From the Congregation
St. Mary's Newchurch
“February fill dyke, be it black or be it white”. This refers to whether there is rain or snow and at Newchurch we know a lot about the latter. Sayings can be like passages in the Bible, not always easily understood unless we are familiar with them or have them explained. Traditions are kept in our countryside and our churches because we have passed them on from one generation to the next. They are part of our families and our community, and we enjoy sharing them.
In church we have many special services mainly led by Fr. Paul but on the 4th of February Bishop Philip will be with us and we hope you can join us at 9.30am. During January our Epiphany service included acting, narration and singing followed by Gallete de Rois (a tradition from France and Spain) and decorating buns. The pictures on Facebook showed what a good time we all had. The following Sunday was Christ`s baptism which led the congregation to the font to reaffirm our trust in Christ with water and words.
Following in Jesus` footsteps for truth is not easy but some people do make a difference. The unfolding story of the Post Office scandal shows that Alan Bates has been unwavering in treading a long path to get to the truth, have it acknowledged and then bring justice to the sub postmasters. The film “One Life” about Nicholas Winston shows a man determined to save the lives of hundreds of children from the Nazis. He saw what need to be done and against all the odds he believed that he could succeed.
As Christians we hope that Christ`s message is shared and followed. In church we worship but also share food and fellowship which has been facilitated by the narthex, which is nearly complete. Many people have already been able to use our new facilities for services, social events and meetings e.g. PCC and Parish Council. We would like to see you at St. Mary`s so please come and join us.
God bless