Church of the Ascension Woodlands
November was a reflective month remembering those who lost their lives in the wars and praying for those in need in our church and community. It was also joyous to celebrate Christ the King by making crowns at our November Elevenses service and to start planning our future events.
We now look forward to Christmas in Woodlands and welcome all to join us.
Saturday 7th December 3 til 5 pm Festive Fun at the Woodlands Village Hall.

See Village Hall news and main advert for details. Fun for all the family with craft, singing, lights and refreshments.
Saturday 14th December 10 am til 12 noon. Decorate the church for Christmas.

All ages welcome to help us. Refreshments will be served. Pop in anytime during the morning. This will be a friendly, informal gathering to make the church look beautiful for the festive season. No special skills needed but all help appreciated.
Sunday 15th December at 11 am. Elevenses Christingle.

A fun, informal and joyful service when all ages can join to celebrate together. Seasonal refreshments will be served. All welcome and if you dress up as a nativity character even better. The churchwardens will!
Open church. It is our intention to open the church each day from Saturday 21st to Sunday 29th December. All welcome to visit, appreciate the building, reflect, remember and find some peace and quiet during the Christmas period. Church is always open Saturdays, Sundays and Wednesdays at other times during the winter months. Look out for the Church Open sign.
Village News

Jo Folkes and friends raised an amazing £1710.08 at the MacMillan Coffee Morning in Woodlands. Jo wishes to express her huge thanks to all who helped and supported.
The Egg Shed closed its doors at the end of November. We thank the Cutler family for opening the little shop during Covid to support the community and for the good service they provided.

Wimborne St Giles

 Sunday 8th December at 11am.

An informal service led by John Radford, who will take requests for Christmas carols and give a short background of the carol. Seasonal nibbles and drinks to follow.
On Sunday December 22nd

we have the Benefice Carol Service starting at 6pm. A traditional service with 9 lessons and carols for the whole family.
Christmas morning and the Benefice communion will be at St Giles this year beginning at 9.30am.
The last service of 2024 will be the Benefice Communion at 9.30 on Sunday 29th December.

This being the 5th Sunday of the month it will be the only service in the Benefice that day. Please stay for coffee, seasonal fayre and lots of chat after.

Lots going on in the Church during December. It is a very special season for us all and our Church is always much appreciated at this time. We hope you will join us and stay after. If you would rather a quieter time, candles are always available during daylight hours for lighting ,to remember those no longer with us. They can be found at the front of the Church under the fine statue of the Madonna. You can also record your prayer requests in the book in the front porch.
The Parochial Church Council and the whole Church community wish you all a Very Happy and Peaceful Christmas.
We also thank the team who kindly deliver the Circle magazines to everyone in the Parish and to those who help keep the church clean and decorated with flowers during the year. There is much to do to keep the Church doors open for our Parishioners. We really hope that you and your loved ones can find a while to spend time there. We will look forward in 2025 to welcoming Rev’d Angus Mayhew in March as our Rector. 
RIDE AND STRIDE 2024:

Thank you to our Riders & Striders who took part in this annual event in September. £490 was raised which will be split 50:50 between Dorset Historic Churches Trust and St Giles' Church.
WIMBORNE ST GILES FIRST SCHOOL: Eco Crew News:
Wimborne St Giles are delighted to announce that our Eco Crew have been awarded an Eco Schools Green Flag Award – with Distinction: recognising “a very impressive and impactful year of Eco-Activity and the fact that young people in your school are passionate about protecting our planet”.
Eco Schools praised the fact that, “Clearly a lot of consideration was given to how you would meaningfully embrace the Eco-Schools’ ethic and involve your entire school community in your activities including the ideas to create a fruit orchard in the wildlife area, to take part in the “Just One Tree” day and to launch a fundraising campaign on World Water Day. We especially liked that the children took part in bee-keeping and pond-dipping sessions, that they identified the different plants, animals and insects found in the school grounds and also that in Art they studied the work of Andy Goldsworthy. In addition to all these endeavours, the amount of work and effort you put into the sustainability in the curriculum planning is inspiring. ”Headteacher Mrs Hill praised the children and wider community for their hard work and efforts across the year: “Everything we do here at school is rooted in our vision, ‘Together We Grow: Together We Give’ and ‘making the world a better place’. This has been a huge team effort and we are thrilled that our children's passion and enthusiasm has been recognised in this way. We are so proud of the efforts of our Eco Crew and we are really looking forward to building on their legacy again this year. ”Team Eco Wash: Our pop up washing up liquid refill station will start again this Autumn run by our Eco Crew and families. Washing up liquid bottles can be dropped off from 8.30 every Friday morning outside school and will be refilled and ready to collect by 3.15pm. Your support is greatly appreciated.
Volunteers still needed: Thanks to our amazing PTA, we now have a brand new library and the children have really enjoyed spending time choosing books and sharing them with each other. The school would love to invite anyone in the wider community in to read with the children. If you have a spare hour or two during the week, please do get in touch with the school either at office@wimbornestgiles.dsat.org.uk or 01725 517347
Christingle -

we will be holding our annual Christingle Service in St Giles' Church on Thursday 19th December at 9.30. This always proves to be a very special service celebrating the magic of Christmas with traditional carols sung in the candlelight. Proceeds from the retiring collection will go to
the school's nominated charity :
Child of Hope - supporting schools and education projects in Uganda.
Mince Pies and other festive treats will be served back at school following the service - all our warmly welcome to join us!
Thank you, as ever, for all of your support of the school - we really appreciate it!
JOLLY CHRISTMAS CONCERT- Friday December 13th Wimborne St Giles Church -

doors open at 7pm for a 7.30pm start

Gussage St Michael
100 Club Winners for September
Winner: David Hall Runners-up: Hilary Pond and Mary Mills

Gussages Grand Christmas Raffle.

Organised by the Gussage St Michael DCC the Gussages Grand Christmas Raffle is back for 2024, bigger and
better! Enter for the chance to win a variety of prizes. Top cash prize of £50 and other prizes including a litre bottle of whiskey, wine and chocolates! Tickets are £1.00 each, or £5.00 a strip. Look out for all the information on
how to enter in the letter included with this magazine. Open to both villages.
Good Luck!
Gussages Carols Round the Tree, Wednesday 18th December 6PM Gussage St Michael Church.

Do come and join us to sing some of your favourite carols and enjoy festive refreshments together afterwards. This event will be inside the church and the Christmas Raffle draw will also take place. Look forward to seeing you there!

Gussage All Saints
Christmas Carols at The Cockerel on Friday 20th December at 6.30.

This year donations will be in aid of our beautiful grade 2 listed church of All Saints
The Santa Run Saturday 21st December @ 3 o'clock

. Help Santa by giving food parcels for the food bank for Christmas. Come and light the way as he journeys with his faithful horse Millie around Gussage.
Christmas Eve Crib Service at 4 o'clock .

Led by LLM Carol Neilson Everyone is invited to come and share with the children the story of the birth of Jesus . This year a playlet with the children from the perspective of the Inn Keeper who is eventually overjoyed at what happened that night! If they wish children are invited to come dressed as shepherds or angels , quite optional. Carols to be sung and prayers said as we celebrate together followed by seasonal refreshments. Donations made will be shared with Embrace the Middle East – Christian Charity ( initial started by Lord Shaftesbury) responding to the humanitarian crises in the Middle East.
Christmas Morning Family Service at 10 o'clock at All Saints.

Led by Canon Simon Tong we welcome everyone to celebrate Christmas morning with us.
Breakfast Church January 5th 9.30 in the Village Hall .

We welcome everyone to join us at the start of this New Year. If you haven't been before
we promise you a friendly welcome and a jolly good breakfast followed by a short service with two hymns.
Village Hall AGM: Tuesday 26th November at 17:00
Gussage Christmas Party. 30th November 2024 2pm -4pm. Gussage All Saints Village Hall.

Mulled wine, tea, coffee, cakes, mince pies and more. Be entertained with a Christmas Sing Along. Christmas Wreaths, Raffle, Children’s card making and Pass the Parcel. See Advert
Bumblefly Theatre bring their production of The (Merry) Christmas Carol! Bah! Humbug! To the Village Hall on Friday 3rd January.

Cranborne

Christmas Eve Carols in the Churchyard Tuesday December 24th at 5.15pm
Mulled cider and mulled apple juice provided. Join us on Christmas Eve for what has become a popular tradition in Cranborne. Flares will be lit but please bring your torch.
A collection will be taken for a local charity who help those who are home-less, so do please bring a donation for that.
Carols in the Pub
Fleur de Lys Sunday December 8th at 6.15pm
Sheaf of Arrows Thursday December 12th at 6.15pm
Get into the Christmas spirit in our local hostelries! Word sheets provided.

This website was originally designed, developed and maintained by Toby Cullen, to whom we are ever grateful