Welcome to the web site of the Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
This beautiful church has been the home to a worshipping Christian community nearly a 1,000 years and has welcomed newcomers and visitors for all that time. We try to be a warm, inclusive church where we love God and love others as ourselves.
Back in February, I was licensed and installed as “Curate in Charge” for Woolpit and Drinkstone churches. I’m pleased to say that I have now had a service (on the 13th September) to officially make me the “Rector” for St Mary’s and All Saints’ churches. This was really just a formality, as I have felt very much a part of the community since February, but it does now feel that I am “properly” in place, and I look forward to getting to know more people. So, whether you have been in Woolpit for many years or are new, please do contact me if you would like a chat, or just say hello as we pass each other in the village. I hope over the next 12 months there will be an opportunity for us to meet.
The Harvest Festival service at St Mary’s this year is on 11th October at 10:45. This will be a chance to thank God for creation, for the food we have, and to offer gifts to support those who have a greater need than us. We will be taking donations of non-perishable food in support of the Stowmarket Food Bank. This organisation, and all the food banks across the country, are very grateful for all that people can give, and it makes a real difference to the lives of the people that they support.
If you wish to donate items but cannot be at the service, please leave donations inside the church on the Friday or Saturday of that week.
During October, the Woolpit Festival is happening and we are hosting two of the evenings at St Mary’s. We are looking forward to being entertained and seeing many people coming to the church. Do look out for the publicity that will be appearing to find at the timings and details of all the concerts.
To raise funds for church, we are having a race night at the village hall at 6.30pm on 24th October. It’s a fun evening and there will be a ploughman’s supper included for £12.50. For information on booking a ticket please see the advert.
November is a season of remembering.
At St Mary’s we will be having a short service on Sunday 1st November at 6pm to remember loved ones who have died, whether that was recently or many years of go. It will be a time to remember and reflect, light candles and add names to a remembrance tree within the church. Please do come and join us.
On Sunday 8th November at 10.55am there will be our Remembrance Sunday service to remember and honour British and Commonwealth service members who died in the two World Wars and later conflicts. It offers a collective pause, to reflect on sacrifice and loss. Please do join us at the Woolpit Institute.
As the nights start to draw-in and we move from autumn to winter, this can be a difficult time of year for many people. So it can be especially important that we are aware of the needs of those around us, and provide care and support for our friends and neighbours, so that they do not feel alone. This demonstrates a love which reflects the love that God shows for each of us, and can be a light in someone’s darkness.
Reverend Ruth Farrell officially retired as rector of the Woolpit and Drinkstone Benefice on July 20 following many years in her role.
Retirement parties and gifts were arranged to thank her for all she has done for her congregations since she was made rector in 2007.
And on August 5, Revd Ruth was gifted a special and prestigious certificate of Long and Exemplary Dedicated Service.
The certificate, which came as a complete surprise to the reverend and is rarely handed out, was from the Bishop of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich as an “acknowledgement of her faithful service to the diocese and benefice”.
The certificate reads: “In thanksgiving for many years of dedicated service to the life of the Church of England in Suffolk.”
It is signed by Martin Seeley, Bishop of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich.
“Well done, thou good and faithful servant,” it reads.
Rev. Ruth’s Ramblings July 2024
A friend of mine recently recommended that I down load onto my smart phone a free App called ‘Merlin Bird ID’ by The Cornell Lab.
It is a brilliantly clever piece of software that allows you to record the bird song you are hearing and then identifies the birds that are calling. I’ve never been good at bird song. I might, if I am lucky, recognise a black bird and a robin and sometimes get the great tit call right but generally it is just a melange of calls to me. Now, I easily identify which birds are singing and I realise I have far more wrens in the garden that I expected, and even have an elusive song thrush.
I really enjoy my garden birds and now I am getting more pleasure by having confidence that the song I am hearing is genuinely from the bird I am watching.
There is an element of making explicit, what was previously implicit. The sound I am hearing is from a wren, even though I might not see it from one week to the next. I know it is there.
Perhaps that is what I hope my ministry over the past 18 years has been about, at least in part. I have tried to make both the love and the action of God explicit in the lives of our community.
I believe that God is always present in our lives but too often we fail to notice how he is working in and around us. Like bird song, we are so accustomed to his touch on our lives, that it becomes just part of the background of our being. Yet, when we stop and notice, we are conscious that he has held us through the difficult moments of our lives, put the right person along side us at the challenging times and given someone the word we needed to hear when we have needed encouragement.
I hope and pray that I have helped people to notice that it is God there holding each of us in love and guiding us in our life’s journey.
As I move away, to start the next part of my life’s adventure, God remains here with you – before and behind. His love for each of you and for all that you do doesn’t change – it is just that it will be someone else, in the future, helping you to listen to his voice and to feel his touch.
I have loved my 18 years of being part of the community, of sharing in joyous times and being there for the hard ones too. I want to thank you all for helping me also to experience the presence of God through your friendship and care. I can’t thank you all enough for your warm best wishes for my future, your cards and gifts and most of all for the unconditional support and care I have received from you all in this most wonderful of communities.
I will continue to hold you in prayer, remember my time in Woolpit and Drinkstone with happiness, and be ready to welcome you when you turn up on my doorstep in Leiston wanting coffee.
May God bless you and keep you.
May he make his face shine on you and be gracious to you.
May he lift up his countenance upon you
And give you peace.
Now and always.