Diocesan News February 2023

Exciting times ahead for Mothers’ Union this year as we look to simplify structures and concentrate on growing our membership so that we can continue to put our faith in action and support young families, the homeless, refugees and those on the edges of society. We are taking steps to engage more fully with members of the Clergy in the Diocese and with Bristol Cathedral. Mothers’ Union support all the marks of mission and are integral to the task of ‘Making Jesus Visible’ If you are a Clergy member and are not yet an MU supporter, please find out more.

We are delighted that we are once more able to support parents with children in the Children’s

Hospital as the ‘Friends for Parents’ can be a presence on the wards again, in addition to our gifts of tea and coffee for the parent’s rooms which have been consistent throughout the last few years. We have extended our welcoming of visitors to prisoners at Ashfield Prison to Sunday afternoons as well as Saturdays. Visitors report how grateful they are to see a friendly face at this stressful time for families and friends. We are growing connections with Children’s Centres in several Bristol regions. We have been happy to help to provide items for a new born baby girl, born to one of our local Ukrainian guests. We have a growing online presence here on our website and Facebook page.

I hope this provides a snapshot of some of our ongoing projects. We are looking forward to

launching a new ‘Online group’ for young (or not so young) members soon, with a focus on mutual support, prayer, campaigning and caring for the environment. Watch this space!

Various categories of membership and supporter exist to suit different lifestyles. Going to Branch

meetings is not a requirement! To find out more on this website click here, you can visit our Facebook page, pick up a leaflet or talk to me!

Jacky Fredrickson

MU President Bristol

Anti Conversion Law In Karnataka

KARNATAKA BECOMES ELEVENTH STATE TO PASS AN ANTI-

CONVERSION LAW that criminalises religious conversions solicited through

force, fraud or allurement.

The law, known formally as the Protection of Right to Freedom of Religion Bill,

was passed by the state legislature’s upper house on 15 th September 2022.

The passing of this law makes permanent the provision of a temporary anti-

conversion ordinance announced in May 2022.

The law carries a punishment of five years’ imprisonment and a minimum fine of

25,000 rupees (£275) for those who solicit religious conversions using “force,

undue influence, coercion, allurement or by any fraudulent means” or “by a

promise of marriage”.

An attempt to convert a minor, a woman, or a person belonging to the Scheduled

Castes (those viewed as having the lowest status according to the Hindu caste

system) is punishable with a maximum of ten years in prison and a fine of

50,000 rupees (£550).

Anyone who wishes to change religion must inform the authorities of the

reasons for their conversion 30 days before making the change.

Opposition parties and Christian Leaders argued that the bill violates Article 25

of the Indian constitution, which guarantees freedom of religion.

Visit to Kumi, Eastern Uganda distributing Emergency Food Parcels

by Janet & Richard Bacon.

Janet Bacon, (a member of Downend MU), is a volunteer member of

staff for a small UK based Christian Charity, called Mission Direct.

Along with her husband Richard, they are the in-country staff for Mission

Direct in Uganda. Teams of volunteers come from the UK, for a two-

week mission trip, mainly working with schools, but also partnering with

other organisations including the Mothers’ Union.

They have just come back from Uganda, where one activity they

undertook, was deliver Emergency Food Parcels to some of the most

vulnerable elderly people identified by the Mothers’ Union.

Here is a short video of the distribution…... with some photos on our Gallery page.

The visit was both heart breaking but also heart-warming. All the

recipients were in great need of support, most were in their nineties and

were without any family support, as they had outlived their spouses,

children, and other relatives. As there are no state benefits/pensions in

Uganda, the elderly and those with disabilities have to rely on their

families and/or kindly neighbours.

Each person was given a basic food parcel, including some rice, cooking

oil and a bar of soap. All of these items, now cost so much, that for many

they are unaffordable. For me, the most heart wrenching was

Columbine, a woman in her late nineties. She was paralysed and unable

to get out of her small traditional home. It took four people to bring her

out to meet us (she was adamant she wanted to see us in the fresh air!)

If there had been no help forthcoming, she was going to try to drag

herself out. She had spent the whole of the previous night, praying we

would visit her! So, so humbling.

Without family support life is difficult. However, all are trusting in the Lord

and were so pleased to receive us even for the little we did. And there

were joyful highlights; Lena singing “Oh Happy Day, when Jesus took

my sins away.” Lois, who still walks miles to church each Sunday who

jumped from her mat dancing for joy singing Eyalama Edeke (Thank you

God). Examples of why we finished the day not only heartbroken but

with uplifting joy too.

The Mothers' Union in Uganda, as in the UK has a great and caring

mission in Uganda. We are so grateful to have been able to join with

them in their ministry.

Thank you for reading this. If you want to know more about Mission

Direct and their work in Kumi please contact Janet Bacon at

janet.bacon@missiondirect.org or via the Kumi Face Book page