SUNDAY (December 31) - Staunton Parish Church - Service 8.30am (NB: this is the only service in the United Benefice of Hartpury, Corse & Staunton).

January 1, New Year's Day - Hartpury, Corse & Staunton churches Millennium Walk starting at Hartpury Church at 9.30am then walk to Corse Church, where coffee will be taken and then to Staunton Church for wine and cheese, expected to be about noon. You may join at any point and either walk, ride (bicycle, car or horseback). This follows in the wake of last year's Millennium Walk.

This year it was the turn of Hartpury Church to hold the Christingle Service in the United Benefice of Hartpury, Corse & Staunton arranged and conducted by the Rev Penny Hamer. Held in St Mary's Church on a very cold day there was a warm welcome to about 50 people of all ages in the tastefully decorated church. All the hymns had familiar tunes but unfamiliar words but reflected the beautiful Christmas story. They were on the Children's Society leaflet, which was so appropriate as all the collection was being donated to the Society, as were the Children's Society Candle money boxes which Penny received from the children at the altar. The story of Joseph and Mary and the baby Jesus was illustrated by the Rev Hamer's own delightful drawings and which the children held up for the congregation to see as the story unfolded. Everyone in the congregation were given a Christingle at the end.