At an RAF base, on holiday, in word, through worship and with free cake, Mothers’ Union members across the Diocese are supporting families in fun, practical ways this month, as the [...]]]>

Mothers' Union free homemade cake stall at RAF Odiham Families Day, 10th August 2011 - with Apache Helicopter doing aerobatics above!

At an RAF base, on holiday, in word, through worship and with free cake, Mothers’ Union members across the Diocese are supporting families in fun, practical ways this month, as the organisation celebrates its 135^th anniversary!

More than 100 homemade cakes were collected by Mothers’ Union members at Old Alresford on Wednesday and transported to RAF Odiham where, with 100s more they served 1000s of RAF personnel and their families at the RAF Odiham Families Day on Wednesday 10^th August. For the second consecutive year a team of Mothers’ Union members made a gift of FREE tea, coffee, squash and cake to families who attended.

The idea for the gift grew out of the desire of local Mothers’ Union members to show their appreciation for the sacrifices made by RAF personnel as they serve tours of duty overseas, especially in Afghanistan, as well as their families. This year’s team of 16 Mothers’ Union members served throughout the day as families circulated watching the flying displays and other attractions.

Mothers’ Union in the Diocese of Winchester is also offering Relationship Counselling to support to any Armed Forces family connection with the Diocese that is struggling to cope with the pressures service life places on their family. More information about this pilot project is available here. 

Many of the cakes had been made by the 140 members who gathered on Tuesday 9^th August at Old Alresford to celebrate the 135^th Anniversary of the founding of Mothers’ Union by Mary Sumner. Holy Communion was celebrated in St Mary’s Church by Right Revd Peter Hancock, Bishop of Basingstoke. In his address he Bishop Peter reminded members of the words of Teresa of Avila, that they are the ‘hands of Jesus’ as they support of marriage and family life around the world. Later in the day Rosemary Kempsell, Worldwide President of Mothers’ Union gave a presentation showing how Mothers’ Union members around the world are still living out the original vision of Mary Sumner who founded the organisation at Old Alresford.

Another team of Mothers’ Union supporters are also preparing for the region’s biggest annual project which offers a week’s holiday to families who would otherwise fail to get a break from difficult lives. This year’s break starts on Saturday 13^th August at a new venue for the holiday, Pilgrim Hall in East Sussex. Approximately 19 families will be hosted by a team who provide children’s activities, youth events, a day out, baby sitting, a fancy dress disco and the chance to receive unconditional love whatever their circumstances. For more information click the link here: Mothers’ Union ‘Away From It All’ Family Holiday

More photographs of the Mothers’ Union stall at the RAF Families Day and from the anniversary celebrations at Old Alresford, can be found at our Flickr group

Travelling Festivals are enjoyable projects, enabling local groups to reach out to families with young children.

They can bring the stories behind major Christian festivals into the homes of families connected to your church, in the midst of what are becoming increasingly commercial times of year.

Mothers’ Union in the Diocese of Winchester [...]]]>

Travelling Festivals are enjoyable projects, enabling local groups to reach out to families with young children.

They can bring the stories behind major Christian festivals into the homes of families connected to your church, in the midst of what are becoming increasingly commercial times of year.

Mothers’ Union in the Diocese of Winchester think the original idea came from Bridport, and came to us via Mary Sumner House, the head office of Mothers’ Union.

There is a Nativity Crib and also an Easter Basket and details of how you might work these projects in your local community are on the information sheet here: Travelling Festivals Sheet

National Family Week is being supported by Mothers’ Union and members’ near Ringwood are hosting a

FAMILY PICNIC at Toad’s Corner, North Poulner Road, Ringwood 12 noon – 2pm on Thursday 28th May Bring a picnic blanket, some food, drink and friends to share the fresh air and have fun [...]]]>

National Family Week is being supported by Mothers’ Union and members’ near Ringwood are hosting a

FAMILY PICNIC
at Toad’s Corner, North Poulner Road, Ringwood
12 noon – 2pm on Thursday 28th May
Bring a picnic blanket, some food, drink and friends to share the fresh air and have fun in the play area.

Why not join them to celebrate what is important about families… being together!

More information about about activities locally and nationally during the half-term week can be found by clicking on our link to
National Family Week

The idea is that in the short term they will take a share of the flip-flops collected at our Festival Service at Winchester Cathedral at 11am on [...]]]> We are now looking for local Mothers’ Union members in Southampton, Eastleigh and Fair Oak to provide a simple link with the Street Pastors in their area.

The idea is that in the short term they will take a share of the flip-flops collected at our Festival Service at Winchester Cathedral at 11am on 29th April, and give them to their local Street Pastor group.

In the long-term it would be good if these people could build up closer links with Street Pastors, especially linking local Mothers’ Union groups with their prayer needs.

If you feel you are in a position to help in this way, please contact us as soon as possible using the link in the bottom right of this site.

We think that such a link is already possible in Basingstoke through a Mother’s Union member whose daughter is involved in the Street Pastor scheme. Members from Basingstoke who will be attending the Festival Service will be returning on their mini-bus with flip-flops.

This appeal is in response to a presentation last week about Street Pastors who provide these items free to those who would [...]]]> Following a suggestion at our recent Diocesan Meeting, you are invited to buy and bring new pairs of Flip-flops to our Festival Service at 11am on Wednesday 29th April at Winchester Cathedral.

This appeal is in response to a presentation last week about Street Pastors who provide these items free to those who would otherwise walk home barefoot from nightclubs among the broken glass of our late night city streets.

After our Festival Service (at which Street Pastor groups will also be remembered in prayer), all the Flip-flops collected will be divided among local groups of Street Pastors.

For more information about Street Pastors, take a look at our previous posting!

Groups operate ecumenically with the support of their local police and council, as an ‘urban trinity’, moving among young people on the streets late at night in some of the [...]]]> One of the fascinating talks at our Diocesan Meeting last week was by two ‘Street Pastors’ from Portsmouth, explaining what they do and why.

Groups operate ecumenically with the support of their local police and council, as an ‘urban trinity’, moving among young people on the streets late at night in some of the hottest spots for drunken, offensive and dangerous behaviour. In small groups they seek to transform the spiritual climate of the streets by providing help to those struggling home after a night out, supporting those they find distressed, and diffusing situations before they become violent. To do this go armed with only the love of God, a few basic bits of first aid equipment and spare pairs of flip-flops (for girls whose shoes have become too painful to walk in!)

Three groups of Street Pastors are now operating in the region covered by the Diocese of Winchester: in Basingstoke, Eastleigh and Fair Oak. A new group is being launched in Southampton later this month.

If you live near to one of these groups, please make contact with them and support them in prayer, as they need this to surround their work every night they operate (usually Friday and/or Saturday nights). If you live outside our region, please look at http://www.streetpastors.co.uk/ to discover which groups operate in your area.

More details of what it takes to be a Street Pastor, the training required and the impact of these groups on the night-life of our towns and cities, is available at their national website (see above), and will be featured in the next issue of our ‘Archway’ magazine, due out in July.

Like all our meetings, they are open to anyone who is interested in [...]]]> Our next Diocesan meeting will be held on 31st March 2009 at the Crosfield Hall, Romsey. The feature talks will be on street pastoring schemes and community chaplaincy, and there will be a sale of Mothers’ Union cards, gifts and merchandise.

Like all our meetings, they are open to anyone who is interested in finding out more about the featured subject or the Mothers’ Union. Coffee is available from 9.30am and the meeting will start at 10.00am. More details of the exact program will be attached to this post as a ‘comment’ when they are finalised.

Crosfield Hall is at Broadwater Road, Romsey, SO51 8GL – Googlemap

We look forward to meeting you.