Dear all

This Sunday is Mothering Sunday - traditionally the Sunday in Lent when people were given the day off to visit their 'mother churches', and of course in the days before disparate families, this made it a celebration of homecoming and motherhood too.

It is of course wonderful that the tradition is now predominantly about celebrating our mothers, and those who have given us, and sustained us, in life. Jesus is God Incarnate through the same birth that we have all had. It is what makes Him both fully human and fully divine. Below is a poem from Malcolm Guite that brings out the joy and power of this wonderful festival:

Mothering Sunday

At last, in spite of all, a recognition,
For those who loved and laboured for so long,
Who brought us, through that labour, to fruition
To flourish in the place where we belong.
A thanks to those who stayed and did the raising,
Who buckled down and did the work of two,
Whom governments have mocked instead of praising,
Who hid their heart-break and still struggled through,
The single mothers forced onto the edge
Whose work the world has overlooked, neglected,
Invisible to wealth and privilege,
But in whose lives the kingdom is reflected.
Now into Christ our mother church we bring them,
Who shares with them the birth-pangs of His Kingdom.

SERVICES

Sunday 19th March - Mothering Sunday

10am - Mothering Sunday Family Service, St Stephen's Winsham; Lay team

10am - Mothering Sunday Family Service, St Mary's Thorncombe; Anne Perez

10am - Mothering Sunday Holy Communion, St John's, Tatworth; Rev Michelle Butcher

1130am - Mothering Sunday Holy Communion, St Mary Magdalene, Cricket Malherbie; Rev Philip Butcher

Tuesday 21st March

9:30am - Morning Prayer (Celtic tradition); St John's Tatworth. A simple and quiet service of morning prayer in Lent.

Wednesday 22nd March

9:30am - Holy Communion; St Stephen's, Winsham

12pm Lent Lunch; Jubilee Hall, Winsham

LENT WALKS

We had a lovely Lent walk in Thorncombe last week. It was wet, boggy in places, but we didn't lose anyone and the soup afterwards was wonderful!

The next walk is tomorrow (Thursday 16th March) in Cricket Malherbie, meeting at the church. We will leave the church at 1100 for about an hour's gentle walk, returning just after 1200 for light refreshments. At 1230 I will lead a short time of prayer and reflection. ALL welcome to either or both the walk or the prayers! The walk this week will mostly be on quiet country lanes, with one stretch of footpath.

PALM SUNDAY - 2nd April

On Palm Sunday we will have a Benefice Service (with Donkeys for the Palm Procession!) at St Stephen's, Winsham. 1030am on 2nd April.

We would like to do a dramatised reading and so are appealing for people who would be happy to have a part! If you would like a part then please let either myself or Michelle know!

PRAYERS

Please hold in your prayers all you know who are struggling in any way, in body, mind or spirit. We are asked to pray by name for:

Dave Boyland; Terri Boyland; Sheila Clement; Wendy Cotton; Hannah Knott; Jan Knott; Mary Marsh; Tony Taylor; Margaret Bandy; Dorothy White, Tony Meech, Di Nicholls, Hester Down, Stella Hutchison; Oskar Lee; Margaret Shields; Andrew de Pury; Frank Long; Jean Dodd, Cyril Larcombe, Valerie Palmer, Jane Scott, Nan Austin, Ron Bone, 'James', Bob Stacey, Lynn Ranson.

We remember all those whom we love but see no longer; particularly at this time Trevor Cockram and Donald Raddon.

The Collect for Mothering Sunday

God of compassion,
whose Son Jesus Christ, the child of Mary,
shared the life of a home in Nazareth,
and on the cross drew the whole human family to himself:
strengthen us in our daily living
that in joy and in sorrow
we may know the power of your presence
to bind together and to heal;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.

Amen.

Blessings

Philip

The Reverend Philip Butcher

Rector - Two Shires Benefice (Tatworth, Thorncombe, Winsham, Chaffcombe & Cricket Malherbie)

The Vicarage

3 Home Farm

Tatworth

Chard

TA20 2SH

01460 221286

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