Dear FriendsWhat’s in a word? I have recently been trying to find a non-alcoholic drink that I like (other than a cup of tea obviously) and have a hit upon Thatcher 0% which is rather good (other non-alcoholic ciders are available). Imagine my surprise when I arrived at Sainsbury’s checkout to discover that I had to have my age verified. Do you have to be over 18 to buy non-alcoholic cider?! By a similar token, when I was on holiday in Barmouth, Fran and I saw a sign for a Medieval house and decided to go and investigate. We discovered a quaint round house built in the 1800s as a lock up to house the drunkards of Barmouth overnight, one cell for a man and one for a woman. I found myself frantically googling to check whether my understanding of the word ‘Medieval’ was awry. However, while scholars seem to disagree about the exact dating of the Medieval period, none has it any later than 1500. Perhaps the Middle Ages arrived in Wales 300 years later than everywhere else!Meanwhile, the word of God is absolutely reliable, and its guidance depended upon at all times. “The word of our God stands forever” Isaiah 40.Rev Greg Smith Rector of Pontesbury and Stiperstones
Dear FriendsThis week we marked Shrove Tuesday and Ash Wednesday. The first, now marketed as Pancake Day, istraditionally a day of feasting when we use up the rich food in the larder prior to the start of Lent. Or, as Iconfess I did, you can just buy your pancakes ready made! Ash Wednesday is an altogether more sombre occasion, and even the supermarkets have yet tofind its money-making angle. Lent is a time for spiritual self-examination, as we ask ourselves questions - Howis my relationship with God going? What is prayer like at the moment? How am I(and others) seeing my character refined and changed by the Holy Spirit? Challenging questions for sure, but Lent is not a time to lose heart and throw in the towel, because we fear weare not making the grade. It is a time to acknowledge our need, and to trust even more in God’s love andpower, when our own efforts are so clearly insufficient. As we go through Lent, accompanying Jesus on his journey towards the cross, and all that came after, let’s fixour eyes on him, the pioneer and perfecter of faith, who endured the cross for us. Let’s consider him andthen we will not grow weary and lose heart.Rev Fran
Services are held every Sunday.Communion is held on the 1st, 2nd and 4th Sundays.A family service is held on the 3rd Sunday.Should there be a 5th Sunday in the month a communion is held in one of the churches in the benefice. The church Wardens will know which church.Services are also held to celebrate special seasons in the church calendar. Theses services will appears as a news story.
