Dear all
This Sunday is Remembrance Sunday and we will be holding services across the Benefice as we remember those in our parishes who have died in war. War is a terrible thing that has to an extent scarred every generation of human history. There have been wars that have cost the lives of millions, wars that have cost far less, but regardless of the scale of the horror or the politics behind them, the human tragedy at the centre is incalculable. For every life lost there is a grieving family and an empty space in a home where it makes no difference if their loss was the only loss, or one of an indeterminate number. The pain is no less in victory than in defeat.
A few years ago I remember watching the powerful drama of the true-life story of Rudyard Kipling’s son John, who died in combat in 1915 at Battle of Loos in the First World War. In 1916 Kipling wrote a poem called ‘My boy Jack’. This wasn’t in fact written about his own son, but actually about sailor Jack Cornwall who was the war’s youngest recipient of the Victoria Cross at just 16, awarded posthumously after his actions during the Battle of Jutland. In the drama though, Kipling (played by David Haig), recites the poem as he battles with his own grief, and it is hard not to be moved by the words:
My Boy Jack
“Have you news of my boy Jack? ”
Not this tide. “When d’you think that he’ll come back?” Not with this wind blowing, and this tide. “Has any one else had word of him?” Not this tide. For what is sunk will hardly swim, Not with this wind blowing, and this tide. “Oh, dear, what comfort can I find?” None this tide, Nor any tide, Except he did not shame his kind— Not even with that wind blowing, and that tide. Then hold your head up all the more, This tide, And every tide; Because he was the son you bore, And gave to that wind blowing and that tide! Rudyard Kipling, 1916Remembrance Sunday
10am Remembrance Sunday Holy Communion – St Michael & All Angels Chaffcombe, followed by Act of Remembrance at the War Memorial at 11am. Reverend Philip
10:30am Service of Remembrance – St Mary’s, Thorncombe, including Act of Remembrance at the War Memorial. Reverend Deborah Perreau
10:45am Service of Remembrance. At the War Memorial outside St John’s, Tatworth. Mary Dewar
3pm Service of Remembrance – St Stephen’s, Winsham, followed by Act of Remembrance at the War Memorial. Reverend Philip
Baby and Toddler Hub
The new Baby and Toddler Hub started on Friday last week. We have a large stock of baby and toddler clothing covering age ranges from new born to 4 years old. We also have some equipment. Whilst the hub will be open on the first Friday of each month from 10-12, if we are aware of anyone in particular need at any time we are very happy to go and dig stuff out. No cost for anything, but please do donate any surplus you may have that could benefit others by return.
Wild Church
The next Wild Church is on December 3rd at 3pm and will be a Christmas special. All Welcome – and any help offered always appreciated!
Toilet Twinning – Please read below from Colette L Annesley in Winsham about a Toilet Twinning initiative:
https://toilettwinning.com or telephone one of the Team on (0300) 321 321 7 and tell them where you’re from. They will be able to add you to the Toilet Twinning project either in your own Village or Town or as part of the wider Two Shires Benefice.
The Toilet Twinning Charity is a subsidiary of Tear Fund whose specific aim is to ‘Flush Away Poverty One Toilet at a Time’. Toilet Twinning provides the funds to build safe, dignified spaces for the 1.7 billion people around the world without proper sanitation. It costs £60 to twin a toilet and donors receive a framed certificate with photograph of the toilet in the country that they have chosen to twin with the longitude and latitude of its village location. Winsham has already reached Village Toilet Twinned status because householders including members of the Church have gradually been twinning their toilets with Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda. One of those is Rev’ds Philip & Michelle’s toilet at the Rectory, which is twinned with a toilet in the Democratic Republic of Congo! The Trustees of Winsham Village Shop and Post Office have pledged to twin their Staff toilet and will be choosing a country to sponsor. The Street Fair (2022) raised sufficient funds to twin the accessible toilet in the Jubilee Hall. There will be an education stand to raise awareness and answer any questions outside The Bell Inn, Winsham, TA20 4HU on Saturday 19th November which is World Toilet Awareness Day. That stand will be staffed from 10am to 3pm. Look out for the blue banner and little toilet logo. In the evening, there is a RevoLootionary Quiz in the Community Club at the Winsham Upper Recreation Ground (TA20 4JN) to raise funds to twin one or more of the Community Club toilets. Plenty of parking. Free entry. No charge. Donations appreciated. Bar open. All welcome from any of the villages or further afield. Teams of 4 to 6. The Winning Team chooses the country that they would like to twin. It would be interesting to know if anyone else would consider twinning their household toilet? Are there any local businesses who would twin too? Would any Church groups consider sponsoring a toilet in their Church? Or where there are no toilet facilities in Church just yet how about twinning a toilet in a community building? Perhaps a place where Churchgoers meet as a group? What about gifting a toilet twin to someone else for Christmas? If Winsham and the surrounding villages within the Benefice joined together then there could be a greater force for good in helping to alleviate this this type of debilitating poverty. The village(s) could aim for Town level (20 twinned toilets) or even City level (30 twinned toilets) Toilet Twinned status. To join the Toilet Twinning RevoLootion then visit the website: PRAYERS
Please hold in your prayers all you know who are struggling in any way, in body, mind or spirit. We are asked to pray by name for:
Dave Boyland; Terri Boyland; Sheila Clement; Wendy Cotton; Hannah Knott; Jan Knott; Mary Marsh; Tony Taylor; Margaret Bandy; Dorothy White, Tony Meech, Di Nicholls, Hester Down, Stella Hutchison; Oskar Lee; Margaret Shields.We also remember all those who we love but see no longer, particularly at this time Monica Parris and John Cotton. We pray for their families and friends in their mourning.
A Collect for Remembrance Sunday:
God, our refuge and strength,
bring near the day when wars shall cease and poverty and pain shall end, that earth may know the peace of heaven through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.Blessings
Philip
The Reverend Philip Butcher
Rector – Two Shires Benefice (Tatworth, Thorncombe, Winsham, Chaffcombe & Cricket Malherbie)
The Vicarage
3 Home Farm
Tatworth
Chard
TA20 2SH
01460 221286
PASTORAL EMAILS – please to: twoshiresrector@gmail.com
HOME PRAYER & WORSHIP: https://twoshires.wordpress.com
Rest Days – Mondays (Tuesdays where following a bank holiday)
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