Diocesan Members Newsletter October 2018

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1 Diocesan Members Newsletter October 2018 Dear Friends, For many of us Autumn brings with it a return to the regular and familiar routines of work and daily life. After the summer and the more transient patterns associated with the school holiday season the serious business of deadlines and daily duties come back to the fore. That said, this season is often a good one with many enjoyable events and opportunities still ahead. Hopefully the weather will continue to be kind as the season slips from late summer to autumn and we look back on what will probably be recounted as the long hot dry summer of The tradition of Harvest Festival still presents itself as one of the occasions to gather in our churches and village halls to celebrate. The time honoured traditions of decorating our churches for the service of thanksgiving is still a good one. So, too, is the gathering to share food and celebrate together. We have yet to discover how good a year this will be for the farmers. Yields may be lower due to the rain fall or lack thereof. Certainly as I write the weather is proving to be good for getting the grain collected and the straw bailed which is good news. In an age where regular Sunday attendance is perhaps not what it was in previous generations harvest still provides a contact point and one where invitation and welcome have a genuine purpose and meaning.

2 Many of the traditional harvest hymns make the link between the annual harvest of crops and the spiritual harvest of seeing lives transformed and individuals gathered in so to belong to the great company of those who love and follow Jesus Christ. Mission has at its heart the hope of harvest, that is of seeing the bountiful goodness of God impacting our everyday lives. Just as the harvest is annual so in every generation the call is to Follow. We want to inspire a whole new generation to follow Christ, and hopefully become members of the Mothers Union! With love and best wishes Jane A new World Wide President! The result of the elections was announced on Monday 08 October. Our new World Wide President for is Sheran Harper Currently, Sheran is a Trustee and the Worldwide Parenting Trainer for Mothers Union. Prior to this, she has held several other offices including Vice President of the Province of the West Indies and Diocesan President of Guyana. Over the past twelve years, she has trained more than 350 parenting trainers and facilitators in twenty countries, provided guidelines for Faith Based Organizations to develop parenting education curricula and worked alongside religious communities in lobbying governments to advance legislation to protect children.

3 The Mothers Union Theme for 2019 is Listen, Observe, Act in step with God 2019 is a year of new beginnings for Mothers Union, with the start of the next triennium, many new officers appointed at all levels of service and updated constitution and structures. It is also the year which sees the coming together of our global conversations to prayerfully inform our way forward as a movement. As we gain clarity about our God-given purpose and direction in both local and global context we will be energised and inspired for what lies ahead. As the future unfolds we will continue to listen and observe in order to act with insight and integrity; neither running ahead nor lagging behind, but always in step with God. Our theme resources for 2019 have been created both to help engagement in the continuing global listening process and to build faith for the future. Some of the 2018 resources continue to be appropriate for this year s focus Loving Lord, we give thanks that you have prepared our way and strengthen us at every stage with hope and resolve. God of unchanging power, your Holy Spirit enables us to proclaim your love in challenging times and places. Give to the members of Mothers Union steadfastness, fresh understanding and a clear vision, that together, we may respond to the call to be your disciples and so rejoice in the blessings of your kingdom. We ask this in the name of Him who gave His life that ours might flourish, your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen

4 General Meeting and Service 2018 Members gathered from all over the world for the meeting in the Brangwyn Hall, Swansea. The event began with two services each attended by 600 people in St Mary s Church. At the first service the Archbishop of Wales preached, with the Bishop of St Davids preaching at the second. Both of the services were attended by the Archbishop as well as Bishop Joanna and Bishop Andrew Proud, the Bishop of Reading who is the Mothers Union Central Chaplain. The service was also attended by Her Majesty s Lord Lieutenant of West Glamorgan, the High Sheriff and the Lord Mayor as well as Assembly member for Gower, Rebecca Evans. The services celebrated the work of the Mothers Union worldwide and included a Welsh flavour with Revd Eli Jenkins prayer and God that madest earth and heaven (to the tune of Ar hyd y nos) sung by the choir of St Mary s. The packed church at each service and the mood of celebration offered a wonderful witness to the city of the work of Mothers Union and the power of God to bring hope and peace everywhere. Bishop Andrew proud, the Bishop of Swansea and Brecon, the Archbishop of Wales Diocesan President of Swansea and Brecon, World Wide President Lynne Temby and CEO Bev Jullien

5 Can you recognise anybody? Members were welcomed to the General Meeting in the Brangwyn Hall by the Lord Mayor of Swansea, David Phillips, and the meeting was opened by the Archbishop of Wales, the most reverend John Davies. The meeting included a celebration of Lynne Temby s role as World Wide President: This is your World Wide President s Life! Revd Rachael Carnegie, Deputy Director of the Anglican Alliance, gave the keynote address where she talked about the importance of Faith Hope and Love. She called on members to write down their hopes and dreams for the future of the movement on paper leaves which were collected in baskets and prayed over by herself and Bishop Andrew Proud, Mothers Union s Central Chaplain. After the full day meeting, 500 people returned for a concert in St Mary s church. Morriston Rugby Club Male Voice Choir, Parti Llwchwr and soprano, Iona Jones, provided a wonderful evening, hosted by a Swansea favourite, Kev Johns. The evening closed with a rousing rendition of We ll keep a welcome in the hillside and the Welsh National Anthem, hopefully sending people back to their homes all over the world with wonderful memories of Wales.

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9 Marlene and Sasha at Taunton Flower Show Mary Sumner, great niece of Mary Sumner, visited Mary Sumner House on 02 October. Here she is, pictured with Bev Jullien, in front of the portrait of her great aunt

10 What s on near you Exmoor and Quantock Deanery Group For information please contact Deanery Leader: Anitra Steckles Just a Bite! And Wednesday Break Away at St Mary Magdalene Church, Taunton Meetings are in the Coffee Shop area of the Church at 2.30pm on the first Wednesday of the month and Wednesday Break Away meets at 10am on Wednesday mornings For more information please contact Sasha Collard-Jenkins sashacollard@gmail.com Margaret Allen mand101@hotmail.co.uk Wellington Branch Meetings are at 2.30pm on the first Tuesday of each month in St John s Church Hall For information please contact Joyce Norrish or Mary Beal

11 Wilton St George All meetings are held at 2.15pm. on the first Tuesday of each month. Meetings alternate between St. George s Church Hall, Wilton and St. Michael s Church, Pitts Close, Galmington. For more information contact Helen Clegg on Wilton St George Branch has a Corporate Communion twice a month 1 st Thursday of each month at St. Michael s 3 rd Tuesday of each month at St. George s They also have a Knitting Bee on the Second Thursday of each month. For more information contact Helen Clegg on The Annual report and Accounts are available to download from our website

12 Cathedral Prayers Please join us if you are free at on the following Thursdays October 18 November 15 December 06 St Dunstan s Locking Axbridge The Mothers Union theme for 2018 is: In Mary Sumner s Footsteps The annual coffee morning and sale is on Thursday 06 December in the Carey Room of the Old Deanery. Join Chris for a beverage and mince pie and buy some last minute gifts! Diocesan Members Prayer Heavenly Father We thank you for calling us to serve you, And especially, we give you thanks for the fellowship that comes from the knowledge that we are members of a world-wide family. Help us to uphold the Mothers Union aim of nurturing Christian marriage within family life. Enable us to play our part through prayer and our common purpose. Increase our awareness of the needs of others around us, And bind us together in the knowledge that we are all one in Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen Need any more information? Then just contact Jane Tibbs, Diocesan Members Rep 73 St Thomas Street Wells Somerset BA5 2UY Tel: E: Jane@thetibbs.co.uk