Christian Events and Organisations
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Picture, People at Worship
The church exists first to offer worship (honour) to God and to thank him for the gifts he gives us, and secondly to honour and support each other because we're all fellow creatures of God, and so by honouring each other we honour him too.

As well as the Seasons and Major Festivals which help us worship God, the church celebrates several 'Special Days' throughout the year to remember, honour and support each other and our work in God's world. Celebration of the "Special Days" is usually optional, Christians chose which they want to remember, including: (Return to top)
The 'Special Days'
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July Sea Sunday
August  
September Racial Justice Sunday
Harvest Festival
October Disability Sunday
Animal Welfare Sunday
Hospital Sunday
November All Saints Day, All Souls Day
Remembrance Sunday
December Nine Lessons and Carols
Christingle Service
Mothering Sunday
The English name for today is ‘Mothering Sunday’. The name ‘Mother’s Day’ is an American idea that started after the America Civil War and happens in the USA on the second Sunday of May, but the English version ‘Mothering Sunday’ goes back at least to the Middle Ages and happens on the third Sunday of Lent, just before Easter. (Return to top)
Traditional Gift
Picture, Daffodils
By the 17th and 18th centuries, it had become common for young serving maids and boy apprentices to be given a holiday to visit their ‘Mother Church’. They had probably left home as young as 10 years old and that was often their only holiday all year. In those times the church expected you to go back and visit your Mother Church on that day - that is, the church where you were baptised. As your parents probably still lived near that church, you’d go and see them too, so children were reunited for one day with their mother, and the day popularly became known as ‘Mothering Sunday’. (Return to top)
Apprentice Piece
Picture, Simnal Cake
Especially the girls took cakes they’d made to show the skills they’d learnt in the kitchen and, as it was spring, both boys and girls picked flowers like daffodils or primroses from the hedgerows on their way home as a gift for their mother (The boys might take something from the stables to show what they'd learnt).  The girl's special cakes were spicy and made from a flour with the Latin name simila (which is where we get the name ‘Semolina’ from). When the flour was used in the cakes they were known as ‘Simnel’ Cake. They usually have marzipan in the middle and a layer of marzipan on top with 11 marzipan balls for the twelve Apostles, less the one who betrayed Jesus, Judas Iscariot. (Return to top)
Mothers Day
Today we in England seem to have adopted the American name 'Mother's Day'.... and buy the bunch of flowers we give our mother as a gift instead of collecting them, but it's still a Special Day in the church when we remember the church itself and God, the mother and father of us all, as well as praying for and thanking our mothers for all they do for us. (Return to top)