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In England Mother’s Day will be celebrated on Sunday 15^th March 2026. It will be a day when many people will set aside time to celebrate mothers and motherhood.

Simply put, the Cambridge dictionary defines motherhood as “the state or time of being a mother” Encapsulated in the idea of motherhood is a woman taking on a loving, nurturing, supportive and caring role for a child. For many women the love they give to children is sacrificial.  This can look like staying up with a sick child all night or skipping a meal so the child can eat, or personal ambition is halted to care for a child. And it is well known that for many mothers caring, continues beyond the child becoming an adult.

There are many women who embody motherhood as they care for children, whether they are their own biological children, children within their extended families, or children in their communities. These women are known by titles such as aunt, sister, foster mum, step mum, adoptive mum, grandma or simply put mum.

Two remarkable women in the bible who demonstrate motherhood are Jochebed, a Hebrew woman, and Pharaoh’s daughter, an Egyptian woman. Both women were mothers to Moses. Jochebed was his biological (birth) mother and Pharaoh’s daughter was his adoptive mother.

Their story is found in the opening chapters of the book of Exodus and takes place amidst the backdrop of death, fear and anguish following the decree from Pharaoh to kill every Hebrew boy that was born. Can you imagine the heartbreak of the Hebrew people as their sons were taken and unceremoniously killed? This was the period into which Moses was born.

Following Moses birth, Jochebed demonstrated the nurturing and protective qualities of a mother as she set about hiding Moses to protect him from Pharaoh’s soldiers. After three months when she could no longer safely protect Moses Jochebed put her trust in the GOD of Abraham, Jacob, and Isaac and made the difficult decision not to have Moses in her care. Her motherly instinct was to keep Moses alive and safe no matter what the cost was to her.

The decision made, the narrative in Exodus chapter 2 tells us that Jochebed securely put Moses in a basket and placed him in the river Nile.  From this action we can see that Jochebed was a woman who was truly trusting GOD. Through divine providence, as the basket made its way down the river, it was seen amongst the reeds by Pharaoh’s daughter. Thankfully she was curious enough to get hold of the basket and open it. The narrative tells us that, on seeing Moses she had compassion for him, recognising that he must be one of the Hebrew children.

We learn from the account that Moses was returned by Pharaoh’s daughter to the care of his birth mother, with an agreement that she would nurse and wean him. How incredible—GOD had a plan. GOD’s plan further unfolds as it was agreed that once the weaning period was over, Moses would be placed in the care of Pharaoh’s daughter and raised as her son. Imagine an Egyptian woman adopting a Hebrew boy and raising him as her own. Think about it: Pharaoh’s daughter would have had to be a very brave woman and have unconditional love for Moses. She defied her father and brought a Hebrew child into the royal household.

Ultimately Moses escaped death through both women demonstrating the positive qualities of motherhood. Moses was safely cared for by his birth mother and his adoptive mother in an extraordinary and remarkable way. As Moses’s life unfolds, in the book of Exodus, we see that Moses is the one GOD chose to deliver the Israelites from the bondage of Egyptian slavery. Both Jochebed and Pharaoh’s daughter were instrumental in fulling GOD’s ordained plan. This is wonderful to know.

So, as England celebrates Mother’s Day and motherhood a heartfelt thank you to all the women who are caring for and nurturing children, find encouragement knowing that children are a gift from the Lord. GOD has a purpose and plan for each of their lives and your input into their lives is invaluable. 

Happy Mother’s Day

As we begin 2026, let’s commit to deepening our relationship with God through His Word. Today marks the start of our Bible Reading Plan, and we invite you to join us in this transformative journey through the entire Bible in one year.

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Why Join the Bible Reading Plan?

Daily Bible reading is a practice that:

• Strengthens our connection with God 🙏
• Deepens our understanding of His teachings 📖
• Builds a united community of faith ❤️
• Guides us with timeless wisdom 🌟

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Today’s Reading (Day 1)

Start the year by reflecting on God’s creation, wisdom, and the birth of our Saviour with these passages:

• Genesis 1:1–2:25
• Matthew 1:1–2:23
• Ecclesiastes 1:1–5

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How to Access the Plan

1️⃣ On Our App

Download the WWMF app for quick and convenient access to the daily readings. 📲
👉 Get the App

2️⃣ On Our Website

Follow the plan directly on our website here:
👉 Daily Bible Reading Page

3️⃣ Download the ICS File

Great for those using desktop calendar apps like Outlook or Apple Calendar or those who prefer offline access and manual control.
👉 Download ICS File

4️⃣ Central Google Calendar

Perfect for Google Calendar users who want automatic updates and seamless syncing across devices.
👉 Subscribe to Google Calendar

5️⃣ Printable PDF

Prefer a full-year overview? Download the PDF version of the plan to track your progress. 🖨️
👉 Download PDF

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The Benefits of Reading Through the Bible Together

There’s something extraordinary about reading God’s Word as a community. By journeying together through the Bible, we support and encourage each other in our spiritual growth. Imagine the wisdom, joy, and insights we will gain as we allow Scripture to transform our lives throughout the year.

Start Today—don’t miss this opportunity to kickstart 2026 with God’s Word guiding your every step!

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Appendix: Choose Your Calendar Option

Option 1: ICS File

Download the ICS file to import into your preferred calendar app, such as Outlook or Apple Calendar. Great for those who prefer manual control or offline access.
👉 Download ICS File

Option 2: Google Calendar

Subscribe to the Google Calendar for automated updates and syncing across all devices. Perfect for Google Calendar users.
👉 Subscribe to Google Calendar

By God’s grace and mercy, Christmas 2025 is upon us and is being marked by many people across the world.

The opening sentence of Charles Dicken’s classic novel, a Tale of Two Cities reads “it was the best of times, it was the worst of times……..” The statement summarises two very different experiences being lived by people in two different cities. In one city things are very good for the people while in the other city things are not so good. The Christmas season is like this for many people, for some it is great time as they connect with family and friends while for others, for a range of reasons, Christmas can be a lonely and sad time even when surrounded by others.

Christmas can also be a season when one can easily be swept into the world’s version of Christmas – consumerism, overindulgence, and the pressure for perfection.

This Christmas amid how you are feeling about the season, amid the busyness and distractions it is important to take time to pause and reflect on God’s precious gift to us– Jesus, Emmanuel, God with us.

Shortly after his birth as was the custom Jesus was presented by his parents to the Lord in the temple. On seeing and holding Jesus the godly man Simeon praised God and proclaimed “I have seen your salvation which you have prepared for all people. He is a light to reveal God to the nations and he is the glory of your people Israel!” (Luke 2: 31-32 NLT)

Simeon recognised the awesome significance of God’s sovereign plan of salvation that would be fulfilled through the birth of Jesus. We know from the New Testament narrative that Jesus grew up, became a man, and demonstrated to the world that he was indeed the light of the world, Jesus revealed God to the nations, through how he lived on earth, His death on the cross, and His resurrection.

While on earth Jesus clearly declared his purpose for us (the world) “The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy I came that they may have life and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows)” (John 10:10, Amplified)    

The most wonderful and gracious aspect of Christmas is to remember that Jesus is God’s gift to us. For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world, He even gave His One and only begotten Son so that whoever believes and trusts in Him as Saviour shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16, Amplified)

Jesus is alive and wants to have an ongoing personal relationship with us. He wants to give us abundant life, comfort, joy, stability, peace, whatever the situation or circumstance that we may find ourselves in.

“Behold I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come into him and dine with him and he with Me” (Revelation 3:20 NKJ).

This Christmas season let us dine with Jesus so that He can minister to us and through us. And, as we reflect, ponder, and dine with Jesus individually let us also share the gift of Jesus with others as we meet and spend time with family, friends, and people we may not know so well. Let’s talk about Jesus and his faithfulness throughout 2025 let’s rejoice that Jesus is our Christmas gift remembering Jesus is the reason for the season.

What better way to share Jesus with people. than over a simple bite to eat. Here’s some inspiration.

Cranberry and Pistachio dip

Ingredients

• I small tub of soft cream cheese.
• 1⁄4 cup of cranberries (cut in half or quarters)
• 2tbsp of pistachio nuts (finely chopped)
• A handful of chopped parsley
• 1⁄2 a sprig of spring onion
• 1tbsp runny honey (you can add more according to your liking)

Method

Mix all the ingredients together and place in a bowl. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Serve with crackers.

Pomegranate and Brie on Crackers

 Ingredients

• x1 small round size brie cheese
• 1⁄4 approx. 50 grams of pomegranate 
• Optional handful of chopped walnuts 
• Crackers as many as you wish.
• Honey to drizzle over cheese

Method

• Slice the brie into small triangles or squares if that’s your preference.
• Place one slice of your cheese on top of your cracker.
• Drizzle a small amount of honey on the cheese.
• Top the cheese with several pomegranate arils.
• Sprinkle walnut’s if using.

Cranberry and Orange Cake

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour (approx. 250grams)
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1tsp vanilla essence
• 1 ½ cups fresh cranberries (approx.200grams
• 1 tablespoon grated orange zest
• 1 cup white sugar
• ¾ cup orange juice
• ¼ cup butter, softened
• 1 large egg

Method

Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in a large bowl.

Stir in cranberries and orange zest.

Place sugar, butter, and egg together in another large bowl. Mix until smooth.

Stir in orange juice.

Take the flour mixture and add it to the sugar and butter mixture. Mix until mixture is smooth. Place in a baking tin

Cook in at 175c for approx. an hour. Once cooked allow the cake to cool for approx. 15mintues. After this time, the cake should be ready to be eaten. It tastes grate with a cup of tea.

Mission Trip to Stroud 7^th -9^th November 2025

Remembrance Sunday Service.

We have thought, O God, on Your lovingkindness, in the midst of Your temple. According to Your name, O God so is Your praise to the ends of the earth. Psalms 48:9-10

Sunday was our last day in Chalford, in such a short period of time we had formed a strong bond with our brothers and sister at Chalford Baptist church.  We knew that God had ignited a spiritual fire, and the green shoots of revival were already sprouting. As we reflected on what God had done the previous day our hearts were overwhelmed.  We entered the sanctuary encouraged in the knowledge of this but also conscious that today was Remembrance Sunday.  Many would be grieving the loss of loved ones as a result of war and the on-going conflict in many countries across the world,

There were less people in church than on the previous day but many more than would normally attend on a regular Sunday.  Around the interior of the church was inscribed in large lettering the words from Psalms 122: 6

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem, may they prosper who love thee.”

David one of the leaders opened in prayer and led the first part of the Service of Remembrance concluding with the poignant words: 

“They shall not grow old, as we that are left grow old.  Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.  At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember them.” 

As Sincere Praise sang, we could feel the sweet presence of God in that place and the gentle caress of the Holy Spirit surrounding each person present.      

Reverend Taylor delivered the message: ‘What it means to be lost’, taken from Luke 15. A wonderful word of encouragement to the church.  She thanked God for those around the world who laid down their lives for us. More than that she said, “We thank Jesus for laying down His life for us that we might have life.” 

 She went on to share Luke 19:10 ‘For the Son of Man came to seek and to save that which was lost.’  ‘Lost ‘in the context of this verse means ‘to be wasted.’ A life apart from God means that one’s life is being wasted. She also shared that to be lost means not being where you belong, to be going in the wrong direction, and to be defiant of God himself.

To be found means to be where you belong, to be going in the right direction, and to be submissive to God.

It was such a blessing to hear people sharing how the Lord had ministered to them through the Word and Songs sung by Sincere Praise over the weekend.

Our grateful thanks to all at Chalford Baptist church for their warm hospitality.

To God be all the glory for all that He has done.

As the Psalmist declared in Psalms 48:9-10 we can also declare:

We have thought, O God, on Your lovingkindness, in the midst of Your temple.  According to Your name, O God so is Your praise to the ends of the earth.

Prayer for the following requested by one of the leaders:

• That the church will be aroused to meet together to pray, worship and study the Bible.

• God’s strength for Robert who believes that he has been instructed by the Lord to make the big hall “fit for the King” with two prayer rooms.  

• A disabled toilet is desperately needed.

• For the baptism of the Holy Spirit, for the stirring of ‘spiritual gifts’ in the church. If something doesn’t happen, they believe the church will die as each one dies.  We need action!!

• New management with God ordained, righteous, spirit filled leaders.