Church

Thought for the day: ‘True rest’

by Dcn. Rebekah-Joy Spinks The Methodist Church, Yeovil & Blackmore Vale Circuit

For many, what might have started out as effort to shape life to the full has become an over-full life.

The lockdowns revealed much of the unhealthy patterns which have become the norm. Anxiety fuelled panic buying stemming from the belief that there is not enough to go around, multi-tasking in the assumption that we have not enough time, multi-shifting in the concern that if we stop something terrible will happen, transfixed to our social media in the fear that we will miss out, and the world when ruled by ‘anxious productivity’ chokes all creation in the waste we produce.

Increasingly we want to trade in the patterns of the past for something better, but where can we find a paradigm for a healthier and more balanced life? We need look no further than Sabbath rest. The Sabbath is not simply a day off as we understand it today but a means to resist the cruelty of a world which worships productivity before all else. It was a day off shared by everyone in the entire community at the same time, bringing a complete full-stop to productivity, with no new tasks building up in your absence. The Sabbath was utterly levelling because it was received by all regardless of property, wealth, education, intellect, health, age, race or gender. Sabbath included the foreigners and strangers, the servants and animals, even the land was enabled to rest.

In the Christian faith we believe that all people are made in the image of the creator God, who rested as well as worked. The intentional choice to stop is an embodied declaration to not join in with the anxiety that prioritises productivity above our person-hood. Jesus always stood for the true heart of Sabbath and invites all who follow him, out of the anxiety systems that pervade our world. Check out his address given on the mount (Matthew 6:25-31).

It turns out that in this holy paradigm there are sufficient hours in each day, there is enough to go around, you are enough. Sabbath rest shows us that our worth in relationship to community and creation does not come from our productivity, our status, our wealth, achievements or strength, but in simply being.

So, this summer, the first that offers holiday freedoms since the pandemic, what does true rest look like for you?

• Shaftesbury Quakers (Society

of Friends). Meets for one hour each Sunday from 10.30am at the Quaker Meeting House, Abbey Walk, Shaftesbury SP7 8BB.

• West Camel Independent

Methodists. All Saints Church on the first Sunday of the month at 4pm followed by tea. Other Sundays, evening worship is at 6pm. 01935 850838, Geoff.mead@yahoo.com.

• Anglican High Mass at

Wimborne St Giles. High Mass is the first Sunday of each month at 10am. BH21 5LZ.

• Blandford Methodist Church

Sunday services at 10.45am, followed by refreshments in the hall. Lunch club for over-55s meets on Friday from noon-2pm. Meals £5, please book. Coffee mornings on Thursday from 10am-noon – just turn up. If you need our help please leave a phone message. Church steward John Cornish (phone 07799 516735).

• St Gregory’s Church,

Marnhull. Coffee, Cake and Company, Thursdays from 10-11am. Everyone welcome. • Sherborne Abbey. Monday to Saturday, 8.30am Morning Prayer; The Sepulchre Chapel. Mondays, 9am CW Holy Communion; The Lady Chapel. Tuesdays, 12 noon CW Holy Communion; The Lady Chapel. Wednesdays, 10.30am Holy Communion with Homily; The Lady Chapel (alternates CW and BCP). Thursdays, 12 noon BCP Holy Communion; The Lady Chapel. Fridays, 9am Ecumenical Holy Communion; The Lady Chapel. First Friday of the month, 9am Requiem Holy Communion; The Sepulchre Chapel. Third Friday of the month, 11am Remembering the Fallen. Saturdays, 9am CW Holy Communion; The Sepulchre Chapel.

• St Peter’s, Hinton St Mary.

First, second and third Sundays, 9.30am Morning Prayer. Fourth Sunday, 9.30am Holy Communion. • St Thomas’ Lydlinch. Second and fourth Sunday, 11am Holy Communion. Third Sunday, 6pm Evensong.

• St Mary’s, Sturminster

Newton. First and third Sundays, 11am Holy Communion; 6pm BCP Evensong. Second and fourth Sundays, 9.30am Morning Prayer; 6pm BCP Evensong. Fifth Sunday, 11am Benefice Holy Communion. Wednesdays, 10am BCP Holy Communion. • Kingston Lacy. Second Sunday of the month, 9.15am Holy Communion. Fourth Sunday of the month, 9.15am Family Service. • Shapwick. Third Sunday of the month, 9.15am Holy Communion. • Horton Church. First Sunday of the month, 10.30am Holy Communion. • Hinton Martell. Second Sunday of the month, 10.30am Holy Communion.

• Horton and Chalbury Village

Hall. Third Sunday of the month, 9am Breakfast Church. • Witchampton Church. Third Sunday of the month, 10.30am Holy Communion. • Chalbury Church. Fourth Sunday of the month, 10.30am Holy Communion.

• Our Lady’s RC Church,

Marnhull. Mass Sunday, 9.30am and 6pm.

• St Benedict’s RC Church,

Gillingham. Sunday, 11am. • Fancy a coffee? The churches in The Donheads, Charlton, East Knoyle, Semley and Sedgehill now have a team of friendly, approachable people available to offer home visits. Contact Revd. Kate at rector@benofbart.org.uk, 01747 830174.

• Sherborne Abbey organ

recitals (Mondays in The Abbey at 1.30pm). Monday, 1 August – Martyn Noble, Sub-Organist, HM Chapels Royal, St James’s Palace Monday; 8 August – Timothy Uglow, Director of Music, Worksop College (formerly Canterbury Cathedral). • Lower Stour Benefice: Sunday, 7 August – 10.45am, Together Service – Blandford St Mary. Sunday, 14 August – 9.30am, Communion – Blandford St Mary; 11am, Communion – All Saints Langton Long; 11am, Family Service – Tarrant Rushton. Sunday, 21 August – 9.30am, Communion – Spetisbury; 9.30am, Morning Worship – Charlton Marshall; 11am, Morning Worship – All Saints Langton Long; 11am, Communion – Tarrant Keyneston; 4pm, Family Service – Charlton Marshall Sunday, 28 August – 9.30am, Communion – Charlton Marshall; 9.30am, Morning Worship – Spetisbury; 11am, Communion(BCP) – Tarrant Crawford; 11am, Communion – All Saints Langton Long. • St Mary’s, Stalbridge. 7 August Holy Communion 10am; 14 August Evensong 4pm; 21 August Morning Worship 10am; 25 August Holy Communion 10am. • Sherborne Munch: Every Wednesday in August, free hot family meals at St Paul’s Church (St Paul’s Close, Sherborne DT9 4DU). Drinks served from noon, food from 12.30pm. Booking helpful but not essential at sherbornemunch@gmail.com • Sherborne Abbey tours: Tuesday at 10.30am and Friday at 2pm (excluding 5 and 12 August, and 9 September) until the end of November; and on Saturday at 10.30am and Sunday at 11.15am (on Sunday, 7 August, the tour is at 2pm) until 11 September. Free; no need to book.

• Friends of Sherborne Abbey

outing: The outing to Salisbury is on Tuesday, 6 September. The cost is £27, including coach travel, the tour and afternoon tea. Places should be booked by 18 August – for details/booking form, email Joanna.Sams@sherborneabbey. com or phone the parish office.