South Yorkshire Branch report
Posted by esbvm on January 30th, 2007
Our AGM was held on the 31st October at St Oswald’s Anglican Church in Sheffield. Our secretary, John Harrison, reported on the past year’s activities which included two pilgrimages to the Shrine of Our Lady at Egmanton, support for a pilgrimage to Ladyewell, and two presentations given by Sr. Ruth, on ‘Holy Grandmothers’, and the Shrines at Walsingham. John confirmed his retirement as our Secretary for 18 years.
Our re-elected Chairman, Fr. Dennis, thanked John warmly for his many years of work for the Branch and then made a presentation to him on behalf of the members. The meeting closed with the Ecumenical Office of Mary.
Refreshments were then served, courtesy of our lady members, and we enjoyed a pleasant ecumenical chat. With 18 members plus Father Alan Watson (Anglican) who has just joined us, we hope to continue our activities, and have already made an excellent start.
A group of 11 accepted an invitation to join the congregation at Ss. Columba & Kentigern Orthodox Church, Doncaster, where we had Vespers, followed by Mass, to celebrate the Presentation of the Mother of God in the Temple. We enjoyed the rich orthodox Liturgy (some for the first time), and the warm welcome and hospitality extended to us. We returned home fortified by a lovely buffet, after a holy and spiritually uplifting evening. Grateful thanks to our hosts.
The first of our programme of events for the new year takes place on the 23rd January 2007, in the’ Week of Prayer for Unity’. We have been invited to join the congregation at St Edwin’s Anglican Church, Dunscroft, near Doncaster, where the Vicar, Rev. Alan Watson, will celebrate Mass at 7.30pm. In addition, we have set out a full programme of activities through to September 2007, details of which may be had from the Secretary or the Chairman.