THE pealing of the church bells across Ross-on-Wye was a joyful sound last week - heralding the first wedding of the year at St Mary’s Church.

John and Avril Taylor’s marriage on Saturday, September 19, was a first all round for the team that oversaw the happy event, being the first wedding for Rev Sean Semple as Rector of St Mary’s and the first ever for associate curate Rev Tiffany Jackson and verger Louise Jarvis.

And the couple, who have been together for 25 years, say they feel “honoured” to be the first to wed there in a long while.

“I don’t think either of us realised it was the first this year until our wedding day,” revealed Avril.

“We’d decided in February that we’d get married, but obviously things had to wait due to lockdown.”

“Sean was very helpful and guided us through a lovely service, with readings by Tiffany.

“We were very pleased to hear the church bells ringing marking our wedding and also to have the church organ which played some of our favourite music – Jesu Joy of Man’s Desiring as we made our entrance and The Trumpet Voluntary by Jeremiah Clarke after we were married.

“John and I have known each other for many years. We met when I was working as a temporary secretary, but lost contact several times although we somehow kept bumping into each other and have now been together for 25 happy years.

“We’d like to thank all our neighbours who showed up to wish us well at the church, and everyone who helped make our day special.”

The couple’s wedding was attended by witnesses “Marvin and Anne” and John’s two sons Mark and Paul and their families, with the celebrations continuing at Orles Barn, where they had a “superb meal”. Rev Semple said: “This was the first wedding at St Mary’s since lockdown and clearly marked a very special moment in the life of John and Avril.

“As the bells of St Mary’s rang out joyfully across the town, it signalled to Ross-on-Wye that despite the challenges of life during this pandemic, significant moments in life continue, that we can still find ways to celebrate; and that love will always find a way!

“On Saturday, October 3, St Mary’s will celebrate another wedding which will be live streamed, and will also incorporate videos of family members from around the world who cannot unfortunately be physically present at the service.

“St Mary’s is the church for all in Ross-on-Wye – those of faith and those of no faith – and although COVID-19 regulations mean that numbers attending services are restricted, we are able to livestream weddings, funerals and Sunday services to ensure that people are able to connect and be part of one another’s important moments in life.”

St Mary’s has also launched Ross Remembers (rossremembers.org) to celebrate loved ones who have passed away this year.

It’s a busy time for St Mary’s, as US-born Rev Tiffany, who moved to Ross-on-Wye with husband Stephen and their three-year-old-son Liam in July, will be ordained a deacon this Sunday morning (September 29) at Hereford Cathedral.

And the following Sunday (October 4), the new Bishop of Hereford will be taking his first service in the Ross-on-Wye parish.

Although Rt Rev Richard Jackson has visited the town to meet and thank staff at the Alton Street doctors surgery for their work during the Covid pandemic, he hasn’t been able to make an official parish visit until now.

Bishop Richard, who took up his role at the start of the year just before lockdown, will be presiding over the Eucharist service at St Mary’s at 9.30am, and spaces are limited to a congregation of 50 owing to social distancing requirements.

Those wanting to attend must book their place on the rossparishes.uk website, and it will be the only service in the parish’s three churches this Sunday.

Known affectionately as the ‘biking bishop’ due to his passion for motorbiking on his ‘Fat Boy’ 1.4L Harley Davidson, Rt Rev Jackson is the 106th Bishop of Hereford since the first way back in 676AD, more than 1300 years ago.

And the former Suffragan Bishop of Lewes says he has traced his own lineage back to the Welsh Marches in the 1300s.

St Mary’s has also announced a ‘Harvest Festival with a difference’ on the weekend of October 10 to 11, which will include the first live service sung by the church choir since March.

The church will be collecting items for the Ross Community Food Larder over the course of the weekend, and will be open on the Saturday from 10m to 5pm with prayers hourly and displays representing groups from around the community.

At 7pm, the church is urging residents to join together in a virtual harvest supper via Zoom, with people preparing a harvest-themed meal and eating and drinking together as “we give thanks for good health and prosperity.”

Places on the Zoom supper can be booked at rossparishes.uk/harvest

On Sunday at 9.30am, the church will be hosting a harvest service “packed with favourite harvest hymns” which can also be watched online at rossparishes.uk/digital-services

That evening at 6pm, the St Mary’s Church Choir will be singing live at its first service in six months at a Choral Evensong service, although it has kept busy with virtual events.

A post for the harvest festival says: “Will things get better? Will things get worse? We have no answers, but we can be grateful that we have survived so far.”