Revd. Stephanie is taking a short study leave during May 2013. Please contact the Parish office in the first instance with any queries.
Dear Friends,
Happy New Year! This year we have a lot to look forward to.
Two years ago we began planning a project which will help us to deepen and share our faith. From 14th -28th April 2013 there will be an exhibition in St John the Baptist Church, Bishops Castle of two thousand years of Christian Art entitled ‘ Faces of Faith.’ Some of the paintings will be familiar to you, but many will not , and may surprise you. Have you, for example, ever seen pictures of Jesus and Mary playing together? What might that say to us?
Alongside this exhibition there will be opportunities for adults and school children to be creative, by taking part in art workshops. We are lucky to have the help of Kathy Priddis, Revd Regan O’ Callaghan and Joan Baker to lead these. In addition there will be concerts by local artists, the Corndon singers will sing Compline by Candlelight on 17th April and Choral Evensong, sung by Hereford Cathedral Choir at 5pm on 28th April. There will be discussion groups one led by Bishop Alistair, others by four ordinands from Ripon College, Cuddesdon who will be working alongside us for the fortnight..
Further details, and booking forms for the art workshops will be available very soon…
I’m looking forward to all this and I hope you will too.
Every blessing,
Stephanie
Dear Friends,
In Lydbury North Primary school this term we have been reflecting on the Olympic and Paralympic values of friendship, respect, excellence, determination, courage, equality and inspiration. It seems to me that there are two other very worthwhile values, which we could add to the official ones; the importance of encouragement, and of taking pleasure in other people’s achievements. These values are not only important in the sphere of sport, but also in many other walks of life. I doubt that you can remember who taught you to read, or write, but the gifts which they have given you in doing so, will have been incalculable. I am quite sure that in helping you to master these basic tools for life, the most important ingredients in their care were encouragement and patience, and a real joy when you got things right. Nothing motivates like a smile and the words ‘Well done!’
Of course, we never grow out of the need to be encouraged. It makes a huge difference; so let’s make sure that long after the Olympics are over, we continue to live out these most important values. Who knows what a difference we could make to each other’s lives?
Revd Stephanie – July 2012
Dear Friends, The beginning of the year is a time to take stock of what has been achieved and to look forward to the future.
In the Ridgeway benefice we have made good progress over the last year, and some of the proposals from the Away day are coming to fruition.
Some practical measures have been taken to make our churches more comfortable; both Mainstone and Sarn now have Portaloos, Bishops Castle has installed a loop system for the hard of hearing n the Church Barn, where we are currently holding most of our services. Lydbury North is looking at ways to screen off the Walcott Chapel and make it warmer.
Baptisms in the Benefice now take place within our usual Sunday worship, so that we can welcome new members of our community properly. These have been very joyful occasions. Both Edgton and Bishops’s Castle are making changes to their pattern of worship in order to make these services more family friendly. Lydbury North is also looking at ways in which to better meet our young people’s needs. Mainstone has put together a lovely book of prayers and meditations for visitors to use in the church. January 2012
