News and Future Events

Welcome in St. Mary's Weldam

In a wonderful service on Saterday 23 November in St. Mary's Rotterdam Hennie ten Winkel and Nelly Karuga, along with 24 others were confirmed by Bishop Trevor Wilmot.

Baptism of Kefa (Mali) Karuga during the Service of 17 11 2024

Actie Schoenendoos/ Action Shoebox

Once again our congregation has taken part in the yearly Actie Schoenendoos. This year 28 boxes were provided to take home and filled with little presents for children in troubled area's of our world. Shortly before Christmas the returned boxes are being sent to children in Africa, Eastern Europe or Ukraine. Children that live in poverty or stress-full situations may feel special for a (short) while when they receive your carefully assembled shoebox with presents, toys, writing and drawing utensils and maybe some toiletry.

Our Actie Schoenendoos/ Action Shoebox blends in with schools, churches and associations being collected through our local Collection Centre. This Centre is one of about 60 other local area collection points taking care of all the shoeboxes to be handled and sent on their way to all those children. Last year our shoeboxes were part of 44.682 boxes, collected in the Netherlands, that were delivered to Moldova, Ukraine, Albania, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Lesbos, Sierra Leone, Togo and Romania.

Twenty-two of twenty-eight supplied boxes were handed in to be transported to the Collection Centre in our local area. In fact there were 20 boxes that made it on time this year. Two boxes were already available as late entries from last years' action. One box was hand carried to the Collection Centre by one of our Church Members, who was not able to hand in the box at the latest date. So if you were late handing in your shoebox, just keep hold of it for next year and you could be one of the first to deliver your box.

Wrapping up, in some colourful wrapping paper, Actie Schoenendoos/ Action Shoebox is a simple and practical gesture in compassion. It does require a bit of your imagination of what the boy or girl, in a troubled spot of the world - with the age "target" group you want to surprise, would like. By acting together, as St. Mary's Congregation, for children in need, it also creates a connection between congregation members.

I would like to thank everyone who has contributed to make this years Action once again a succes.

Lub Gringhuis.

Re-Licensing Reader Simone Jane Yallop during the Service of 20th October 2024.

Last september 14th 2024 we did have our yearly Castle/ English Fair

for an impression see: Castle Fair (Ned) or English Fair (Eng)

Shoeboxaction 2023

Feedback February 2024

Shoeboxaction

Thank you to everyone who took part in theshoeboxaction last November.We have just received some statistics:

Het afgelopen jaar zijn er zo’n 45.000 kinderen die in armoede of oorlog leven, blij verrast met een bijzonder geschenk. Zij merkten dat er aan hen is gedacht!

De dozen gingen naar Moldavië (3.335), Oekraïne (1.357), Albanië (7.414), Bosnië (100), Bulgarije (100), Lesbos (1.009), Sierra Leone (15.001), Togo (7.486) en Roemenië (8.981).

November 2023

The Shoebox collection did very well this year. In total thirty shoeboxes had been provided to the congregation with the intent to fill them with little presents for children. These children live in poor conditions in various parts of the world i.e. Sierra Leone, Togo, and Afghani children in a refugee camp. At the end of the collection period we did receive a return of 21 boxes packed with goodies for the children. On the 6th of November we did deliver the boxes to one of the regional collection centres.

Thank you everyone (also on behalf of the children at the receiving end) who did contribute to this yearly event.

FOR DETAILS ON SERVICES AT ST. MARY'S OF WELDAM PLEASE REFER TO THE SERVICES PAGE.

Protocol regarding public worship at St. Mary Chapel is no longer in effect.  COVID-19 Protocol Page

Thursday Open Morning for Coffee, Chat, and Fellowship.ing a shiny clean chapel at the end of the day.

Coffee Rota

After the service everyone is always invited to Coffee/Tea. This is a nice and important part of our fellowship at St. Mary's. Regular members of our community can meet and have a chat about what is on their mind. Also guests are very welcome to join in. It is a joint effort of our community and it also needs people willing to spend some time before the service preparing coffee. So if you are able to contribute please add your name to the rota sheet which is on the notice board.

Information of the Mineke Foundation Nov 11th 2020 (full newsletter from Tonia)

Information of the Joanne Foundation See: the newsletter

Dicocese in Europe Environmental policy  “Diocesan Policies and Guidelines”