The latest in our series of recitals, St Mary’s Singers– who sing at our monthly baptism service at St Mary’s– led a varied evening’s concert which include audience participation, piano duets, solos from “A Sound of Music”, Gilbert and Sullivan, and much more. It was a splendid evening, at which we remembered the late Arthur Mathews, who was so instrumental in organizing the recitals and running front-of-house for so many years. He will be much missed, and it seemed fitting that on this day the winner of the Grand National was “One for Arthur”!

The parish choir sang carols at Ewell Yule in Ewell Village: Winter Wonderland was our parish Christmas dinner: Decorating the church for Christmas: Many thanks to all who made the above possible, and to all involved in the six school carol services and nativities we have hosted in the run up to Christmas. It has been good to welcome over 1900 pupils, teachers, and parents to church over this time.

In October 2016 we installed a projector and screen in St Mary’s. When out of use the screen retracts up behind the chancel arch, so it is completely hidden. When deployed, it can be put to many uses. On the first Sunday of use, the Vicar referred to a painting by Fra Angelico in his sermon, illustrated on the screen. Then after the service, over coffee, we were able to watch a video on the new diocesan strategy. Many thanks to the Golden Hours Fellowship and others, whose donations made this possible, to our contractors SFL, and to all those involved in the installation.

As our church is dedicated to St Mary, we keep a Sunday near 8th September– the Birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary– as our patronal festival. This year, the celebrant and preacher was the Bishop of Dorking, the Rt Revd Dr Jo Bailey Wells, in her first parochial visit as since being consecrated Bishop. You can hear the Bishop’s sermon using the audio player below: Before the Eucharist, the Bishop blessed our new white High Mass set of vestments, donated by a parishioner.