Mothers' Union relief distribution in Muhabura, Uganda to refugees from Democratic Republic of Congo in February 2009

Members of the Mothers’ Union in the Winchester region will be pleased to know that a new edition of ‘Archway’ is due out at the end of July. It will be distributed at our forthcoming Information Evening, to be held at St. Boniface Church, Chandlers Ford at 6.00pm on Wednesday 22nd July.

Features in the forthcoming issue include:

• news of Relief Fund grants to two of our link diocese, Masasi in Tanzania and Muhabura in southern Uganda, and a visit to the Diocese of Winchester by the Bishop of Muhabura and his wife, Right Revd Cranmer and Mrs Hope Mugisha;
• the announcement of our new Diocesan President for 2010-2012;
• information about this years AFIA Family Holiday on the Isle of Wight, including your prayer diary for the week;
• news from Shyogwe Diocese in Rwanda about Mothers’ Union work there which is supported by members in the Lyndhurst area of this diocese;
• more information about Street Pastors and prison chaplaincy, as previously featured on this website;
• photograph’s from our Mothers’ Union Festival Service in April, with a summary of the address given by Right Revd Michael Scott-Joynt, Bishop of Winchester;
• news of what has been happening among some of your local groups, including some fantastic picnic photographs from Ringwood and Odiham as they celebrated National Family Week in May.

If you live in the region covered by the Diocese of Winchester, and think all this sounds interesting, but you are not a member of Mothers’ Union, please take time to read more about us on this website, and then contact us if you would like to become a member.

The closing procession at the Mothers' Union Festival Service 2009

More than 200 Mothers’ Union members from across the region gathered at Winchester Cathedral on Wednesday 29th April. Together with fellow member Right Revd Michael Scott-Joynt (Bishop of Winchester) they celebrated the theme of ‘Living Love’ in worship, prayer, music and an inspiring drama called ‘The Good Punk Rocker’. The Eucharistic Service also heard an inspiring sermon by Bishop Michael who gave two very interesting insights into the meaning of ‘Living Love’.

More photographs and details of this event will be featured in the next issue of our newsletter ‘Archway’ which is due to be circulated in late July.

The theme which Mothers’ Union is concentrating on in 2009 is the ‘Cost of Relationship.’ The phrase raises many questions:

• What is meant by cost exactly?
• Relationship to whom?
• Is the church or Mothers’ Union asking for my money?
• How can relationship be costly?

The Head of our Diocesan Faith and Policy Unit has been looking for some answers, and invites you to start exploring them with her in the next issue of ‘Archway’.

‘Archway’ is the Newsletter of Mothers’ Union in the Diocese of Winchester, which is free to members living in the Diocese and compliments information available on this website. The next issue will be available to visitors and distributed to group leaders at our Diocesan Meeting on 31st March (more details of which are available by using the events tag on the left).