HENBURY W.I
On March 3rd our speaker was Sarah Clarke, a local optician who had spent 3 weeks
travelling to Nepal. Her talk was entitled ‘Eye Care from Macclesfield to Nepal’.
She took us through her journey by plane and jeep rides over rough terrain to a small
village area in Nepal. There with a team of helpers she provided the locals with
glasses which she had taken with her – these had been donated by local Macclesfield
people. She also assisted with cataract operations on the local people.
It was a very interesting talk and was followed by the usual refreshments of tea
and cake. This was followed by the business end of the meeting – there are many
events happening this year as it is the centenary of the Cheshire Federation.
Our next meeting is on April 7th when Rhona Marshall will talk to us about Uganda.
We hope at that meeting to have collected together many items which will go to Uganda
to help the local people.
All visitors welcome.
Ann Cresswell
MOTHERS’ UNION
As promised last month I can now report on the Diocesan Festival Service held on
the 29th February, which I am afraid took place too late for me to report on it in
the March article although as I am typing this on the 1st March, April seems a long
way off!
The Diocesan Festival Service was not as well attended as last year but a storm warning
had been given and also there was the worry of the Coronavirus. Nevertheless it
was a lovely service led by Revd. Christine Broad our Diocesan Chaplain and The Very
Revd. Dr. Tim Stratford the Dean of Chester. The theme for the service was the same
as MU’s theme for this year “Building Hope and Confidence”. During the service three
new MU speakers were commissioned and also The Diocesan Ambassador of The Children’s
Society in the Diocese of Chester. Seven members from Henbury attended and three
from Rainow so that was not too bad from the Macclesfield Deanery. Despite the fall
in numbers the singing still managed to rattle the rafters of the Cathedral! As
well as attending the service it is an opportunity to meet with the Trustees and
members from other branches and witness the fellowship of our members.
On Sunday, 8th March we held our usual Lenten Lunch. Money raised at this event
is used to purchase several of the Make a Mother’s Day gifts in memory of branch
members who have sadly passed away. This year we raised £276 and purchased 2 x £101
gifts to train two parenting co-ordinators, 1 x £31 to support girls with their education
and protect them from being forced into early marriages, 1 x £41 gift to support
the work of Mary Sumner through the next generation, and with the balance of £2 we
purchased two Living Cards which contain wild flower seeds which we hope to plant
around the Church or Church Hall in memory of our late members who have worked in
past years to raise funds and awareness or Mother’s Union.
This article will have been submitted by the time we hold our Mothering Sunday cake
stall but thanks to everyone who donated cakes or purchased them. It will have
been put on the pew leaflet how much we raised.
We also look forward to seeing as many of you as possible at the Maundy Thursday
Communion detailed below. We need to support these events especially while we are
in an interregnum. This is a service for everyone, not just MU members, so it would
be good for the congregation to see how supportive we can be.
Each year MU in the Chester Diocese hold a prayer walk and this year it will be taking
place on Saturday, 6th June at Holy Trinity, Church Lane, Rainow SK10 5TZ. This
will be led by Revd. Steve Rathbone starting at 10 a.m. with tea and coffee at the
church followed by the prayer walk, and ending back at the church where members are
welcome to eat their packed lunches. The Annual Garden Safari takes place in the
afternoon which members are more than welcome to stay and enjoy. Lynne and I have
enjoyed several of these prayer walks and they are always so enjoyable so as this
one is on our doorstep so to speak, it would be good to see a large turnout from
the Macclesfield Deanery. Please put this date in your diary although it does appear
in the Programme.
If there is anyone reading this that would like to attend one of our meetings, do
please come along, you will be made very welcome.
April Diary Dates
Thursday, 9th April – 10.40 a.m. - Maundy Thursday Corporate Communion
Intercessions – Lynne Hibbert & Di Waller Reader – Sue Ryder
Thursday, 9thApril –Monthly Meeting – Speaker David Black – Shelter Box
Refreshments - Chris Redern & Lesley Brown Raffle: Lesley Brown Table Flowers
& Vote of Thanks: Chris Redfern
Good Friday, 10th April – 10.30 a.m. Chester City Passion – On the streets of Chester
City Centre – Free event – for more information: Facebook.com/ChesterCityPassion
