Dear all Further to my e-letter on Tuesday, it came to my attention that there was an error on the Sunday services for this week - many apologies! The service in Thorncombe is indeed a service of Holy Communion. Just to confirm - services this Sunday (26th February) are: 8am - Said Holy Communion, St John's Tatworth 10am - Holy Communion, St Mary's, Thorncombe 6:30pm - BCP Evening Prayer, St Michael & All Angels, Chaffcombe 6:30pm - Service of Light, St Stephen's, Winsham 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 PASTORAL EMAILS - please to: twoshiresrector@gmail.com HOME PRAYER & WORSHIP: https://twoshires.wordpress.com Rest Days - Mondays (Tuesdays where following a bank holiday) For non-urgent enquiries please allow up to a week for responses. Mornings are best times for phone contact!
Dear all I was burning a handful of last year's palm crosses in the grate late this afternoon to create the ash needed for the Ash Wednesday services tomorrow. It is an annual tradition on Shrove Tuesday that many priests will be doing today! At the same time Michelle was cooking pancakes in the kitchen. Palm crosses are remarkably difficult to burn - they kind of smolder rather than flare, which is not very satisfying! As I was doing battle in the fireplace, suddenly there was a shout of 'fire!' from the kitchen! I glanced over my shoulder to see flames coming from the oven and a somewhat agitated wife! The baking paper under the pancakes had caught the oven element... Disaster averted, there was much laughter at the irony of it all. Perhaps next year I will do the pancakes and Michelle can make the ash... Although, the pancakes were lovely and much better than I could have achieved! Those attending services on Ash Wednesday tomorrow are invited to receive a sign of the cross on their forehead made from that ash as a visual and symbolic reminder that without God we are nothing. 'Remember you are dust, and to dust you shall return'. I am always surprised how little ash a burnt palm cross creates (as opposed to a pancake...) They almost disappear to nothing, and so you need quite a few to make a meaningful amount. For me, that in itself is a powerful reminder of the journey we embark on tomorrow. The cross is such a powerful symbol, and as Christians our very identities are inextricably bound to it. So to see a palm cross burn and disappear to a few specks of ash is moving and reminds us of our own frailties and respective insignificance. The power does not lie in the physical, material structure - but in the love and presence of God that exists and nourishes us from beyond our earthly limitations. We wear the smear of the broken cross on our foreheads and are reminded that Jesus defeated that mortal empty death and opened the way of eternal life to all who would follow him. Feast today; and tomorrow "Remember you are dust, and to dust you shall return. Turn away from sin and be faithful to Christ." Ash Wednesday - 22 February 9:30am - A said service of Holy Communion for Ash Wednesday. St Stephen's, Winsham. Rev'd Philip 7pm - Sung service of Holy Communion for Ash Wednesday. St John's, Tatworth. Rev'd Michelle Sunday 26 February - 1st Sunday of Lent 8am - Said Holy Communion, St John's Tatworth 10am - Morning Worship, St Mary's, Thorncombe 6:30pm - BCP Evening Prayer, St Michael & All Angels, Chaffcombe 6:30pm - Service of Light, St Stephen's, Winsham Lent: Our parish lent walks start next week and continue through March as below. ALL are very welcome to come on the walks - which will not be too strenuous - and / or just catch up afterwards for the refreshments, reflection and prayer time! 2nd March 2:30pm - Winsham (Prayer in church from 4pm) 9th March 11am - Thorncombe (Prayer in church from 1230pm) 16th March 11am - Cricket Malherbie (Prayer in church from 1230pm) 23rd March 11am - Chaffcombe (Prayer in church from 1230pm) 30th March 11am - Tatworth (Prayer in church from 1230pm) Lent Prayers During Lent, Michelle and I will be saying morning prayer every Tuesday morning at 9.30am in St Johns Church, Tatworth. We warmly invite anyone and everyone to join us. We have recently been struck by how many people are carrying heavy burdens at this time and want to try and create a safe space where we can pray together for the people and situations that we are concerned about. As such, we will be using a set liturgy for morning prayer each week, but will include some space and time for us to bring our own concerns and prayers to God. Hop to it A message from Rev'd Michelle: 'I just wanted to say a huge thank you to everyone who has sponsored me for my skipping challenge. I have really appreciated it. The skipping is going well. I have done 100 skips each day in February so far, and can now almost manage the whole 100 skips without stopping for breath! I am definitely getting fitter! All the money I have raised goes straight to Cancer Research - a cause that I am sure is close to many hearts. So, thank you everyone and wish me luck - only seven days to go!!' 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. A Collect for Ash Wednesday: Holy God, our lives are laid open before you: rescue us from the chaos of sin and through the death of your Son bring us healing and make us whole in Jesus Christ our Lord. 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 PASTORAL EMAILS - please to: twoshiresrector@gmail.com HOME PRAYER & WORSHIP: https://twoshires.wordpress.com Rest Days - Mondays (Tuesdays where following a bank holiday) For non-urgent enquiries please allow up to a week for responses. Mornings are best times for phone contact!
Dear Friends There is something magical about watching our resident 4-year-old learning to read. Nowadays in most schools’ children are taught to read by using the phonetics system – a way of ‘decoding’ words using pure sounds; rather than the learning by rote that the majority of adults today will have used in their childhood. Seeing someone learning to read is a true joy, because you literally see this developing new understanding of the world around them – the joy of new discovery and with it, new meaning. A couple of days ago Andrew came running into the sitting room and excitedly told me that our vacuum cleaner had ‘shark’ written on it! ‘Is that because it eats everything Daddy?’ No – it’s the make! Part of helping Andrew to learn to read is how he is supported at home – and to do that we too have to learn the phonetic system and forget how we ourselves learnt to read. That means Michelle and I have had sessions run by the school to help with that – we are all learning together! And we are reminded what an incredible job Andrew's teacher does in school! Like learning to read, a crucial part of our Christian faith is how we nurture our own faith, and the faith of those around us. Hopefully we want to deepen our love of God, otherwise what is the point? That journey should be one of journeying together in mutual exploration – of discovering new meaning and new joy in the everyday around us. None of us have all the answers, but we can strive to find them together. SERVICES Sunday 19th February - Sunday before Lent 10am - Holy Communion; St John's, Tatworth - Rev'd Philip 12pm - Baptism; St John's, Tatworth - Rev'd Michelle 10am - Morning Worship; St Stephen's, Winsham - Lay led 6:30pm - Service of Light; St Mary's Thorncombe - Lay led Wednesday 22nd February - Services for Ash Wednesday 9:30am - Holy Communion (BCP) with Ashing; St Stephen's, Winsham - Rev'd Philip 7pm - Holy Communion with Ashing; St John's, Tatworth - Rev'd Michelle LENT: Rather than doing an evening Lent Course this year, we will be doing Lent Walks in each parish. At the end of each walk we will have some lent refreshment and share a short time of daily prayer. If walking is not your thing then please just come to the gathering at the end! Dates and times are below. Unless otherwise notified, the walks will all start from the parish church in the relevant village for the week on the following Thursdays: 2nd March 2:30pm - Winsham (Prayer in church from 4pm) 9th March 11am - Thorncombe (Prayer in church from 1230pm) 16th March 11am - Cricket Malherbie (Prayer in church from 1230pm) 23rd March 11am - Chaffcombe (Prayer in church from 1230pm) 30th March 11am - Tatworth (Prayer in church from 1230pm) The walks will be aimed at about an hour with a short reflection from the journey, and prayer time, at 4pm in Winsham and 12:30pm elsewhere whilst we warm up again! ALL are welcome to any or all the walks! Maybe come and explore a parish you don't already know very well! BIBLE STUDY COURSE: Very advance notice I know, but just to highlight that I will be running an evening Bible Study series after Easter on 5 Wednesday evenings between Easter and Pentecost. This was a time when the disciples were spending time understanding their faith in a new way and, once Jesus had ascended back to heaven, waiting in prayer for the arrival of the Holy Spirit (Pentecost). We will therefore follow the scriptures in Luke 24 and Acts 1 & 2 through that same period. Wednesdays at 7:30pm on the following dates: 26 April; 3, 10, 17, 24 May. 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. The Collect for the Sunday before Lent: Almighty Father, whose Son was revealed in majesty before he suffered death upon the cross: give us grace to perceive his glory, that we may be strengthened to suffer with him and be changed into his likeness, from glory to glory; who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen Blessings all 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 PASTORAL EMAILS - please to: twoshiresrector@gmail.com HOME PRAYER & WORSHIP: https://twoshires.wordpress.com Rest Days - Mondays (Tuesdays where following a bank holiday) For non-urgent enquiries please allow up to a week for responses. Mornings are best times for phone contact!
Dear friends Today is a significant day in the Church of England. General Synod (the 'parliament' of the church) have been meeting this week to discuss various matters, and today they will vote on the Bishops' recent proposal with regards the blessing of LGBQT+ relationships. Speaking personally, it saddens me that today we even need to have this discussion. I think we should be able to celebrate and support loving relationships that enable the mutual flourishing of those engaged with them regardless of the biology under the clothing. For me, that unconditional love, where we don't insert our own judgement into the narrative, is the love that God gives us, and shows us. I feel deeply uncomfortable about welcoming all people but not being able to offer the fulness of that participation. But I am also not so naive to realise that the Church of England is the lead denomination of the global Anglican Communion, where, in a number of places, being LGBQT+ (let alone being open about relationships) is a criminal act - sometimes with capital punishment. Just writing this email in some parts of the communion would get me in a lot of trouble... It was only 54 years ago (1967) that homosexuality was decriminalised in this country. And we must also not forget there are also many members of the Church, and Churches themselves, that hold dear to conservative theologies and cannot with all good conscience move away from those positions. The challenge of unconditional love, which I think all Christians would profess to be the example of love that Jesus gives us, is that we are called to love not only those we agree with, but also those we don't. Whatever happens today there will be people who will rejoice, and there will be people who cry. There will be people and churches who feel affirmed, those who feel we haven't gone far enough, and those who feel that they have reached the end of the road with the denomination. There is no win-win. I do not envy the members of General Synod today, but I pray for them, and ask that you do too. A friend recently flagged up this poem from John Betjeman, which I think speaks wonderfully into today. Incidentally, the title 'Septuagesima' is the traditional name for last Sunday - the Sunday 70 days before Easter, and so this poem really is about this week! Septuagesima Septuagesima – seventy days To Easter’s primrose tide of praise; The Gesimas – Septua, Sexa, Quinc Mean Lent is near, which makes you think. Septuagesima – when we’re told To “run the race”, to “keep our hold”, Ignore injustice, not give in, and practise stern self-discipline; A somewhat unattractive time Which hardly lends itself to rhyme. But still it gives the chance to me To praise our dear old C. of E. So other Churches please forgive Lines on the Church in which I live, The Church of England of my birth, The kindest Church to me on earth. There may be those who like things fully Argued out, and call you “woolly”; Ignoring Creeds and Catechism They say the C. of E.’s “in schism”. There may be those who much resent Priest, Liturgy, and Sacrament, Whose worship is what they call “free”, Well, let them be so, but for me There’s refuge in the C. of E. And when it comes that I must die I hope the Vicar’s standing by, I won’t care if he’s “Low” or “High” For he’ll be there to aid my soul On that dread journey to its goal, With Sacrament and prayer and Blessing After I’ve done my last confessing. And at that time may I receive The Grace most firmly to believe, For if the Christian’s Faith’s untrue What is the point of me and you? But this is all anticipating Septuagesima – time of waiting, Running the race or holding fast. Let’s praise the man who goes to light The church stove on an icy night. Let’s praise that hard-worked he or she The Treasurer of the P.C.C. Let’s praise the cleaner of the aisles, The nave and candlesticks and tiles. Let’s praise the organist who tries To make the choir increase in size, Or if that simply cannot be, Just to improve its quality. Let’s praise the ringers in the tower Who come to ring in cold and shower. But most of all let’s praise the few Who are seen in their accustomed pew Throughout the year, whate’er the weather, That they may worship God together. These, like a fire of glowing coals, Strike warmth into each other’s souls, And though they be but two or three They keep the Church for you and me. SERVICES Sunday 12th February 8am - Book of Common Prayer Holy Communion; St Stephen's, Winsham - Rev'd Philip 10am - Morning Worship; St Mary's, Thorncombe - Lay Team 10:30am - Holy Communion; St Michael & All Angels, Chaffcombe - Rev'd Philip Wednesday 15th February - 9:30am Holy Communion (said service); St Mary's Thorncombe, followed by Coffee Morning in church. WILD CHURCH: We had a wonderful Wild Church last Saturday! 22 children and adults met at Chard Reservoir and went for a walk, followed by hot chocolate! The children (and adults!) really enjoyed looking out for signs of wildlife, discovering lots of different feathers, shells at the water's edge, and very exciting spiders in piles of wood! We also spotted snowdrops and even a tree that looked like Winnie the Pooh maybe at home... Our next Wild Church is on 25 March at St John's, Tatworth, when we will be doing some seed sowing (hopefully to create a bit of a crop for harvest later in the year!). LENT: The walking theme continues this spring for Lent. Rather than doing an evening Lent Course this year, we will be doing Lent Walks in each parish. At the end of each walk we will have some lent refreshment (think soup and roll) and share a short time of daily prayer. If walking is not your thing then please just come to the gathering at the end! Details are being fleshed out, but dates and times are below. Unless otherwise notified, the walks will all start from the parish church in the relevant village for the week on the following Thursdays: 2nd March 2:30pm - Winsham 9th March 11am - Thorncombe 16th March 11am - Cricket Malherbie 23rd March 11am - Chaffcombe 30th March 11am - Tatworth The walks will be aimed at about an hour with a short reflection from the journey, and prayer time, at 4pm in Winsham and 12:30pm elsewhere whilst we warm up again! ALL are welcome to any or all the walks! Maybe come and explore a parish you don't already know very well! 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. We remember all those whom we love but see no longer, especially at this time Nick Frankau and Margaret Jeanes. We hold all those who are bereaved in our prayers. Please also pray for the General Synod today. Here is a prayer you may wish to use: Loving God, whoever loves has been born of You and knows You. We thank You for the times we have experienced or glimpsed Your infinite, unconditional, intimate love. We trust that You love us for all that we are, and all that we can be, through the grace of the Spirit and the example of Jesus. May we listen with love to those You entrust to our care, and those whom we struggle to love. We ask this in the name of Jesus, who teaches us to love You with our whole heart, soul, mind, and strength, and to love our neighbours as ourselves. Amen. Blessings all 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 PASTORAL EMAILS - please to: twoshiresrector@gmail.com HOME PRAYER & WORSHIP: https://twoshires.wordpress.com Rest Days - Mondays (Tuesdays where following a bank holiday) For non-urgent enquiries please allow up to a week for responses. Mornings are best times for phone contact!
