Halesworth

We meet on the third Thursday of each month, except December when it is the Second Thursday, at 2.00pm. Meets are held in St Mary's Church Hall in Steeple End, Halesworth.

We are now 19 members with 4 Indoor Members. About a dozen of us meet each month. We begin with a short service which members take part in reading, prayers etc. We usually have a speaker, such as Dorothy Stewart, a local Christian author; John Clouting, local Fire Safety Officer, talking about ‘Fire Safety in the Home'; Diana Barclay brought her MUe Bookstall; Jan Bunday, our Team Vicar, spoke on ‘Pilgrimage'. We also have a retired Priest coming to share his life story, 'From Farm to Pulpit via the Police Station'. We have an outing in August and this year went on the Community bus to Stonham Barns. We support the North Suffolk Area Quiet Days and Mornings and our Deanery Festival Service in October.

Four members run St Mary's Church Mice, which meets on a Wednesday morning after the 10.00am Eucharist. This is for babies and toddlers, up to the age of starting Pre-School or Nursery. The children are supported by mums and sometimes Dads, Grandparents, Aunts, etc., and is a point of outreach in the community. During half-terms and school holidays they usually hold a Messy Church some weeks for older children as well as the little ones. This is our main local project and has been running for several years.

For more details please contact Mrs Janet Walkey on 01986 872594 or email.

And some more information about our activities:

Church Mice at St Mary's Church, Halesworth
Wednesday Mornings 10:45am

School Summer Holidays are still with us and whether you are a Mum, Dad, Grandma, Grandad, Auntie or Uncle, we welcome all plus their little ones once on a Wednesday morning, and their older siblings who once were mice themselves, it's so rewarding to think that they still enjoy visiting us.

At the beginning of September we will lose four of our 3+ year olds to school (mornings only) they don't seem big enough to take that next step but this is the way it's done nowadays. We shall be left with babies and Emilia so she will be the oldest; it's lovely to watch them develop from just lying on the mat to eventually take that first toddlering step.

Joan sits them all on the mat and starts to tell them a story. We do try and stop them escaping but being so little they don't understand sitting still, but the young mums do sit and listen to what Joan has to say and often question what the story is about.

After this, out comes the musical instruments and we sing, march, dance and do lots of action songs. Malcolm comes and plays his guitar and if not Jan also comes along to play.

We have a prayer time circles when we all join hands and Joan leads us in prayer. Remembering anyone who isn't with us or if “our mums” have any problems that they wish to share with us. But, they also know that Joan, Gwen, Jan or myself are always there to talk through their worries and in complete confidentiality, we are at the end of a phone anytime there is a need.

After all this Gwen gets out the paint, glue and it's amazing what she dreams up for little fingers to do! Needless to say a lot of paint and glue gets everywhere but this is what mice is all about. They are able to make a mess here where at home mums might not be so happy.

We do not know from week to week how many will come but they all know that at “Mice” they will all be loved and cared for in the time they spend with us. Please remember us and our mice in your prayers as some of our young mums and little ones do need our prayers.

Jean Lucas

St Mary's, Halesworth
Marriage Trellis

It has been eighteen months since the Mothers' Union erected our Heart Trellis in the church. The reason for having this in Church is for us all to celebrate and pray for all couples across the Team who get married across our Team's churches. That was the initial plan but many couples have put a heart on the Trellis even if they are being married elsewhere. Just lately many couples have put their wedding dates of years past, remembering their anniversaries, so what started as a reminder to us all to pray for our Team couples has snowballed and how lovely that visitors form near and far feel that they are able to mark their anniversary this way. Please feel free to put your anniversary onto the Trellis so we can hold you all in our hearts and prayers.

Jean Lucas