Some of the things we do around the Diocese. We are always grateful for your news and pictures to go on this page, and do please encourage your friends and fellow members to contribute. Best to send information electronically if possible - these days there's usually a member or a relative or friend with Internet access - but if not, my address details are in the handbook.
There's also an archive of older news items
Trevor Jordan (webmaster)
News & Events
Margaret of Antioch and Margaret of Selby
No, that's not Margaret of Antioch on the left! That's Kath Sutcliffe who recently featured in our Newsletter. But the Margaret on the right is indeed Margaret of Selby! More specifically, The Revd Margaret Cundiff, former Chaplain to Mothers' Union in the Diocese of York and author of some fourteen books on faith and the Christian life. And last week she was the preacher at St Margaret's Church set in the delights of Harwood Dale celebrating its patronal festival.
The church is dedicated to St Margaret of Antioch (there are over 250 other churches in England dedicated to her). Her life, first recorded in the early Christian period, was elaborated in the Golden Legend . She was the daughter of a pagan priest who expelled her from his home when she converted to Christianity. She became a shepherdess and caught the attention but resisted the advances of the prefect, or governor, of Antioch, who ordered her to be tortured and eventually beheaded along with the hundreds of others she had inspired to convert to Christianity. Her fantastic sufferings include attempts to drown and burn her; she was swallowed by a great dragon but emerged unharmed when the cross she carried grew so large it split the dragon's belly. She is hence the patron saint of childbirth. A popular figure in art especially of the Romanesque and Gothic periods, she is often shown with a dragon (emerging from it or stabbing it with a cross) and wearing a crown of pearls, as can be seen in the stained glass window in St Margaret's, Harwood Dale, and in this photograph of an ivory carving, published by permission of The British Museum.
Time for... Scarborough Deanery Festival Evensong!
The Revd Alastair Ferneley, vicar of St Laurence's, Scalby, preached on Time for Relationship(s) at the Scarborough Deanery Festival Evensong recently. The service followed the pattern of Evening Prayer from the Book of Common Prayer, a welcome choice for many of us who grew up with it.
Alastair preached on time for relationships with each other, with strangers and - importantly - time for relationship with God. "What is this world if full of care we have no time to stand and stare?" he quoted. But doing nothing isn't sloth: it's necessary. Doing nothing can be the time we're most creative. We were reminded that Jesus often withdrew to a solitary place to be with his Father, and we can use some of our time that way too: time for relationship with God, time in which we withdraw from the frantic bustle of the busy-ness of our day and rest quietly in His presence.
Among those present were the Mayor of Scarborough, Councillor Eileen Vickers, along with her husband and mayoral consort, Gordon, and Archdeaconry Vice-President, Jenny Deakin. We were also very delighted to have so many of our Deanery Diocesan Members present with us for the occasion.
And afterwards the banners were displayed and the members of St Laurence's treated us to a buffet of the usual high standard of all Mothers' Union occasions!
Lewis Drew kindly sent me some photographs of the Deanery Fellowship Afternoon Worship arranged by the Mothers' Union Branch of Holy Redeemer held at The Church of the Holy Redeemer, Boroughbridge Road, York on Tuesday 1st July 2008. The service was lead by the vicar, The Revd Tony Hand.
The service was based around Psalm 118 and the phrase "His steadfast love endures forever." After the reading, comprising verses 1-4 of Psalm 118, "volunteer" representatives of the attending branches were invited to address the congregation on their branch's work and hopes for the future. During the service, after the "Affirmation of Faith" the branch's new banner was dedicated.
Afterwards there was afternoon tea in the church hall provided by the Mothers' Union branch of the Holy Redeemer.
We're always happy to receive photographs and reports of your events!
The tea towel goes to the Roadshow!
Some images from our day at the Leeds Roadshow. See if you can spot the tea towel: on the steps before the doors of Leeds Town Hall opened; being presented to our CEO Reg Bailey, to our Worldwide President Rosemary Kempsell, and to our Provincial President Lynn Tembey! And see our mailing list for an early announcement about a brand new tea towel competition!
Here are a few more images from the Roadshow... (hover your mouse cursor over the picture for a description)
Tea towel finally born!
If it were a baby it would be a baby elephant - don't they have two year pregnancies? But some two years after we first thought of the idea we have finally taken delivery of York Diocesan tea towels! No wonder Liz Clark, our Marketing Unit Coordinator, looks pleased!
The delay was due to a number of factors beyond our control, including the new Mothers Uniopn logo which mader us redesign the thing from scratch! But at £3.00 each they are not only good quality tea towels at a great price, they are also great talking points and advertisements for Mothers' Union! So, says Liz, every Branch should have at least one...!
Mothers' Union flood gifts to International Rescue
When the news broke in late June 2007 of severe flooding in Hull and Filey, Mothers' Union members world-wide, from places as far away as Papua New Guinea, spontaneously and generously sent gifts for the victims. Some of the money was used to refurbish and restock a community laundry service situated at St Michael's Church, Hull, then, after discussions with local councils and other aid agencies, and with the permission of the Charities Commission, it was decided to offer help to International Rescue Corps to be used for future flood rescue work.
Mothers' Union is therefore to buy ten complete kits of survival gear for the flood rescue work which International Rescue Corps is increasingly called out to help with. Two of their volunteers, Simon Drayton and Julie Ryan, presented to Mothers' Union members at their biannual Diocesan Council meeting films about the work of the charity including live footage of their flood rescue work in Hull last year.
In the picture: Janet Andrews, Mothers' Union Diocesan President in the Diocese of York, inspects an example of the ten survival kits which Mohters' Union in the Diocese of York is giving to International Rescue Corps. Also in the picture are Julie Ryan and Simon Drayton, International Rescue Corps volunteers.
New Branch dedicated at Staxton
On Trinity Sunday a new Mothers' Union Branch was dedicated at St Peter's, Willerby. Drawing members from the united benefice of St Peter, Willerby, St John, Folkton and St Nicholas Ganton the branch takes its name from the village of Staxton for which St Peter's is the parish church.
The dedication was conducted by the incumbent, The Revd Ken Holding, assisted by The Revd Dr Trevor Jordan and Miss Janet Andrews, Diocesan President. Jenny Jordan was confirmed as the new Branch Leader.
Here are some of the congregation with members and friends from around the Deanery and the Diocese:
And here is Janet Andrews with the obligatory celebration cake, and Marion Banks who played the organ for us:
