On Wednesday 9th November, a film crew working for the BBC and the US network CBS turned Church Street and the Savoy into a setting for the making of “Black Cake”. Charmaine Wilkerson’s novel describes how “two estranged siblings must set aside their differences to deal with their mother’s death and her hidden past–a journey of discovery that takes them from the Caribbean to London to California and ends with her famous black cake.” (Life of a Female Bibliophile)

St. Mary’s was the “green room” for the many extras who were part of the crowd in the 1960s Soho street Church Street had become. Here are some photos taken by Cath Griffiths.

On Friday 19th August, St. Mary’s Monmouth was filled with music and song, rose petals and incense, to welcome Philip Chatfield’s statue “Our Lady of the Waters.” The statue had been carried along the River Wye on a catamaran, brought by a relay of rowers from Hay-on-Wye to Monmouth, to draw attention to the high levels of pollution in the river. Philip and Father Richard Williams, an Anglican priest from Hay-on-Wye, shared their vision that the spirit of Our Lady should be invoked as a spiritual cleansing and a reminder of how badly humankind has failed in our stewardship of God’s world. The special Evensong was led by Rev’d Dan Damon, who quoted from the Canticle of the Sun attributed to St. Francis of Assisi: “Be praised, My Lord, through Sister Water; she is very useful, and humble, and precious, and pure.”

24 children came to our Wonder Zone holiday club from Monday 15th to Friday 19th August. They enjoyed experiments to help them understand God’s wonderful creation, from the Solar System to the tiniest insect. Among the children were some from Ukraine, some of the refugees who have fled the fighting in their home country. The holiday club gave them an opportunity to improve their English and meet Monmouth children before they go to mainstream school in a few days time.

On Sunday 31st July, worshippers from St. Dingat’s Dingestow, St. Michael’s Mitchel Troy, St Mary Tregaer, St. Thomas’s Overmonnow and St. Mary’s Priory Church Monmouth gathered on the village green in Dingestow for a united 5th Sunday Lammas service. Lammas – or loaf mass – is a tradition that has been largely forgotten but which was the first Harvest festival which predates the now traditional October Harvest festival by many centuries. A Celtic pagan celebration to give thanks for the baking of the first loaf from the first flour from the new harvest became an important Christian festival for the early church. It was revived by an eccentric Anglican vicar in Cornwall in 1843 and then was reinvented as the October Harvest festival.

It was such a joy to be able to meet in numbers from different parishes in the open air, to share bread freshly baked by church members with cheese and cider. And it only rained during the last song!

From 21st August, the parish of St. Mary Tregaer will be home to some new residents: the 2022 Scarecrow Festival entries. This year’s theme is ‘Royalty’. All local residents are welcome to enter their very own character into the competition. The scarecrows will be judged whilst they are on display around the village. A scarecrow trail map will be available from the church and from churchwardens. price £1. Prizes announced at Parish Hall Monday 29th August.

Last year’s theme, ‘Children’s TV Characters’ saw Wallace and Gromit, Bob the Builder and a Dalek out in the village among many other beautifully made scarecrows.

Entry forms from Raglan Post Office, Tregaer Hall and churchwardens.

As we reach the midpoint of Lent, a video reflection from Bishop Dominic filled with encouragement to get you through to Holy Week.