'To know God and to make him known'

- that's the keynote for the new Benefice Mission Statement recently agreed by the leadership of the Benefice.

Rector Sue Green has invited every member to take home a copy from church and put it somewhere where we will see it regularly and remind us of our aims. Throughout 2012 each of our Third Sunday United Services will focus on one of the topics in the Statement.

Download the reminder card to print your own

Here is the Statement in full

The Blackdown Benefice

serving the parishes of Buckland St Mary, Churchstanton, Corfe, Otterford and Pitminster

'To know God and to make him known'

Our churches exist to:

• Show the love of God in our communities
• by caring for those in need
• by offering prayer for our communities and the world
• by seeking to help all in their spiritual growth
• by supporting enterprises which enhance our community life
• by providing opportunities for all to learn about the Christian faith
• by fostering links with the world wide church, to encourage and be encouraged.

As individuals and together

• we will offer God worship in sincerity and joy
• we will work to understand the scriptures
• we will pray, and we will listen to God
• we will support and encourage one another in the Christian life
• we will work towards and encourage the care of God's creation.

Our three-day Holiday Club at Churchstanton School has been a great success, with over thirty children coming each day.

We marvelled at God's creation, and seen how he provides us with everything we need. We built our own shelters in the wood, and found it very difficult to find something completely useless!

We remembered how we had spoilt God's world, and how God had rescued Noah and his family to make a new start. Building our boats and sailing them in the swimming pool – with varying degrees of success – was brilliant fun.

We saw how Abraham and Sarah had been called by God to go on a journey without knowing the way, or even were they were going.

We ended with a BBQ for children and parents on a gloriously sunny evening. Thanks to everyone who helped in any way, and especially to our Youthworker, Cheryl!

So, what happens at Sunday Café? And who is it for? Well, it's for anyone who wants to have a drink and some delicious cake while we chat, and then spend some time thinking about some of the deeper things of life while having fun! It's good for all ages, and it's easy for families to come – children can join in as they want to, and spend time playing if it's all a bit over their heads. Each Sunday Café is based around a theme: here is Cheryl's description of the one we based around the Royal Wedding.

'During our time together we thought about what love is and what it means to us. We considered what it means to be committed to other people and to God and how love involves serving others and doing things that sometimes we'd rather not. Some very willing young helpers arranged various love hearts on the wall and stick things we wanted to commit to God on the cross.'

Another Sunday Café had a Wimbledon theme and was extremely active for those who wanted to be. (Strawberries were also involved …)

The Blackdown Benefice is made up of six churches serving the five parishes of Buckland St Mary, Churchstanton, Corfe, Otterford and Pitminster, in the boundaries of the Blackdown Hills AONB.

You can find your way around our website using the menu at the top or you can go straight to the individual parish pages by clicking on the parish name below.