OUR CHURCH COMMUNITIES

News from the Three Valleys team

On 26 May we celebrate Ascension Day, another event in fact in the series of incredible episodes associated with Jesus’ life. The Book of Acts says: 9 After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. 10 They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them.11 “Men of Galilee”, they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”

Where did he go? What really happened? Sceptics tend to dismiss this as just another story too hard to credit. Strangely perhaps, I have always found that people familiar with science fiction stories, which are often based on genuine concepts, accept the ideas behind the Ascension more easily than many religious people do. I wonder if this is because they are used to the mysteries of science, particularly ideas of alternative realities.

Acts tells us that Jesus went back into Heaven. Belief in those days located Heaven in the sky. Today, though we still don’t really know much about Heaven, our concepts of it have much more in common with these ideas of alternative realities than of a location in the sky.

In many ways our understanding has turned a full circle because on the cutting edge of physics there are all sorts of exotic and, to most of us, hardly believable theories about what reality is and the place of humanity 56 within it. If you don’t believe me, just put terms like the ‘Anthropic Principle’, ‘the Holographic Universe’ or ‘Super Symmetry’ into your Google search engine and see what comes up. Stick to reputable ones like the New Scientist or Scientific American and you will be astonished at what you read. You might even find some of your doubts about what was going on at the Ascension will suddenly melt away.

Perhaps it is enough to say that Jesus did indeed go to the ‘other’ so that he could still be with us today. We do not need to know what that other is.

Rev’d Tony Gilbert

Team Rector Three Valleys Benefice

News from Yetminster Methodist Church

For the beauty of the Earth, For the beauty of the skies For the love which from our birth Over and around us lies, Gracious God to Thee we raise This our sacrifice of praise!

May is a very special month to me as I walked down the aisle on my wedding day, 52 years ago, to this hymn. This was in Londonderry, just before the troubles of the 1970s began, and before the organ in the Presbyterian Church where we were married was removed for safe keeping.

The troubles in Ireland; the Falkland war; the Afghanistan situation; Syria, and so many other places, and now Ukraine. SO much fighting, suffering and loss of life over the last 50 years.

And yet…. I wonder did you, as we celebrated Easter, take time to reflect, “what is Life all about”? I hope you were able to meet with family, friends and enjoy this most special celebration in the Christian calendar.

Yes celebrate! Because the God, who was incarnate in the birth of Jesus, came and lived amongst people, bringing healing of body, mind and spirit. He, who was without sin and yet suffered and died the cruel death of a criminal in our place, said:

“I am the resurrection and the Life. He who believes in Me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

Well, in the face of such suffering in the world, the question is still, “Do you believe this?”

We will have been so moved by the accounts of many people, among them young people serving God through Youth with a Mission (YWAM), delivering food, cooking meals, getting people to the border to safety, putting their own lives at risk, in the face of such atrocities, but being the hands, feet and arms of Jesus as they shared in the suffering of the people of Ukraine.

Jesus bore our sorrows, our shame, our sadness, our wrongdoing on the cross so that we would be able to respond as Martha did in that encounter with Jesus after her brother, Lazarus, had died: “Yes Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, Who was to come into the world.”

Jesus made it possible for us to know the splendours of eternal life in God’s presence, in heaven, where there will be no more suffering, injustice, tears, war. A life that will be pure JOY. Yes, that is the gift of God that we are offered and have been celebrating.

His Presence with us, in the suffering on earth, and when our short time on earth comes to an end, for all eternity in His Heaven. Something worth preparing for!

Now we also prepare to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee of our Queen, someone who has not only served her people in this country and in the Commonwealth, but also made no secret of serving faithfully her Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Have a wonderful Jubilee.

Rev Ruth Farrant

Supernumerary Methodist Minister The Yeovil and Blackmore Vale Circuit

The Hilfield Youth Camp is running this year from 13–21 August and bookings are now open. The camp is run by an experienced team of volunteers (including me) and it offers up to 60 young people aged 13–17 years the chance of a low cost, fun holiday in stunning surroundings, while exploring a Christian theme. This camp is built on friendship, community and faith and is held at Hilfield Friary, so draws on the Franciscan tradition.

The young people are involved in all aspects of the camp from cooking meals to planning and leading worship. All the young people are supported to get fully involved and to use the gifts and skills they bring, as well as getting involved in lots of activities throughout the day and evening, including trips to the beach, adventure activities, challenges and games.

Through all this, the leadership has a caring and encouraging style, allowing individuals to express their feelings and positively recognise the validity of their own views and ask questions about faith and life. There is much more information on the website www.hilfieldyouthcamp. co.uk and I am very happy to talk to any groups of young people or parents who would like further information.

Bookings can be made through this website. The camp cost is £130 for the full nine days, if booked before 1 May, and £150 if booked from May – July. This includes all activities and food. If anyone would struggle with the full cost of the camp, then please do get in touch through the website as financial help may be possible.

Young people can come as individuals or with friends and as groups. There is normally about 40–60 people on the camp, so everyone gets to know each other quickly.

Lizzie Whitbread

Senior Adviser for Work with Children and Young People Tel: 07500 828184

For complete list see www.threevalleysteam.org go to Services page

Please continue to check the website and your local church in case things change.

SUNDAY MAY 2022

1st 8th 15th 22nd

EASTER 3 EASTER 4 EASTER 5 EASTER 6 ROGATION

BATCOMBE

BEER HACKETT 10am BCP Holy Communion

BRADFORD ABBAS

CHETNOLE 10am Village Service HERMITAGE 6pm CW Holy Communion

HILFIELD

10am CW Holy Communion

10am CW Holy Communion 10am CW Holy Communion 9.30 CW Holy Communion 10am CW Morning Prayer

29th

EASTER 7 SUNDAY AFTER ASCENSION

10am CW Holy Communion

LEIGH

RYME INTRINSECA

8.30am BCP Holy Communion 6pm BCP Evensong 10am CW Holy Communion 10am Community Spirit

THORNFORD 10am Welcome2Worship

YETMINSTER 10am CW Holy Communion

BENEFICE SERVICE FAREWELL TO RICHARD KIRLEW

10am CW Holy Communion 10am Second Sunday at St Andrew’s School 8.30am BCP Holy Communion

10am CW Choral Holy Communion 8.30am BCP Holy Communion

6pm BCP Evensong

11am Short Communion and Rogation Service followed by Bring and Share Lunch (Finger Food only please) West Hayes Farm, Caundle Marsh DT9 5JT

CW= COMMON WORSHIP BCP= BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER Extra and weekday Services

Ascension Day Thursday 26th May 7pm

Service of Healing and Reconciliation with Holy Communion

Monday 9th May

3pm Holy Communion tbc

Mondays

Tuesday Every

3rd May 6pm

Compline

10am Lower Covey Service

Thornford Church

The Old Vicarage Leigh Yetminster Church and on-line via Zoom. Please email for link Yetminster Church

Wednesday 4th May and 11th May only 5pm 6pm

Rectory Tea Room followed by Celtic Night Prayer

via Zoom. Please email for link

Services and times are correct at the time of going to press. Please continue to check website (see above) and church noticeboards.

THREE VALLEYS TEAM

Team Office:

Yetminster Jubilee Hall, Church Street, Yetminster, DT9 6LG

01935 872600

e:3valleysoffice@gmail.com w:www.threevalleysteam.org Opening hours Mondays: 9.30am – 12.30pm Tuesdays: 9.30am – 12.30pm or 2.00-5.00pm Wednesdays: 9.30am – 12.30pm Team Rector: Rev’d Tony Gilbert

The Rectory, Church Rd, Thornford, Sherborne. DT9 6QE

01935 873044 e: rector3valleys@gmail.com

Team Vicars Rev’d George Moody

The Vicarage Church St, Yetminster DT9 6LG

01935 873214 e: revgeorgemoody@gmail.com Rev’d Richard Kirlew

@RuralChaplain

01963 23570 e: rector3valleys@gmail.com

Jubilee Hall Yetminster

ENQUIRIES: Three Valleys Benefice Office,

01935 872600 e: 3valleysoffice@gmail.com

Yetminster Methodist Church

Chapel Lane, Yetminster DT9 6LJ Minister: Rev Kate Konrad 01935-415837 Worship co-ordinator: Mrs Barbara Driver

Tel: 01935 873690 Treasurer:

Mrs S Gilbey

All services begin at 10:30am followed by coffee.

Hilfield Friary services continue. Information can be found on our website https://hilfieldfriary.org.uk and Facebook page www.facebook.com/HilfieldFriary so please look to see what we are up to.

Roman Catholic Services

Roman Catholic Church

The Sacred Heart & St. Aldhelm, Westbury, Sherborne DT9 3EL

tel: (01935) 812021 Weekend mass times: Saturdays at 6.00pm Sundays 10.30am Holy Days 10.00am and 6.30pm

Parish Priest: Monsignor Canon Robert Draper e: sherbornerc@prcdtr.org.uk w: sherbornecatholicchurch.org.uk