Preserving Tradition - - - Embracing Change
"Wedding Dresses through the Decades" review
By Kate Ayres
Over a weekend blessed with blue skies and sunshine, our Church was host to over 300 visitors who came to witness our “Wedding Dresses through the Decades” display. On approaching the church, a beribboned classic car loaned by volunteers from the County Classics Motor Museum on Saturday and a red MGB by Jaqui Besley on the Sunday, set the mood. Upon entering the west door, gasps of delight could be heard as the impressive display of 22 wedding dresses from 1940 through to present day came into view. They were, indeed, a spectacle; raised on platforms, their beauty enhanced by the church architecture and the diffused glow from the sun through the stained-glass windows, happiness, warmth and nostalgia in the air was palpable.
Each dress was identified by its own name plaque and a photograph taken on the wedding day. Visitors were invited on a journey, following a specially prepared brochure containing a memory from the day, recalled by our blushing brides and their grooms.
The granite pillars of the church were adorned with wall hangings containing individual paper roses, hand-crafted out of vintage book pages by members of the congregation and community. These were mirrored by the pew ends, where vintage hearts also captured the theme of love. Marriage registers dating back to 1710 were available to look through and many were able to see their own entry, having married in the church.
Pausing for a cup of tea and choosing from a selection of delicious cakes, provided by church and community alike, many people stayed for a couple of hours or so and viewed the exhibition more than once – there was so much to look at.
It was widely agreed that the whole weekend was an unqualified success; it raised the sum of £1500 through donations alone and generated a stream of overwhelmingly positive comments about the vision and delivery of the project. We reflect with pride and are hugely thankful and encouraged that we were able to welcome so many new friends into our space and, most importantly, that church and community came together – working side by side to deliver this vision together. This is the way forward …
Take your pick
Join us for Sunday Services
Join us for Sunday Services
Join us for Sunday Services
We welcome you to our Sunday services, where we come together to worship, take communion at our various weekly services across the month. Stay for refreshments and a chat after the service. For our service schedule click on the picture. We look forward to seeing you there!
Upcoming Events
Join us for Sunday Services
Join us for Sunday Services
Our church regularly holds events, whether to raise funds, community get togethers, working parties and coffee mornings to name a few. To see our upcoming events schedule click on the picture, take your pick and come along.
Donating
Join us for Sunday Services
Lend a hand
Our lovely church costs well over a hundred pounds a day to run, not including maintenance. There are many ways you can donate, whether standing order, join the 100CLUB and contactless pay by card or phone in the church.
For more ways you can donate click on the 100CLUB.
Lend a hand
Try something new
Lend a hand
The list is endless and any time, skill, knowledge, fund-raising ideas you can contribute is very much welcome.
Remember two things. Firstly it's volunteering, so any time is apricated, you don't have to clock in or told off if you are late.
Secondly, there is always tea & cake.
See our how you can help page.
Try something new
Try something new
Try something new
Come along to one of our ringing practises and have a go.
Friendly people, not too physical just the steps.
No cake though only chocolates.
Practice every Thursday evening, for more details click the bells.
Open Gardens
Wonderful and stunning as ever...
As always West Monkton Open Gardens is a wonderful colourful event and it certainly was again this year.
So many cakes to choose from and trust me they were all delicious, not a fan of coffee and walnut but there was none left so I am sure it was as well.
Oh, and the gardens they were just stunning in so many different ways.
Rolling lawns, secluded pathways, secluded spots and tranquil ponds for us all to wonder along, admire and envy. An abundance of colours, smells and wildlife nestled amongst the widest shades of foliage.
Standout architectural plants and ideas for your garden everywhere you looked as well as the views and backdrops complementing our Open Garden volunteer’s hard work.
Bringing the Open Gardens event slightly earlier this year allowed us to see everyone’s beautiful blooming roses, all manor of varieties on display across the gardens. A little less time for our volunteers to fit in all their hard work but ride on lawn mowers look more of a pleasure than a chore and for those of you who met ‘Patrick’ it is a relaxing experience watching the grass get mowed automatically.
So not all back breaking work then.
As always our volunteers did an amazing job, serving gallons of tea and cakes by the plate load, donated plants and flowers to buy, along with homemade jams.
Through the kind generosity and hard work of Max & Vicki, Mark & Mary, Colin & Kate, Clive & Louise and Peter who opened their gardens, along with cake makers, plants and jam donations over £1300 was raised from tickets and donations which is amazing. Thank you to everyone who helped and those who came along to support this years event.
So why not open your garden next year? It would be great to have even more gardens participate and don't be daunted by the hard work, its really just therapy, the overgrown patch you have not got around to sorting is your re-wilding area, you are more than half way there.
I'm opening mine up next year and have a two chance approach when it comes to plants. Flourish or compost heap. We hope to hear from you.
VE Day 80 at West Monkton Church of St Augustine
As the UK comes together to commemorate the 80th anniversary of VE Day, we at the Church of St Augustine in West Monkton invite you to join us in remembrance and reflection. Our church holds a deeply personal connection to the past, with the Rolls of Honour memorials detailing those from our local community who gave their lives in the First and Second World Wars. Wonderful detail about these brave members of the armed forces can be found here: http://www.roll-of-honour.com/Somerset/WestMonkton.html
For those with an interest in family history or exploring their roots, our church offers a rewarding and meaningful visit. Inside, you’ll find an information leaflet providing information about the history of the church, and if you’re seeking more detailed or specific insights, we welcome enquiries via email, through our website, or by messaging us on Facebook. Our volunteers are always pleased to assist and can help direct you to additional historical resources relating to both the church and the wider parish community.
To mark this significant anniversary, our church will feature some poppy displays, as well as our remembrance altar cloth with poppy design. These visual tributes serve as quiet but powerful reminders of the courage and sacrifice of those who served.
One of the most stirring parts of our commemoration will be the sound of our cherished bells ringing out across the village on the evening of 8th May. Our bellringers will be joining others across the country in a coordinated peal, echoing the joyful sounds that marked the end of the war in 1945. Back then, bells rang from churches, cathedrals, and even from naval ships like HMS Ocean, as a national expression of relief, victory, and unity.
Today, the ringing of the bells continues to symbolise both celebration and solemn remembrance. It’s a way to honour the bravery of those who never returned, and to reflect on the lasting peace their sacrifice secured. This tradition has become part of our collective memory - an enduring tribute that resonates across the years.
We warmly invite you to visit us during this special time. Whether you come to explore your family’s connections, learn more about our community’s history, or simply pause in quiet contemplation, we hope you’ll find a sense of connection, gratitude, and peace within our church walls.
Harvest Festival
Brass with a Glass
Brass with a Glass
It's not been the best time for farmers this year who have struggled to bring home a bountiful harvest. Although our congregation did bring a large range of foods and fresh produce for the community fridge and local food bank.
All very gratefully welcomed.
Brass with a Glass
Brass with a Glass
Brass with a Glass
What a night for waving the red, white and blue flags!
Wiveliscombe Town Band performed a wonderful concert of classic tunes which was thoroughly enjoyed by everyone, culminating with the traditional Prom flag waving anthems we all love.
Check out our Facebook page for more photos and videos.
West Monkton Church Village BBQ
What a great way to round off our summer events this year, then with an afternoon BBQ with the village and church community.
The sun was kind and not too hot for our burger binging bunch and luckily for Gary and Colin our amazing BBQ Masterchefs the shade of the Yew tree was most welcome when standing over a smoky hot grill.
Once the amazing half pound burgers, honey and mustard sausages and beetroot burgers were washed down with the Pimms, it was time for outdoor skittles. (Thank you to Stuart and West Monkton Parish Council) If we were to recruit the best players for a local team, we would need a prayer every week. (More practice me thinks!)
As the winner was declared after the 'Skittle off' and overjoyed with their prize of bags of 'Skittle' sweets the rest off us enjoyed dessert.
Thank you to everyone who helped on the day and those who came along and made it a great afternoon.
See you next year - 3pm Saturday 29th August 2026!
We always have lots going on throughout the year. Check out our Upcoming events and service pages.
Lest We Forget
West Monkton Church Remembers
West Monkton Church congregation along with the Beavers, Cubs, Scouts and their families, remembered the fallen from the West Monkton Parish and the country, along with churches across throughout the United Kingdom.
With every pew filled, we all stood and turned to face the tower to hear the names read aloud from World War I & II memorials.
When the bugle finished playing two minutes of silence is a small sacrifice for those men and women who gave their lives for our freedom. The silence broken by Simon playing the bugle to allow those to leave wishing to place a cross in the memorial garden.
With the Beavers, Cubs and Scouts parading back in thew South porch, lead by Rev Jim and the flag bearers everyone returned to their seats for the service.
Thank you to all those who came today to take part and acknowledge the debt paid by the fallen.
We will remember them...
...now and always.
