OUR CHURCH COMMUNITIES

News from the Three Valleys Team

Dear Friends People often find the Old Testament difficult because of the violence and cruelty they read in it, which then leads them to discount God as being the same. This misunderstands what the Old Testament is. It is true that the Old Testament is the story of a nation’s history but, unlike modern history, the writers sought to find God’s workings within it. There are many aspects and perspectives to be found, including those of individuals and groups, as well as editorial comment and individual thoughts about events. All had in common the view that God was leading His people and that a great purpose was being worked out.

We find little of what we would regard as ‘objective history’. Indeed, the Old Testament writers would have been puzzled at the very concept of ‘objective history’. The writers took the view that all the peoples on Earth (knowingly or not) could be used by God to further His purposes. Thus, when the Israelites were carried into exile in Babylon, the writers wrote about God punishing Israel for not obeying him, through the actions of his tool the Babylonians. The prophets who lived at the time also had this understanding and so we read such things as:

The word of the Lord came to me a second time saying “What do you see?” And I said, “I see a boiling pot facing away from the North.” Then the Lord said to me, “Out of the North evil shall break forth upon all the inhabitants of the land. For behold, I am calling all the tribes of the kingdoms of the North”, says the Lord, “and they shall come and every one set his throne at the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem, against all its wall round about and against all the cities of Judah. And I will utter my judgments against them for all their wickedness in forsaking me; they have burned incense to other gods and worshipped the works of their own hands.” Jeremiah 1 vs 13 to 16

Each book in the Old Testament tends to deal with several subjects at once and it is not always easy for people trained in C20 ways of thinking to deal with. Each writer wrote about God and society as seen through the lens of the society he or she lived in. It was not God that was cruel and violent but the society God sought to teach.

Tony Gilbert Rector Three Valleys Benefice Rural Dean of Sherborne

News from Yetminster Methodist Church

Hello As I write the sun beats down and temperatures soar, I have no idea what the weather will be like as you read this magazine. 2020 feels like the year when we could not predict anything. Where plans get made, only to be shredded and reorganised, in hope but constant uncertainty. We like to be organised people but, as we learn to live with uncertainty, even fear for the future, where is God? “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29 verse 11

Hmm. Yeah right, I hear you sarcastically cry, especially if you are someone facing redundancy or fearing the loss of your business as you struggle to make ends meet.

Don’t worry, I am not going to trot out

some simple platitudes. I promise you that during my 34 years as a constantly committed Christian I have yelled a fair few times at God. As our adoptions went wrong (not once, but twice); in the face of a friend dying from motor neurone disease, barely 40 years old. Each reader will have their own experiences of unfairness, injustice, horror and tears to add and which I acknowledge as deeply painful and nonsensical.

So why dare I say that God has plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Am I asking you to have blind faith? In my experience God longs to and does bring good out of bad as we trust Him to redeem our lives from the pit. It does require radical trust, choosing to believe despite our circumstances, that God is “able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us” (Ephesians 3 verse 20). Often it is only as we look back that we can see God weaving his perfect plan.

We have already seen through the pandemic our world rest and recover ecologically. We have valued being together as we were unable to be together very much. Friendships, relationships have become more significant. Many of us have enjoyed being and not doing so much. One key question going forward will be how do we retain some of the good things we have gained….

Yetminster Methodist Church will reopen for worship with Harvest Festival on Sunday 13 September at 10.30am which I will lead. We will be wearing masks and unable to sing; we will sit apart, socially distanced, and so need you to book in for church as our building is small.

For further information email me at revkatekonrad@gmail.com or speak to Barbara Driver. It is not without risk meeting together indoors, but we have conducted a risk assessment to minimise this. Rev’d Ruth Farrant will lead worship again on Sunday 27 September at 10.30am. Although please bear in mind my opening paragraph!

May God bless you and keep you close to Him in these strange times.

Rev’d Kate Konrad

Spectacle Heart & Dart Green Carpet Streamer l V-pug k Frosted Orange j 2! Puss moth h 2) Canary-shouldered Thorn g 1( Merveille du Jour f

Barred Yellow d Peppered moth s Green Silver-lines a Purple Thorn o Gold Spot i Magpie u

Dot moth y Large Yellow Underwing t Hummingbird Hawk-moth r Dotted Bee FlyP e Lime Hawk-moth w Poplar Hawk-moth q

Answers to ‘Match the name to the moth’

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 Mon, Wed, Thurs & Fri 9.30am – 12.30pm Tues 1.30 – 4.30pm

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 Rectory Church St, Yetminster DT9 6QE

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.

Sundays:

7.30am Morning Prayer followed by silent prayer 8.30am Sung Eucharist 12.30pm Midday Prayer 5.15pm Evening Prayer, followed by prayer time Night Prayer arranged at supper

Tuesday to Saturday

7am Silent Prayer in Chapel 7.30am Morning Prayer 12 noon Midday Prayer and Eucharist 5.15pm Evening Prayer, followed by prayer time 9pm Night prayer (8.15pm -Thurs, 8.45pm-Sat)

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

THREE VALLEYS TEAM LOCAL CHURCH SERVICES For complete list see www.threevalleysteam.org go to Services page

Because of Covid-19, restrictions are still in place for worshipping in churches and the full schedule of services can not be implemented. Please check with the website and your local church.

SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 2020

6th

TRINITY 13

13th

TRINITY 14

20th

TRINITY 15

27th

TRINITY 16

BATCOMBE

BEER HACKETT

BRADFORD ABBAS

10am Family Service

10am CW Holy Communion 10am CW Holy Communion

10am Harvest

CHETNOLE

10am Harvest

HERMITAGE

LEIGH

10am CW Holy Communion

RYME INTRINSECA

THORNFORD

YETMINSTER

ON-LINE SERVICES

10am via Three Valleys Facebook page 10am CW Holy Communion

10am CW Holy Communion 10am via Three Valleys Facebook page 10am via Three Valleys Facebook page 10am via Three Valleys Facebook page

CW= COMMON WORSHIP BCP= BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER

MONDAY

MONDAY

WEDNESDAY

FRIDAY EXTRA AND WEEKDAY SERVICES

21st

Every

Every

Every 6pm

6pm

6pm

6pm LPA Commissioning Service led by the Bishop of Yetminster St Andrew Sherborne On-line via Three Compline Valleys Facebook page On-line via Zoom Night Prayer See website for details. Please email for link. On-line via Three Evening Service Valleys Facebook page