped to create our special angel art display.
Many of the original fish lived on and were used to fill a huge, seven foot, steel angel which was specially created for St Mary’s by a talented parishioner.
They angels were then reused again! They were given out to those who attended the crib service and to a Scout group to help to share the Christmas story with our community.
Season of Remembrance 2023
Our church and the area outside were beautifully decorated as we remembered those who lost their lives in wars and prayed for peace.
On Remembrance Sunday 2023 there was a parade in the rain and wind, from St Anselm’s to the Church, going around the war memorial. The bells rang out as hundreds of people, including uniformed organisations attended the church service and others joined outdoors for the laying for wreaths and the act of remembrance.
