Church

• Anglican High Mass at Wimborne St Giles: First Sunday of each month at 10am. BH21 5LZ. • Blandford Methodist Church: Sunday services at 10.45am followed by refreshments. Thursdays: coffee and chat with refreshments from 10am-noon. This is a ‘warm space’ for those wanting to reduce their energy bills for a morning. Fridays: Lunch club for over-55s from noon. Phone Joyce Wild on 07817 505 543 to book a meal – price £5. The church is anxious to offer help to those in need – call steward John Cornish on 07799 516 735. • Chalbury Church: Fourth Sunday of the month, 10.30am Holy Communion. • Hinton Martell: Second Sunday of the month, 10.30am Holy Communion. • Horton Church: First Sunday of the month, 10.30am Holy Communion. • Our Lady’s RC Church, Marnhull: Mass Sunday, 9.30am and 6pm. • Shaftesbury Quakers (Society of Friends): Meets for one hour each Sunday from 10.30am at the Quaker Meeting House, Abbey Walk, Shaftesbury SP7 8BB. • St Benedict’s RC Church, Gillingham: Sunday, 11am. • St Mary’s, Sturminster Newton: First and third Sunday,

ST MICHAEL’S, MERE. Sundays 8am BCP Communion. First Sunday each month 10.30am Informal Service. Other Sundays 10.30am Parish Communion.

CHURCH ORGANIST St Martin’s Church, Lillington, near Sherborne, seeks a new organist to play our recently restored organ for regular vibrant Sunday services. We have a wonderful vicar and very friendly congregation! Please phone Mark Church Warden 07817 845775 11am Holy Communion; 6pm BCP Evensong. Second and fourth Sunday, 9.30am Morning Prayer; 6pm BCP Evensong. Fifth Sunday, 11am Benefice Holy Communion. Wednesdays, 10am BCP Holy Communion. • St Peter’s, Hinton St Mary: First, second and third Sundays, 9.30am Morning Prayer. Fourth Sunday, 9.30am Holy Communion. • St Thomas’, Lydlinch: Second and fourth Sunday, 11am Holy Communion. Third Sunday, 6pm Evensong. • Shapwick: Third Sunday of the month, 9.15am Holy Communion. • Sherborne Quakers: Meet Sundays 10.30am in the Griffiths Room, Digby Memorial Church Hall. Everyone welcome. • Witchampton Church: Third Sunday of the month, 10.30am Holy Communion. • Cheap Street Church, Sherborne: The church will provide a warm and welcoming space with hot drinks, cakes, soup and rolls plus activities such as jigsaws and knitting on Thursdays up to 14 December, 10am-3pm. • Holnest Church: The church (DT9 5PU) welcomes Stanchester Quire on 9 December at 7pm for a Christmas concert by candlelight. Free admission, donations welcome. Limited seating available – book on 01963 210632. • Longburton Village Cafe: Held in the village church of St James. Tea, coffee – free refills – and great cakes for just £1.50 on Tuesday 13 December, 10.30am-noon. • Lower Stour Benefice: . Sunday 11 December – 9.30am Communion – Blandford St Mary; 11am Christingle – Tarrant Rushton; 3pm Carol service – Langton Long. Thursday 15 December – 7pm Music at St Mary’s Christmas concert – Charlton Marshall. Saturday 17 December – 2.30pm Informal carols singalong, followed by tea – Spetisbury Church (an opportunity to request your favourite carols). Sunday 18 December – 9.30am Carol service – Charlton Marshall; 11am Communion – Langton Long; 6pm Carol service – Tarrant Keyneston; 6.30pm Carol service – Spetisbury. Tuesday 20 December – 6pm Carol service – Blandford St Mary.• • St Mary’s Church, Charminster (DT2 9RD): Christmas tree festival 9-11 December. Opening times: Friday 9 December 3-6pm, Saturday 10 December 11am4pm, Sunday December 11 2-5pm. 5pm Sunday carols around the trees with mulled wine and mince pies. Light refreshments plus Christmas gifts and Fairtrade stalls. Admission £3 (children free). • West Camel Independent Methodists: Meeting at All Saints Church (BA22 7QB). Sunday December 11, 3pm – United Carol Service; Sunday December 18, 10am – ‘Pop-up Nativity’ family service, 3pm – Service with Holy Communion; Wednesday December 21, 7pm – ‘Carols on the Green’. • St Mary’s Church, Sturminster Marshall: The church holds its 12th Christmas Tree Festival on Saturday and Sunday 10-11 December from 10am-4pm. St Mary’s annual toy service is on Sunday at 9.15am with the toys being donated to the Salvation Army. Refreshments and children’s activities feature with carol singing on Sunday afternoon. Entry is free. • St Catherine’s, Sedgehill: Carol service with festive refreshments, Friday 16 December, 6pm. • St Mary’s, Donhead St Mary: Saturday 17 December, 6pm, village carols with mulled wine. • St Andrew’s, Donhead St

Andrew, and St Mary’s, East

Knoyle: Sunday 18 December, 6pm carol services. • Holy Trinity Church, Stourpaine: Christmas market on Saturday 10 December from 3.30-7pm. Mulled wine, waffles, Christmas fare and arts and craft stalls. Free admission.. • St Mary Magdalene, Castleton: Sunday 11 December, BCP Holy Communion, 11.15am; Sunday 18 December, mattins, 11.15am; Sunday 25 December, lessons and carols with BCP HC, 11am. • St Martin of Tours, Lillington: Sunday 11 December, BCP Holy Communion, 10am; Sunday 18 December, carol service, 6pm. • St James the Great, Longburton: Sunday 11 December, family communion, 10am; Sunday 18 December, carol service with Nativity, 4pm. • St Paul’s Church, Sherborne: Sunday 11 December, Holy Communion, 10.30am; Sunday 18 December, all age Nativity, 10.30am. • Blandford St Mary Church: The 12 Days of Christmas – A display for each of the days by local groups/organisations. Open Tuesday to Thursday 20-22 December, 10.30am3.30pm. Free entry, refreshments served. Traditional carols by candlelight with a choir, Tuesday 20 December, 6pms. Family Christmas celebration with children’s nativity and children’s choir from Blandford St Mary Primary School, Wednesday 21 December, 5.30pm followed by refreshments. Coffee and cakes, a morning get together on Thursday 22 December, 10-11.30am. • St Mary’s Stalbridge: 11 December – Holy Communion 9.30am; 18 December – Morning worship 9.30am and Carol service 6pm; 22 December – Holy Communion 10am. • Sherborne Abbey: Christingle Service, Sunday 11 December, 4pm, in aid of the Children’s Society. • Sherborne Abbey: Christmas concert – carols, music and song, Monday 12 December, 7.30pm. Director of Music James Henderson with the Abbey Choir, Sherborne Town Band, the Sherborne Singers and music groups from The Gryphon School.