Welcome to Two Valleys

Plough Sunday
The Benefice celebrated Plough Sunday on 12^th January in the Langfords and at Great Wishford and will be celebrating at Steeple Langford, 19^th January at Berwick St James.

What is Plough Sunday?
The keeping of Plough Sunday in the time of Epiphany goes back to Victorian times, but behind it there is a much older observance, associated with the first working day after the twelve days of Christmas, hence ‘Plough Monday’ in some places.
In medieval times some ploughs were kept in the parish church, and some churches kept a ‘plough-light’. In days when work was scarce in winter, the observance looked forward to the time of sowing with the promise of a harvest to come.
Although the nature of farming has changed over the centuries, Plough Sunday is a way in which our communities can celebrate farming and the work of our local farmers. This is an opportunity to cherish the land and human labour, and to remind us all of our dependence upon it and upon God.
So, do please come and support our local farming community on Plough Sunday
 

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The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity
Unusual Kindness
Sunday January 19^th, South Newton 6.00pm

A Benefice Celebration for Week of World Prayer for Christian Unity (followed by refreshments) to which everyone is invited.  Do please come and support this special service.

We look but what kind of looking do we do? How do we see and understand ourselves, especially in light of our relationship with the Living Christ? We know that God speaks to us in still small voices, but also in the people and places we least expect. In supposed barren hard places there can spring unimaginable beauty and nourishment.

We are invited in this year’s Week Of Prayer for Christian Unity materials to see God working through people and places which offer unusual kindness. If only we would do the appropriate kind of looking.

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Epiphany Conversations
Tuesday 21st and Tuesday 28th January 4:00 - 5:30pm at the Rectory
Thursday 23rd and 30th January in Great Wishford 6:30 - 8:00pm
For details please contact Jonathan ASAP.

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What is Candlemas?

Candlemas commemorates the ritual purification of Mary, 40 days after the birth of her son Jesus. This day also marks the ritual presentation of the baby Jesus to God in the Temple at Jerusalem and where Jesus was met by Anna and Simeon. Simeon held the baby Jesus and called him a Light to the World. The festival is called Candlemas because this was the day that all the Church's candles for the year were blessed.
We shall be celebrating Candlemas at a special Evening Service called ‘A Light to the World’ at St Giles, Great Wishford, on Sunday 2^nd February at 6:00pm. This will be a reflective service based around simple Taizé music, candles and prayers. Everyone is most welcome.