Dear friends,

May God’s peace and grace through Jesus Christ be with you all. Welcome to our worship this Mothering Sunday. Let us bless the Lord for the love and care that we have been shown throughout our lives, and especially that nurturing generous love from our mothers, whether living or departed. We gather to honour and celebrate all that they mean to us, and we thank God for them.

Mothering Sunday is also the fourth Sunday in Lent, when there was a traditional “pause” in the Lenten discipline, and pilgrimages made to honour the “mother” church, whether in the parish or the Diocese. Why not, in the moments before the service begins, give thanks to God for our church, both local in your parish, and regional in Oxford and Reading. We also give thanks to God for Andrew, Bishop of Reading, who is retiring in a few weeks time after Easter.

Our Easter services in the Team ministry commence on Maundy Thursday, with a commemoration of the Last Supper, in prayer and eucharist, at St John’s Stoke Row at 7.30pm on Thursday 18th April, co-led by Angela Linton and Liz Lowth. Everyone from across the Team is very welcome to come and share in this special service, where we begin our Easter journey together.

One of the things that our mothers do/did for us is to teach us life skills, and important things to remember. We are building on that in our life as a Team, by learning together some of the key texts of the Christian faith. This week, we return to the Apostle’s Creed. Are you able to recite this yet, without looking at it? Why not test yourself now…..

Your servant for Jesus’ sake                                                            Revd Kevin Davies

The Apostle’s Creed

I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
he descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again;
he ascended into heaven,
he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and he will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.