MISSION COMMUNITY NEWSLETTER
w.b. 29th March 2026
Hello All!
This week saw the historic installation of Dame Sarah Mulally as the Archbishop of Canterbury. It is an ascendancy that is dizzying as many of us will remember Sarah being Bishop of Crediton for two years around 2016, before going to London as Bishop, and now she heads the worldwide Anglican Communion, as well as being the head of the Church of England. Much has been made, understandably, of the fact that Sarah is the first female Archbishop in history; and I am sure as such much will be expected of her in a way that her male forebears would not have to bear. Women in positions of authority notoriously endure greater scrutiny and often unrealistic expectations, even whilst they are feted. Let us pray for Sarah Mulally, someone incredibly gifted and with a heart of service, that she will have support, and courage of those working close with her, so that collegially they can focus upon the changes that are needed and lead us as a church of integrity and not publicity.
As the prophet Micah said: what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?
Louise
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 29th March – Palm Sunday
10am… Holy Communion…St Margaret’s
10am… Holy Communion…St Luke’s
6.30pm… Stainer’s Crucifixion…St Margaret’s
Monday 30th March
7pm…Compline…Zoom
Tuesday 31st March
Wednesday 1st April
10am…Morning Worship…Zoom
2.30pm…Tea and Cake…St Margaret’s
Thursday 2nd April
11am…Holy Communion…Watermeadow Grange
7pm…Maundy Thursday Service…St Luke’s
Friday 3rd April
9.30am…Good Friday Service…St Margaret’s
11am…Walk of Witness, then hot cross buns…St Nicholas
2pm… Meditation…Holy Cross
Saturday 4th April
Sunday 5th April - Easter Day
8am… BCP Holy Communion…St Margaret’s
10am… Holy Communion…St Margaret’s
10am… Holy Communion…St Luke’s
The Zoom links and meeting IDs for all the Zoom events are on our pages on ACNY (A Church Near You)
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 churchwarden can be contacted on:
[email protected] or phone 01392 271458
St. Margaret’s Churchwarden can be contacted on:
St. Luke’s Church will reopen on Wednesday afternoons from Wednesday 8th April until Wednesday 30th September.
St. Margaret’s is open every day between 9.00 a.m. and 5.00 p.m.
N.B. The riverside door may be unavailable from time to time because of the building works.
The door on Fore Street will remain open during the usual hours.
The Dream Big Project
The project is going well, and the new flooring will be complete by Easter. We are on schedule for completion of the whole project by the end of April. Thank you for your patience while access to the church has been restricted. Bookings of the social area are already being accepted for May!
Services at Watermeadow Grange
Services: 2nd April, 23rd April at 11.00 a.m.
Cook Book!
A few unsold copies of Tried and Tested, the recipe book which was produced during Covid to raise funds for the church, have been donated to the Dream Big project and are available for a suggested donation of £7.50 (or more). If you missed out before, or have joined the church since they were last on sale, there is now a final opportunity to get hold of a St Margaret’s classic! Please contact Paul or Niki Jakeman, who can deliver copies within the EX3 postcode.
Coffee and Cake
Wednesday Coffee and Cake will continue throughout the building works and be hosted in the front entrance Foyer of the Church. We look forward to welcoming you 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!
🎂 🥮
Exmouth Food Bank
If you are kind enough to be planning to donate to us, we would be grateful to receive the following priority items:
Crisps/savoury snacks
Bottles of squash e.g orange squash
Jams/peanut butter
Tins of soup
Tinned meat meals such as stews, meatballs or curry
Tinned cold meats such as ham, chicken or corned beef
Tinned tuna
Tinned fruit, rice pudding or custard
Hair shampoo & conditioner
Thank you for your Kindness ❤️
We are also really short of clean, large 'bags for life'
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, Rob,
Marlene Gardner, Pam Wormald, Mary, Peter, John Heal, Rosemary Henry, Gail Miller
Housebound or in nursing/care homes:
Alfred Wonnacott, Janet Mutter, Georgina Lear, John
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.
Anniversaries
Cyril Rowe
John Richards, Geoff Dawe, Barbara Church, Doris Nevitte
Recently departed
Jan Bhanji
Gospel Readings for the coming week
Sunday 29th March Matthew 26: 14 – end of 27
Monday 30th March John12: 1-11
Tuesday 31st March John 12: 20-36
Wednesday 21st April John 13: 21-32
Thursday 22nd April John 13: 1-17, 31b-35
Friday 3rd April John 18: 1- end of 19
Saturday 4th April John 19: 38 - end
Sunday 5th April John 20: 1-18
Collect and reading for Sunday 29th March
Almighty and everlasting God, who in your tender love towards the human race sent your Son our Saviour Jesus Christ to take upon him our flesh and to suffer death upon the cross: grant that we may follow the example of his patience and humility, and also be made partakers of his resurrection: through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.
Matthew 26. 14-27
Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests,
And said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver.
And from that time he sought opportunity to betray him.
Now the first day of the feast of unleavened bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare for thee to eat the passover?
And he said, Go into the city to such a man, and say unto him, The Master saith, My time is at hand; I will keep the passover at thy house with my disciples.
And the disciples did as Jesus had appointed them; and they made ready the passover.
Now when the even was come, he sat down with the twelve.
And as they did eat, he said, Verily I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me.
And they were exceeding sorrowful, and began every one of them to say unto him, Lord, is it I?
And he answered and said, He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me.
The Son of man goeth as it is written of him: but woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! it had been good for that man if he had not been born.
Then Judas, which betrayed him, answered and said, Master, is it I? He said unto him, Thou hast said.
And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.
And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it;
Positions vacant
St Margarets’ Topsham and St Luke’s Countess Wear are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. All post holders and volunteers are expected to share this commitment. All appointments are subject to acceptable pre-appointment checks, including a satisfactory DBS check of the appropriate level for the role.
We are currently wishing to appoint suitable people to the following volunteer role in our parishes:
Sacristan for St Margarets
We are looking for a new Sacristan to join our team and to prepare for the service on the first Sunday of the month. The successful applicant will need to spend approximately twenty minutes on a Friday or Saturday to make the required preparations in the vestry, in readiness for the Sunday morning service. Then on Sunday you would be required to arrive at 09:30 to lay everything out on the altar.
Email: [email protected] for an application form and full Role Description
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