MISSION COMMUNITY NEWSLETTER
w.b. 1st March 2026
Hello All!
This week in our online Wednesday morning worship, we were reflecting how to hold together God's unconditional love for every one of us, whilst also heeding the Lenten call to examine our hearts and be courageously honest about where we have fallen short. The psalms actually said it more starkly: "My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise."
A broken spirit might sound applicable, though, when we begin to look wider to the body corporate - whether that is of politics or our church body. Let us pray this Lent not only for own journeys of discipline and repentance, but for the turning of those holding great power towards righteousness, by having the courage to admit their deep failings.
There are seasons, and really this is one for repentance, at every level.
Finding our voice study group - please do come to Watermeadow grange this Monday coming at 11am to join in this study; but beforehand send me an email to let me know you will be joining, so the receptionist will be aware.
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 8th March
10am… Holy Communion…St Margaret’s
10am… Holy Communion…St Luke’s
Monday 2nd March
11am…Lent Course…Watermeadow Grange
7pm…Compline…Zoom
Tuesday 3rd March
Wednesday 4th March
10am…Morning Worship…Zoom
2.30pm…Tea and Cake…St Margaret’s
Thursday 5th March
Friday 6th March
9.30am…Morning Prayer…St Margaret’s
Saturday 7th March
Sunday 8th March
10am… Holy Communion…St Margaret’s
10am… Holy Communion…St Luke’s
3pm…Forest Church…St Luke’s
6.30pm…Evensong…St Margaret’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 4.00 p.m.
Congratulations and warm wishes to Peter Grinyer for his 88th birthday and to him and Mary for 66 years of marriage!
The Dream Big Project
The Dream Big Project has begun and work is evident within the Church. The expert carpenters have been sent their work orders and the builders have completed the stripping out of pews and some of the old kitchen area. So far, so good. Our thanks for bearing with us while the work is ongoing, but the possibility of mission from the re-ordered church, is full of possibilities!
Helen, Churchwarden
Lent Study at Watermeadow Grange
This year for Lent study we will be returning to Watermeadow Grange, who are hosting the church, and together we will be studying a Lent course which uses the themes from the film The Kings Speech. Please do sign up if you are interested by contacting Revd Louise Grace at [email protected]
Study group: 2nd, 9th and 16th March at 11.00 a.m.
Services: 12th March, 2nd April, 23rd April at 11.00 a.m.
Lent Lunches
It's been a tradition in Topsham for the churches to offer lunch on each of the six Fridays during the season of Lent. This year, because of the re-ordering of the social area at the back of St Margaret's, there will be just four lunches, two at St Nicholas Methodist Church on 6th and 13th March and two at Holy Cross Catholic Church on 20th and 27th March. A simple meal of soup, bread and cheese will be served in turn by each of the churches, with a donation of £4 requested for a particular charity (which each church will select to support). The lunches will be available between 12.30 and 1.30 pm on each day. Everyone, of any faith or none, is very welcome to attend any or all of these events and share conversation with friends from across the town. Do put these dates in your diary and come along!
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
In preparation for an increase in demand for our services during the winter months we are planning to build up our stocks of essential tinned items. We will include these in the parcels we supply to our clients and will also share them with other local organisations that are supporting people in food poverty.
If you are kind enough to be planning to donate to us, we would be grateful to receive the following priority items:
Tins of soup
Tinned tomatoes
Tinned baked beans and spaghetti
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
N.B The collection point is now inside the front entrance foyer, while the building is ongoing.
Thank you for your Kindness ❤️
For further information email: [email protected] 07787758511
Please find the winter newsletter attached.
Prayers
For those who are ill or in need of our prayers:
Martin Branch, Jill and Adrian, Kirsten, Jan, Jeremy, Rob,
Marlene Gardner, Pam Wormald, Mary, Peter, John Heal, Rosemary Henry, Gail Miller, Maurice Webb
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.
Anniversaries
Roger Wilson, Joyce Wilson, Hilda Rowe, Kenneth Pattenden
Annette van Oppen, Penelope Robinson, William Wills, Barbara Tolliday, Peter Scott
Recently departed
Gospel Readings for the coming week
Sunday 1st March John 3: 1-17
Monday 2nd March Luke 6: 36-38
Tuesday 3rd March Matthew 23: 1-12
Wednesday 4th March Matthew 20: 17-28
Thursday 5th March Luke 16: 19 - end
Friday 6th March Matthew 21: 33-43, 45-46
Saturday 7th March Luke 15: 1-3, 11 - end
Sunday 8th March John 4: 5-42
Collect and reading for Sunday 1st March
Almighty God, you show to those who are in error the light of your truth, that they may return to the way pf righteousness: grant to all those who are admitted into the fellowship of Christ’s religion, that they may reject those things that are contrary to their profession, and follow all such things as are agreeable to the same; 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.
John 3.1-17
There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:
The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.
Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?
Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?
Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?
Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness.
If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?
And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.
And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
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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