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The West Dorset Magazine, April May 6,22, 2022 2022
Church
Don’t doubt the love of our Lord Jesus By The Rev Deb Smith, Team Rector of Bridport Have you ever suffered from the disease FOMO – the fear of missing out? It’s horrible when you hear friends or family tell you: “Oh you missed it” or “You should have been there.” Poor Thomas misses out on an extraordinary encounter with the risen Christ, because he was somewhere else. As the community experiences the event, he becomes the one who missed it. It was that point in the story, post crucifixion, with the disciples wondering what to do next. Grieving, hiding away in an upper room, with none of the confidence and reignited hope that is to come. And then we hear that wonderfully human account of Thomas, full of doubt, and wanting evidence of their
Services The fourth Sunday of Easter, May 8 Allington 9.30am Sunday Eucharist Bradpole 11am Holy Communion Bridport 10am Mass Burton Bradstock 11am Holy Communion Castleton 11am Mattins Cattistock 6pm Holy Communion Chideock
SUCH KINDNESS: People are welcoming refugees from the warzone in Ukraine
unbelievable claims. There is a real sense that he needs to catch up and understand. What Thomas does know is that their encounter with Jesus has changed his friends, and that’s when the FOMO really kicks in. Thomas, full of incredulity, is left wanting to see for himself to really believe. What is it that makes faith believable?
Surely it is the little miracles of transformation that we witness in our lives together. We see it in the love and light shining through the lives of those who serve others. It is the same outpouring of grace and blessing that continues to ignite hope and causes us to embody love in action. Like the
8.30am Mass Dewlish 11am Parish Communion Dorchester Baptist Church 10.30am Sunday Service Dorchester Community Church 10.30am Celebration Service Dorchester United Church 9am Holy Communion 10.30am Mid-morning Service 6.30pm Evening Service Also hosts a service at 10.30am on market days Frome St Quintin
11am Holy Communion Halstock 10am Morning Worship Holy Trinity, Dorchester 8.30am Mass 10.30am Mass Lillington 10am Morning Service Littlebredy 11am Holy Communion Litton Cheney 9.30am Holy Communion Longburton 10am Family Communion Maiden Newton 9.30am Worship Service Melbury Osmond 9.30am Holy Communion Puddletown
work of volunteers at food banks, or those who are good neighbours. Those who open their homes to refugees. It is seen in the faithfulness of those who keep praying for peace in this damaged world of ours. The early Church took hold and grew because of the authentic witness of those first disciples and their amazing transformation that moved them from people of fear to people of joy. And that’s what Thomas wanted too. Jesus showed his scarred hands and side, not to rebuke Thomas, but to transform his doubt to faithfulness and hope. In this joyful Eastertide may we also encounter the risen Christ and know the transforming power of his love for us.
11am Puddletown Praise Sherborne Abbey 8am Holy Communion 9.30am Parish Eucharist 6pm Choral Evensong Shipton Gorge 9.30am Breakfast Church St Paul’s at the Gryphon 10.30am Morning Worship St Peter’s, Dorchester 9am Said Communion 10.30am Sung Eucharist 9.15am Morning Prayer every day Swyre 11am Holy Communion Tolpuddle 9.30am Parish Communion 5.30pm Sunday Reflections
