Weekly Update – 10th March

In case you haven’t realised it’s Mothering Sunday this weekend, if the amount of cut flowers in the shops haven’t given it away! I wanted to share some thoughts about this with you and I’m not talking about the Hallmark ‘Mothers Day’ but the Christian festival Mothering Sunday, which marks the halfway period in Lent (there’s a school of thought that says you can relax your giving up for this day?!). Mothering Sunday has been a celebration for hundreds of years, whereas Mother’s Day has only been in existence for just over hundred years and is celebrated the 2^nd weekend in May in the USA and about 40 other countries.

 

The origins of Mothering Sunday can be found as far back as medieval times, in people returning to their ‘mother church’ ie.  their family parish church or cathedral– probably where they were baptised, on ‘Refreshment Sunday’ the middle Sunday of Lent. In those times people relied on their local church to look after and protect them from birth to death and all stages in between. Maybe that is where the ‘hatch, match and despatch’ role of the church evolved from, being involved in the key life events of its parishioners’. It’s easy to think, with the decline in church attendance and with the opening up of alternative wedding venues, that this aspect of the local church as ‘mother church’ with a mothering role, no longer exists in society but I feel that would be wrong! Our church is still there for whoever needs it from birth – Baby and Toddler groups – to old age – Tuesday Café and stages in between, looking after and meeting the needs of those who attend. When meeting with Baptism families, they nearly always have fond memories of attending local churches as school children for religious festivals and are keen for their children to have those memories themselves, and to belong to a bigger family, hence having their child baptised. In these cash strapped times many churches have set up food banks or can sign post those in need to where they can get help. Albeit in a smaller way than before, the church today still can be thought of as a ‘mothering church’ looking out for and caring for those in need. The tradition of giving flowers at this time comes from the wildflowers that those in service picked as a gift, on their yearly visits home to celebrate Mothering Sunday at their mother churches, where they would see their own mothers. A joyful time for all! We carry this tradition on in church as all ladies in the congregation will receive a posy as a token to recognise the caring roles that they may have.

 

Jesus, like a mother you gather your people to you;
you are gentle with us as a mother with her children.

Despair turns to hope through your sweet goodness;
through your gentleness we find comfort in fear.

Your warmth gives life to the dead,
your touch makes sinners righteous.

Lord Jesus, in your mercy heal us;
in your love and tenderness remake us.

In your compassion bring grace and forgiveness,
for the beauty of heaven may your love prepare us

Anselm (1109)

 

Fiona

 

THIS WEEK’S SERVICES & EVENTS

 

 

SUNDAY 10th MARCH

8am      HOLY COMMUNION – Canon Brian

10am    OASIS CAFÉ – Fiona

10am   THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK – Fiona (Website & Facebook)

 

MONDAY 11th MARCH

7.30pm  Lent Group

 

TUESDAY 12th MARCH  – 10AM –TUESDAY CAFÉ (doors open at 9.30am)

 

TUESDAY 12th MARCH

3.15pm   Palace Wood Explorers – Fiona

 

WEDNESDAY 13^th MARCH

12.30pm   Lunch at the Pippin

12.40pm   Allington School Explorers – Fiona

 

 

 

PRAYERS

SICK & ANXIOUS	Tanay, Betty Hildebrand, Rosemary Watson, Jo & Oscar, Hilary King, Peter Sturgess, Jackie, Alan Bird, Tina & James, Jackie Harlock, Alessandra Zevallos, Mary Harvey, Janet, Liz Boots, Elsa Harrington, Dave, Esther Venn, Beryl Fletcher, Carol, Gladys MacKay
FAMILY & FRIENDS OF THE DECEASED	Colin Lester

 

If you have a particular need you would like us to pray for, please use the following contact details;

Email: Prayerstnicholas@outlook.com  Telephone: 01622 758641