The Leadership Team is delighted to announce. ...More news from the Leadership Team.

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1 WEST YORKSHIRE & THE DALES Mothers Union, linked in prayer with Lesotho (S.Africa), Kibungo (Rwanda), Etche, Ogbomoso (Nigeria), Hanuato o (Soloman Islands), Newsletter :- Issue 6, October-November 2015 The Leadership Team is delighted to announce. that we have now appointed our Diocesan Secretary and Diocesan Treasurer for West Yorkshire & the Dales Mothers Union. Mrs. Jo Sarkar is already well known to members across Ripon & Leeds Areas as their Diocesan Secretary, where she has done an excellent job for some years. In an open recruitment, Jo was successful in a wide field of candidates; we are very pleased that she will be working for us in that capacity as we move into our new structure at the start of Mr. Paul Leeming has been the Diocesan Treasurer in Bradford for almost three years, and has both professionally and personally brought invaluable experience and a supportive approach to handling the financial aspect of our work. Paul was successful in a recruitment limited to the existing post-holders who wished to be considered for the merged charity; we are very pleased to also retain Paul s expertise for the future. We congratulate both our new appointees, who will take up their posts for West Yorkshire & the Dales Mothers Union on 1 st January 2016, and offer our thanks to all who took the trouble to apply for one of the posts, but were unsuccessful on this occasion. Jean Bailey (Joint President.)...More news from the Leadership Team. Hopefully you have all had a pleasant summer and returned rested and raring to go for the many events within Mothers Union in West Yorkshire and the Dales which will be taking place this autumn. The Leadership Team, now with the addition of Jean Thurman, our Diocesan President elect, are still working towards ensuring that everything will be in place for 1 st January Our Trustee Board has been elected and the Leadership Team are starting to appoint people to other posts. The Leadership Team are keen to find new people from within the membership to come forward to fill these posts; please if you feel that you have the skills or experience to contribute in a positive way to the future of Mothers Union within West Yorkshire and the Dales speak to your Diocesan President is the final year of the current triennium and this will be marked by a Provincial Service in Chester Cathedral on 10 th November at 2pm. Please contact your Diocesan secretary if you wish tickets for this. Within our three historic dioceses our thoughts are turning to the separate services to be held to mark the end of Mothers Union in Bradford, Ripon & Leeds and Wakefield. These are times to celebrate all that has happened within each individual diocese and to look forward to developing Mothers Union in the Diocese of West Yorkshire and the Dales. As we reach Advent the last of our joint services for this year will take place in Halifax Minster. Two important dates have just been confirmed one within our new diocese and one for Mothers Union worldwide. The Commissioning Service for the first triennium in West Yorkshire and the Dales will take place on Saturday 16 th April 2016 at 2pm in Halifax Minster and will be led by the Right Rev d. Nick Baines, Bishop of Leeds. The 2016 General Meeting will be held in Winchester on Friday 23 rd and Saturday 24 th September with a service on Thursday 22 nd September in Winchester Cathedral. This meeting is celebrating 140 years of Mothers Union. No more details are available at the moment but will be circulated as soon as we have them. We all need to pray that these coming months will bring us all closer together as we prepare for Cynthia, Jean & Ros (Joint Presidents). WYAD Passionate about Parenting Directory 2015 Is now available. Copies have been distributed to branches who contributed. If any other branch would like a copy please contact Pat Ainsworth - batandball1@btopen world.com or Tel LOVING FOR LIFE Facilitator Training Opportunity 9th & 10th November to 4.00 St. John the Divine, Rastrick HD6 1HT The 2 day course will be led by an experienced Mothers Union trainer and expenses for travel and lunch will be covered for members. Contact Freda Broadbent or mail@rfbroadbent.plus.com by 19th October

2 Mary Sumner Day and a challenging call Rev d Fiona Harrison - Smith Canon Charles Dobbin,Mrs. Ros Dobbin. A celebration Eucharist was held at Leeds Minster on Monday10 th August attended by members from across West Yorkshire and the Dales. Mrs Ros Dobbin, Mothers Union joint President (Ripon & Leeds) welcomed everyone, Canon Charles Dobbin, interim priest of Leeds Minster, presided and the preacher was Rev Fiona Harrison-Smith, Mothers Union Chaplain (Ripon & Leeds). The sermon was challenging and very relevant to some of the issues in our society in Fiona began by stating that Mary Sumner focussed on the needs of women in 1876, and asked What are the needs and concerns of young women in West Yorkshire & the Dales today? Younger women in the UK have many pressures to succeed, to have it all, to look amazing and to be the perfect partner and mother. The media show us a fantasy of perfection and we are bombarded by advertising images. Fiona spoke of the concerns of women in the parish where she ministers. Some families have difficulty in the seven week summer holiday feeding and occupying their children due to lowincomes many of these are working families as well as receiving benefits. A holiday or a day out are often out of the question. At prayer sessions in a local school, Fiona discovered that when teenagers were asked what they wanted to pray for, they answered for enough food and the safety of their friends! Some families choose between food or heating in winter months. Some of those with least earnings are losing the most with recent Government cuts. These families are least likely to have a Mothers Union branch local to them. What questions does this raise for us as the missionary organisation of the Mothers Union? Jesus states that whoever does the will of God is my mother and brother and sister. Mothers Union engages with overseas poverty but we often find it difficult to engage with the poor around us and within us, in our own society. We have our shiny, new Mothers Union. Mothers Union is the Church s best kept secret! But let s not be secret! Where could the Spirit be leading us afresh this Mary Sumner Day as the new Mother s Union in the Diocese of West Yorkshire and the Dales? Jean Thurman ( President Elect WYAD.) DEADLINE FOR DECEMBER is NOVEMBER 14 MIDDAY PRAYERS IN LEEDS MINSTER The beginning of September saw the beginning of a new Mothers Union venture at Leeds Minster when on Tuesday, 1 st September Midday Prayers were said there for the first time. Janet Richardson, Faith & Policy Co-ordinator, and Joint President Ros Dobbin were joined by others to see their hopes for this come to fruition. Sheelagh Spinks from St. Matthew s at Chapel Allerton read the prayers written by Janet. Every Tuesday these same prayers will be read by members at midday, and they include prayers for the dioceses on the Mothers Union Wave of Prayer for that week. So if you are in Leeds on Tuesday do call in to the Minster to support whoever is praying that week. Mary Thorpe Vice President Leeds Archdeaconry AWAY FROM IT ALL HOLIDAYS Janet Richardson, Veronica Brown,Canon Charles Dobbin, Sheelagh Spink, Mary Thorpe, Ros Dobbin. As I write this in September there are still some families to take holidays in our holiday home at Filey, and I hope they will enjoy their time away as much as others. We will have had 20 families in the holiday home by the end of the season, and my thanks go to the staff at Primrose Valley who have been very helpful and dealt with any repairs and problems immediately. Thank you to all branches and members who support the project with prayers and generous amounts of money. There have been expensive repairs and replacements this year, all due to normal wear and tear, but it means that funds will be lower than usual at the end of the year. However, it does mean that the holiday home is of a good standard for those who use it, and I have received many appreciative comments. The holiday home is not only for families with young children, but can be used by anyone who would benefit from a time away, and this time can be a few days instead of a week, so if you know of a group of people who may be suitable please contact me to make enquiries. Mary Thorpe AFIA Project Mary Sumner Day celebration picnic.. which followed extended midday prayer as Ripon Cathedral was enjoyed, in good weather, by members from all areas of the archdeaconry. 2

3 2016 theme for Mothers Union Next year s theme for Mothers Union has been announced: it is to be A Celebration of Faith! What could be more appropriate for us all as we bring into being our new West Yorkshire & the Dales Mothers Union? Throughout this Triennium we have been praying, planning and persevering in faith with one exciting aim in view to create a Mothers Union fit for the 21 st Century where we shall make a difference as we reach out in mission within our community. And what a journey that has turned out to be! It is our faith that has inspired us that is why faith is something to celebrate. Ros Dobbin (Joint President.) THANK YOU from St. Peter s Branch, Bramley for the support in August at our "Right Royal Afternoon Tea". 36 members and friends enjoyed tea and cake marking the reign of Queen Elizabeth II who on 9th September became the longest reigning monarch in the British Isles. Bunting, tombola, a quiz, book stall and memorabilia of the Royal Family were displayed. The grand total of 320 was raised, half to AFIA Caravan and half for MU Overseas programmes. A happy afternoon was had by all. Beverley Bradshaw. WARM GREETINGS FROM The Diocese of Hanuato o The Solomon Islands, (our new wave of prayer partners.) Mrs Annie Diututa a is the Community development worker for the Diocese and she writes;- Thank God for this wonderful chance that would unite us in our prayers as link partners. We have experienced strong winds and heavy rain for two weeks but now it is over. All Mothers Union members are safe in the headquarters. Mothers Union in this Diocese have some ups and downs, (weaknesses and strengths). We had a Council meeting 8th July 2015 which included Leadership training, simple book keeping and Home banking for the Parish Leaders. Updates for Monitoring and evaluation of Mothers Union work leadership and good governance training and positive parent awareness. Annie goes on to tell us that she is going to visit the Parishes of Ahetola and Ahamauri along with the Girl s Friendly Society Co-ordinator and Literacy Co-ordinator. They will be travelling 6 hours by ship. I imagine this will not be a comfortable journey for them. Annie will tell us all about this visit in her next letter to us. Please continue to pray for all our link partners. Participants in Positive Parenting workshop. (Photo by Anglican Board of Mission / Vivienne). Suzanne Wainwright. (WYAD Overseas rep.). Visit to Mary Sumner House by 4 members of Lepton, St. John s Mothers' Union. Four members of the Lepton Mothers' Union from St John's left Wakefield Kirkgate station at 7.45am on Thursday 6 th August 2015 en route for the Open Day at Mary Sumner House in London which is in SW1 (approx 10 minutes walk away from Westminster Abbey).The event was to celebrate 100 years since the idea was put forward for the Mothers' Union to have a building of its own for its headquarters. Today MSH is a listed building in a prime position, which can be hired out for outside events and functions, and within these walls the business of the MU is carried out. It exists to support families through fighting poverty and injustice as well as tackling family issues whether at home or abroad. -We arrived at Kings Cross at 10.15am already armed with the knowledge that the London Tube system was on strike that day. We queued at the taxi rank and before too long we were on our way to Tufton Street. Our taxi driver on hearing our destination automatically asked if we were MU members!! The journey was more expensive and took longer under the circumstances as did the return journey also by taxi, but we knew we had taken the best option when we saw the very large queues for the buses en route. We eventually arrived and were greeted and led into the large Conference Hall. There was a huge mural displayed from the 1988 World Wide Council where each diocese represented submitted an A4 sized panel that had been embroidered to reflect that Diocese. We eventually found our own Wakefield diocese which included Castle Hill, M62, Coal mining, Brass bands, and Piece Hall and the textile industry. -Midday prayers form an important part at MSH. In the afternoon we had the opportunity to look around the building and also the MU Enterprises shop. There were displays of letters written by our founder Mary Sumner ( ) as well as showing the history of the MU. -During the event we met with Lynne Tembey the current Worldwide President and Bev Jullien the new CEO who had been in post for 4 days! Lynne's husband Rev. David Tembey was the Chaplain for the day and conducted the services including the Re-dedication of our Mothers' Union Membership. We also had the opportunity to speak to other MU members who were present. The day finished around 4.30pm with booklets outlining the history of MSH given out as a memento of our visit. We eventually arrived back in Wakefield at 9.45pm, all agreeing that it had been a worthwhile and interesting day and that a good time had been had by all!! Hazel Dracup (Lepton Branch). 3

4 NEW CHIEF EXECUTIVE FOR MOTHERS UNION. Mrs Beverley Jullien has been appointed as the new Chief Executive of Christian membership charity, Mothers Union. During her successful career in both the corporate and education sectors Beverley Jullien has been at the vanguard of women s representation at senior board level, including leading the merger of Astra and Zeneca in the UK in 2000 and a period serving as Vice-President [for AstraZeneca.] Beverley Jullien said I m delighted to be joining Mothers' Union. This offers a wonderful opportunity to apply the skills and experience I ve gained in my career to a new role in the not for profit sector. I m excited to be joining a worldwide organisation of over four million members, men and women working together to support families through fighting poverty and injustice and tackling family issues. As well as her global experience in the pharmaceutical industry, Mrs Jullien s previous roles have included a Pro-Vice Chancellorship at London South Bank University. Alongside her considerable experience at corporate board level, Mrs Jullien will bring to Mothers Union her extensive understanding and experience of the not for profit sector: she set up a unique service for the British Olympic Association for the 2012 London Games to help professionalise Sports Governing Bodies; she has served on the Open University International Advisory Board, and volunteers regularly in local community outreach and fundraising. Mrs Jullien and her family are active members of their local Anglican church and she is proud to be continuing a long tradition of membership of Mothers Union. We are delighted to be welcoming Beverley to Mothers Union said Worldwide President, Lynne Tembey. As we look to build on our strong heritage, whilst moving forward towards our strategic goals, Beverley brings to Mothers Union her deep faith, her talents and her experience all of which will enable us to do more to transform communities worldwide through our prayers, our practical programme work and our advocacy. (Press release from Mary Sumner House.) SWILLINGTON CELEBRATE 130YEARS. On Saturday 25th July a service celebrating 130 years of Mothers Union at St. Mary s, Swillington was held. Being one of the first branches established it was decided to make the occasion something special. Many of the new officers of West Yorkshire & the Dales were invited and we were delighted that so many accepted. Rev d Diane Flynn, our Vicar, was the celebrant. Local members presented the readings and prayers. Rev.d Canon Charles Dobbin gave an excellent address identifying all of our Mothers Union work in the area and beyond. His research was impeccable and he missed nothing. Ros Dobbin, Joint President, presented Mrs. Doreen Fallowfield (50yrs.) and Mrs Bette Ward (53 yrs.) with long service certificates. After the service refreshments were served in the Village Hall. Thank you to all who attended or helped in any way. It was a very memorable and joyful day. Marjorie Trimble (Banch Leader.) God Grant us the gift to live with enthusiasm and to accept life with open, trusting arms SCHOLES CELEBRATE 50 YEARS On 7th September, a warm, sunny evening, 74 of us gathered to celebrate 50 years of Mothers' Union at St. Philip's Church Scholes. We started with Erin, one of our former Pathfinders, singing songs she had chosen from well-known musicals, a lovely girl with a beautiful voice. This was followed by a wonderful meal provided and served by members of our Church Committee Three of our Members, Terry Lister from Barwick, Betty Hogg from Scholes and Pam Thompson from Thorner, were presented with long service certificates by our Diocesan President, Ros Dobbin. All had been enrolled in the 1960s. After a short break we had a service of Holy Communion led by our vicar, Rev d Andy Nicolson, with a sermon preached by Canon Ann Hemsworth from Manston, who is also our Deanery Secretary, and Matt played guitar. It was a memorable occasion, full of love and fellowship. Thank you to all who came. Susan Saxton (Branch contact.) FRIENDSHIP PICNIC IN HALIFAX. During the summer holidays Mothers Union Volunteers at St. Augustine s Friendship afternoon in Halifax held a picnic for the ladies and their families in the grounds of the Centre. A great spread was provided by Mothers Union members, plus freshly cooked Indian Pakoras made by Shamim and Djenaba in the Centre kitchen. After lunch the children enjoyed playing games in the grounds including having much fun with a full size parachute. Angela Byram (Co-ordinator of St Augustine s project group, Halifax.) 4

5 URGENT NOTICE! With the new Trustee board in place for WYAD it is now time to draw on the expertise of our Mothers Union members to assist in the recruitment of 2 key individuals to join the Communications team of the future. A full page advert appears (as an attachment ). Please, consider - could it be you we are looking for? If not, do you know someone who might be interested? Branch Leaders are asked to print one colour copy and put it up on your meeting place notice boards. With thanks for your prayers and support. Nicky Holliday (F&C unit Co-ordinator.) WHEELS APPEAL WHAT CAN WE DO?? Outwood Branch of the Mothers Union have only 9 members and spend a lot of their time supporting their church with fundraising. However this appeal caught their imagination, so they prayed about it so many appeals for their time and talents, so much going on in their parish but in the end they decided to have a coffee morning in support of the appeal when to have it?? Who would come with so much going on?? After much deliberation they decided to commandeer the coffee time after the morning service (with the vicar s permission of course!). They put notices out in the area advertising it as starting at 11.15am in church (they didn t want to just catch the congregation). Members baked cakes and scones and prepared a lovely table of goodies. The event was well patronised by both the congregation and the local people who came along after the service, and they managed to raise 114 for the appeal! DO YOU HAVE A SMALL BRANCH..? NOT SURE IF YOU CAN DO ANYTHING..? EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE WITH GOD S HELP! Sheila Crosby. (Branch Leader Outwood.) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR. The next edition of the Mothers Union newsletter will be a one month edition for December/ Christmas 2015 Then we will start, (two monthly), again in January 2016 with Edition One, (Jan/Feb.), of the new Diocese of West Yorkshire & the Dales. Please send copy for this by 14 December. NB. Deadline for :- cmdaley40@gmail.com January/February is December 14. March/April is February 14. May/June is April 14. July/August is June 14. September/October is August 14. November/December is October 14. Thank you for your support throughout the year. Please continue to keep your news coming in. It is good to keep in touch with what is going on around the Diocese. Carol Daley (Newsletter editor.) ADVENT SERVICE Allerton Deanery will be holding their Advent Service at St. Cyprian s with St. James church on Tuesday, 2nd December 2015 at 2.00pm. Everybody is welcome. We must move from asking God to take care of the things that are breaking our hearts to praying about the things that are breaking God s heart. (Margaret Gibb. In The Breath of the Soul by Joan Chittister.) OBITUARY. Ruth Hirst Ruth Hirst was a dedicated member of Mothers Union, becoming Leader of Collingham Branch for several years, and was well known in the Harrogate Deanery. Ruth had lived with her husband and family in Collingham since In her later years she became an indoor member residing at Wetherby Manor. Ruth and her husband had six children, ten grand daughters and two great grand children. She will be sadly missed. Brenda Hoare. May she rest in peace and rise in glory. Amen. ( Donations in Ruth s memory were shared between Mothers Union and The British Legion.) 5