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Hello Members and friends

As I write this in mid-July I cannot help but think what a strange year this has been in terms of weather – we in Ireland had a late spring and early summer like none I can remember with perpetual sun and gloriously warm days for many weeks. Then came the long overdue rain – accompanied by wind and often thunder and lightning which has now continued for several weeks. While we here are now wishing for a little more summer-like weather, the poor folks in south and eastern Europe, southern Asia and also in parts of the USA, are suffering in unprecedented heatwaves. Every week we hear of occurrences across our world which indicate the impact of climate change -  extreme rainfall, floods, heat bombs (that one a new expression for me!) wildfires, melting glaciers and ice caps ……and we think those could never happen in Ireland, but as they say “never say never”! We are learning, very late, that these extremes are indicative of our continued mistreatment of our earth.

We hope and pray that our moderate climate will continue to be just that…..and for me our adequate levels of rain and sun were evidenced – to wonderful effect - at the three Flower Festivals I have been fortunate to attend in recent weeks.  They all had different themes but the common factors were that they were all held in the beautiful surroundings of their parish churches, each parish had a weekend of celebration with musical events and services, the wonderful floral arrangements depicted, most imaginatively, relevant bible verses and the Festivals had the desired effect of opening and thus showcasing these splendid churches to their wider communities.

I am not going to bore you with a detailed commentary of the three festivals – nor am I going to attempt to rank them! – but I will give you a quick outline and if you weren’t able to visit any of them this year, I feel that you missed a treat.  The first was in mid-May at the parish of St Molua’s, Stormont, Belfast. Its theme was “Be Thou My Vision” taken from one of my favourite hymns. Many of the arrangements were based on bibles verses relating to light, guidance, vision and hope but I have to say my favourite was the one created around the pulpit, based on Psalm 119v105 – “Your work is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path”. Maybe I am prejudiced ….as I know it was created by one of my Down and Dromore MU friends, Sally McCurry, a very talented floral artist.

At St Molua’s the flowers were supplemented by an exhibition of fabulous quilts. I am no expert in such things but there are obviously many talented quilters in that parish. Each was a work of art in its own right! The time, patience and skill involved in creating such colourful masterpieces amazes me.   

At the end of May I moved west for a day to Clogher Diocese to visit the Festival at Saint Macartin’s Cathedral - the parish of Enniskillen. The floral arrangements on display were based on the signs and sayings in St John’s Gospel. In that wonderful environment of the Cathedral, which has in recent years been refurbished and redecorated, the colours and smells of the flowers was magnificent.  The “buzz” of the visitors added to the atmosphere….it was a memorable event and I am reluctant to single  out any of the arrangements but those at the front and around the alter will long remain in my memory. Let me give you one of my favourite verses which was skilfully depicted there: “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life” John 8v12.

My third venture was to the parish of Drumglass, at St Anne’s Church, Dungannon in mid-June. The theme for that festival was taken from Hebrews 13 v8 “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” and the bible verses chosen ranged across both Old and New Testaments. The interpretation of all the verses was so imaginative and again I marvelled at the skill involved in conveying the meanings through flowers – in some cases simple and in others with a great profusion of different types of flower and colour.  

I was drawn – of course – to the Mothers’ Union arrangement in the porch of the church. It was a wonderful profusion of flowers in the MU colours of blue and yellow beside the branch’s beautiful bright blue banner - quite a spectacle for those who entered that way.  This was one of the additional eleven exhibits which had been created by individual “Friends of Drumglass”.   I thought these were all as beautiful as those which had been created by the professionals for the main body of the Flower Festival – the skill of floral art is very much alive and well in Dungannon!   The MU arrangement was entitled “Make you His service your delight, your wants shall be His care” and the verse on which it was based was Colossians 3 V23 :” Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the lord, rather than for men”.

That verse perfectly depicts what all of us in Mothers’ Union try to do in serving others in our parishes and communities –  and those who planned and created these three brilliant Flower Festivals, and also the many folk who worked behind the scenes in stewarding, providing refreshments and music, keeping the churches tidy and preparing for the accompanying services,  were also working  heartily and willingly for our Lord.

I hope that you will all have a wonderful summer and enjoy – and appreciate – all  the flowers you see, wherever that may be. Also, whether indoors or outside,  please give a thought to how you might play your part in sustaining God’s precious  earth.

Wishing you every blessing

With love