On 5th May 2010, the Provincial Festival for Canterbury Province was held in Coventry Cathedral. It was a Eucharist Service, presided over by the Bishop Coventry, Rt Revd Dr Christopher Cocksworth, and attended by over 600 members and friends from all over the Province. Guests included Rosemary Kempsell, Mothers' Union Worldwide President, Reg Bailey, Mother's Union CEO, Central Trustees, the Lord Mayor of Coventry, Past Provincial President Elizabeth Brown, and "Lady Godiva" Pru Porretta.

During the Service, the Bishop and his wife, Charlotte, were enrolled into Mothers' Union by Rosemary, and Bishop Christopher then commissioned Felicity Hawke as the new Provincial President. Although basically a Eucharist, the service incorporated the Mothers' Union prayer in place of the Prayer of Preparation, the Coventry Litany of Reconciliation in place of the confession and Mary Sumner's prayer said by Felicity as a response to her commissioning.

The readings were Ruth 4, 13-17 and Luke 11, 27-28. Bishop Christopher used these readings to illustrate the Mothers' Union theme of Relationship Not Rules. He challenged Felicity, and all those present, to dig deeper into scripture, and to stand up for the dignity of women and particularly for motherhood, for the dignity of every race and the call to be inclusive, and for the importance of relationship with God based on love and obedience.

After the service there was a buffet lunch for invited guests and representatives of the dioceses present. The collection was split between the Mothers' Union Relief fund and the work of the cathedral and £626 was sent to the Relief Fund.

A copy of the service can be viewed here.

Commissioning of Provincial President

Commissioning of Provincial President

Nigel & Felicity Hawke, Charlotte and Christopher Cocksworth, after the service

Nigel & Felicity Hawke, Rosemary Kempsell, Christopher and Charlotte Cocksworth, after the service

Provincial banner

Buffet