MISSION COMMUNITY NEWSLETTER
Hello All,
This week we have been preparing for safeguarding Sunday, which is on the 16th November. It is a chance for us all to examine the roots, biblical and historical, of our commitment to keeping the most vulnerable in our midst safe. Don't forget, when Jesus first spoke in the midst of his own community, in the synagogue in Nazareth, the text that he chose was from Isaiah: 'I have been sent to bring good news to the poor, to proclaim liberty to the captive, to bind up the broken hearted...'
Jesus consistently put the vulnerable in the centre of all that he said and did, and effectively pointed to them as signs of the kingdom of heaven in the midst.
He is our strongest example of safeguarding.
It also got him into a lot of trouble - going back to Nazareth, the first thing that his community did was drive him out of town for what he had said, using the words of Isaiah.
It is sometimes baffling hard for us to take on board the simplest of requests from God - love your neighbour as yourself; do justice, love mercy, walk humbly...all these are the path of righteousness that lead to the Kingdom of God.
It may be easy for us to accept it coming through the language, story and imagery of the Gospel, but when it is translated into our own modern safeguarding policy and practice, it can be harder to take on board.
Let's renew our commitment together this Sunday, come what may.
As well as our study sessions at Watermeadow Grange, on 9/12 and 16/12, looking at our elders in the Christmas story, there is the opportunity to read Trevor Dennis's book 'The Christmas Stories'. If you are interested in reading this, and then meeting together as a book group to discuss the book during December, please let me know asap.
The "Christmas Story", as we know it, is derived from a mixture of carols and carol services, nativity plays, children's Bibles and paintings. The Bible itself offers two stories, each quite different from the other, not just in detail, but in tone. Neither of them is reproduced in the familiar Christmas story, and indeed, that story sometimes runs counter to the biblical text. This book, which incorporates some of the authors own stories and poems on the Christmas theme, begins by examining the two biblical accounts in turn: Matthew's, which is a dark tale, or at least as tale of light shining in darkness, Luke's, which is full of light and joy. ....His response is that the church itself desperately needs the vision of the God in a manger, and must allow this vision (together with that of God on a cross) to determine its theology and practice.
Louise’s email address: [email protected]
Safeguarding
For any safeguarding concerns, please contact :
Katie Gray: [email protected]
For issues with rough sleepers:
Elizabeth Reed: [email protected]
Please send all contributions for the newsletter to Gill Yates by Thursday evening.
Services and calendar for the week
Sunday 16th November
8am…BCP Holy Communion…St Margaret’s
10am…Joint Holy Community & Baptism…St Margaret’s
Monday 17th November
10am…Stay and Play…St Margaret’s
7pm…Compline…Zoom
Tuesday 18th November
9am…Morning Prayer…St Luke’s
Wednesday 19th November
10am…Morning Worship…Zoom
2.30pm…Tea and Cake…St Margaret’s
6.30pm…PCC meeting…St Margaret’s
Thursday 20th November
10am…Stay and Play…St Margaret’s
Friday 21st November
9am…Morning Prayer…St Margaret’s
Sunday 23rd November
10am…Family Holy Communion…St Margaret’s
10am…Morning Worship…St Margaret’s
6.30pm…Evensong with Bishop Mike…St Margaret’s
The Zoom links and meeting IDs for all the Zoom events are on our pages on ACNY (A Church Near You)
Watch this space for details of the next Forest Church in November
Bookings
St. Margaret’s bookings are managed by Caryll Ingerslev.
Contact: [email protected]
Please book in for any use of the church including church meetings and events.
St. Luke’s Church and Church Rooms bookings are managed by Sandra Greedy:
Contact: [email protected]
St. Luke’s churchwardens can be contacted on:
[email protected] or phone 01392 271458
Our St Luke’s Churchwarden, Mrs Jackie Crozier, is currently not available for her warden duties. Mrs Sandra Greedy will respond to emails sent to the above email address.
St. Luke’s church will re-open on Wednesday afternoons in the New Year.
St. Margaret’s is open every day between 9.00 a.m. and 4.00 p.m.
Ecumenical Events
During a meeting of the Ecumenical Group who represent the three churches in Topsham, St. Margaret’s, St. Nicholas and Holy Cross (the new Baptist Church has not responded yet), it was agreed that the hand of friendship should be extended to local multi-faith groups. It was felt that there really needed to be greater understanding and deeper connection to counterbalance the divisions that are deepening within our communities. Louise will be organising a visit to the Exeter Mosque, via a contact who teaches at the university. Also a visit to the Exeter synagogue.
Please contact Louise directly, if you are interested.
Please also see attached information about an unrelated Open Day at the mosque
Christmas!
Countdown to Christmas: there are three ways to engage with the themes of Advent this year:
1. Elders in the Christmas story. Join in two study sessions, which will be a chance to explore together the role of elders in our Christmas story. On Tuesday 9th December we will look at Elizabeth and Zechariah, who were parents to John the Baptist, and took care of the newly pregnant Mary.
Then on Tuesday 16th, we will look at Simeon and Anna, who greeted the Holy Family in the temple after the birth of Jesus.
Watermeadow Grange will host both of these sessions, beginning at 11 a.m. It's essential to register that you will be attending. please let me know on [email protected]
2. There will then be a Carol Communion on Thursday 18th December at 11 a.m. when we will have chance to join the Watermeadow Grange congregation.
3. Anne Plested, for whom the benefice has been praying, and who has been supported for many years now, will return to give us first hand witness accounts of the great needs of Christians and other vulnerable groups in that area; and equally important the signs of hope amongst the dispossessed, so clearly linked with our Advent and Christmas stories. Anne will preach at St Luke's on 14th December at 10 a.m. and will hopefully join one of our midweek Zoom worship services.
Watch this space for when exactly.
St. Luke’s Church – Tuesday 9th December at 7.30pm.
“The Spirit of Christmas”.
A Christmas Concert by the St. David’s Singers, directed by Stephen Tanner.
There will be choral music for Advent and Christmas, interspersed with readings and congregational carols.
During the interval there will be coffee, tea and biscuits.
Admission is free. There will be a retiring collection, which will be equally shared between the St. David’s Singers and St. Luke’s Church.
Towards the end of October, the St. David’s Singers with their new Director, Stephen Tanner, visited the Truro Cathedral, singing for Evensongs and Eucharist over the weekend, plus an evensong in a local church. They said it was a real privilege to be able to contribute to the worship in such beautiful surroundings, and the acoustics were wonderful, as they are in St. Luke’s. 3.Bethlehem - Beacon of Hope.
Angels!
Wool is available in a box at the back of church for those wishing to knit/crochet Christmas angels.
Coffee and Cake
Every Wednesday at St Margaret's Church everyone is welcome to look in between 2.30-3.30 - not just for coffee, tea and an array of cakes, but also for friendly chat and a warm welcome. There's no charge, and we'd love to see you, whether you're Christian, or of a different faith, or of none at all!
♥️ 🧁
Dream Big: A feeling of progress
Great news this week: we have had site visits from three contractors who are intending to bid for the work ready for a January start.
Geoff and I met them, and it was good to feel their positivity about the project, too.
This makes everything suddenly feel excitingly (and slightly scarily) real and close.
After nearly ten years waiting, it is definitely going to happen!
Paul Jakeman
Exmouth Food Bank
This month we would welcome donations of the following items:
Tinned meat meals (e.g. stew, meatballs)
Tinned cold meat (e.g. ham, corned beef)
Porridge oats & instant porridge
Pasta
Stir in pasta/pasta bake sauces
Tinned fruit
Fruit squash/juice
Longlife whole milk
Thank you so much ❤️
For further information email: [email protected] 07787758511
Prayers
For those who are ill or in need of our prayers:
Jill and Adrian, Kirsten, Jan, Jeremy, Marlene Gardner, Pam Wormald, Mary, Peter, John Heal, Rosemary Henry, Gail Miller, Carol Walker
Housebound or in nursing/care homes:
Alfred Wonnacott, Janet Mutter, Georgina Lear
Please pray for Anne Plested supporting the work of Bethlehem Bible College, and Ben and Katy Ray in Tanzania, St. Luke’s CMS mission link.
Anne Plested visited us at the end of September. Please pray for Gaza in the light of the latest news: she said for Christians there it is now a matter of just survival. Also for a new course at Bethlehem Bible College this autumn in trauma counselling, with 23 students signed up.
Anniversaries
Stephen Hodgskin, Stella Talbot, Joan Soul, Charles Dodwell
Recently departed
Diana Gwendoline Carnell
Gospel Readings for the coming week
Sunday 16th November Luke 21: 15-19
Monday 17th November Luke 18: 35-end
Tuesday 18th November Luke 19: 1-10
Wednesday 19th November Luke 19: 11-28
Thursday 20th November Luke 19: 41-44
Friday 21st November Luke 19: 45-48
Saturday 22nd November Luke 20: 27-40
Sunday 23rd November Luke 23: 33-43
Collect and reading for Sunday 16th November
Heavenly Father, whose blessed Son was revealed to destroy the works of the devil and to make us the children of God and heirs of eternal life: grant that we, having this hope, may purify ourselves even as he is pure; that when he shall appear in power and great glory we may be made like him in his eternal and glorious kingdom; where he is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.
Luke 21.15-19
For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.
And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death.
And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake.
But there shall not an hair of your head perish.
In your patience possess ye your souls.
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