Ladock News, March 2026
Dear Friends and Neighbours,
As I write we are approaching Valentine’s Day…as you read this, we will be approaching Good Friday and Easter Sunday and the glorious resurrection of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
Valentine is said to be a priest who lived approximately 200 years after the New Testament. He believed and trusted in love, the message that Jesus gives us is that we are loved by our Father in Heaven. One of the special privileges of being a priest is that we are allowed to marry people, and Valentine went against the Roman Rule at the time and married people in secret, hence he was executed! Thankfully, execution is no longer practised in this country as on 14th Feb I will be meeting our wedding couples and helping them to prepare for their marriage which of course extends beyond the wedding day.
We are told that Jesus says, “there is no greater love than to lay down your life for your friends, you are my friends.” (Paraphrased) Jesus then demonstrated with his own life the love that God has for all of creation, every person, tree, flower.
Jesus’s actions that led to his death, demonstrated a love so profound that he was unwilling to take the world by force. Instead, he chose to offer an invitation to join him in loving the world by seeking justice, extending forgiveness and restoring broken relationships. Jesus says being in a good relationship with each other is more important than wealth, power, or popularity. This is why we often say that following Christ is countercultural. This message is not popular with the behaviours of our culture which insist that power, money and ‘likes’ are the important goals to be aiming for.
The period of Lent from Ash Wednesday, when we step into the annuls of time and repeat the ancient practice of ashing (making the sign of a cross, using ash, on our foreheads) offers us the opportunity to reflect on our own behaviours and to identify the times when we have got so caught up with success, busyness and society that we forgot how to be deeply real and present to the other. The period of Lent and fasting invites us into a period of refraining from those behaviours that prevent us from true authenticity. For some this will mean giving up chocolate…others will give up using their cars for going to the local shop, others will give up using their mobile devices.
Whether or not you observe this practice of fasting, spring is a wonderful time to take a walk and to notice the signs of new life emerging, notice how you feel as you spot signs of growth and nature unfolding around you. You cannot but help be thankful in your heart as winter passes and the new season begins,
Grace and peace,
Revd Caroline
Our planned services and other events in March and up to Easter are:
1 March: Holy Communion 11.00 am with choir.
7 March: Coffee Morning in Ladock Community Hall 10.00 – 12.00
8 March: Holy Communion 11.00 am
15 March, Mothering Sunday: Holy Communion 11.00 am with choir
22 March: Holy Communion 11.00 am, Annual Parochial Church Meeting 12.15 pm
22 March: Evensong, 6.00 pm
29 March, Palm Sunday: Holy Communion 11.00 am
29 March, Palm Sunday: Rededication of our bells by the Bishop of Truro, 3.30 pm, to be followed by a cream tea.
3 April, Good Friday: Good Friday liturgy, 11.00 am
5 April, Easter Sunday: Holy Communion with choir and Easter Eggs for all, 11.00 am
There will be a short service of Morning Prayer every Tuesday at 9.00 am.
The Church is open for private prayer every day, including weekends.
Please note that full details of online services and other events are on our website, www.ladockchurch.org.uk. Ladock Church is also on Facebook.
Coffee Mornings in the Hall
The next coffee morning will take place in the Hall on 7 March between 10.00 and 12.00.
Contacts
Reverend Caroline Husband Joe Sharp, Churchwarden
01726 337730 07816 317180
Email: rector@probusteam.com Email: Churchwarden@ladockchurch.org.uk
Rev’d Linda Whetter Sue Smith, Churchwarden
01872 530265 07900 070382
Email: lindaw23@outlook.com Email: churchwarden2@ladockchurch.org.uk
Vanessa Morcom, Safeguarding Officer
07980 938910
Email: safeguarding@ladockchurch.org.uk