Dear Brothers and Sisters,This Sunday we celebrate St Margaret’s Patronal Festival, which is leading into the week of the Flower Festival this year rather than concluding it. It’s extraordinary to think that people have been worshipping God on the site where the current church now stands for over 1,000 years. And to consider how many people have been baptised in the Norman font down the centuries. The writer to the Hebrews encourages us that we are surrounded by a ‘great cloud of witnesses’ as we in our turn ‘run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith’ (Hebrews 12.1-2). So we ask God to help us play our part, as we give thanks for all who have gone before. Our 10am morning service will be a joint Mission Community Eucharist at St Margaret’s and at 3pm Jeremy will lead Songs of Praise in the churchyard (weather permitting). Find out the top 8 hymns Topsham voted for and enjoy tea and cake afterwards.Every blessingMaggiePlease send all contributions for the newsletter to Gill by the end of Thursday and material for A Church Near You to Tony Raven: tony@theravens.orgServices and calendar for the weekSaturday 20 July - 12.00…Wedding…St Margaret’sSunday 21 July - 8am…Holy Communion…St Margaret’s 10am…Joint Holy Communion…St Margaret’s 3pm…Open Air Songs of Praise…St Margaret’sMonday 22 July - 10am…Take 5…St Margaret’s 7pm…Compline… Zoom Tuesday 23 July - 9am…Morning Prayer…St Margaret’s 10.30am…Coffee and Chat…St Luke’s church roomsWednesday 24 July - 10am…Morning Worship…Zoom 11am…Summer Study Group…St Margaret’s 2-4pm…Open Church…St Luke’s All day…Flower Festival preparation…St Margaret’sThursday 25 July - 10am – 6pm…Flower Festival…St Margaret’s NO Mini Messy Church…St Margaret’s 3.15-4.15…Summer Study Group…St Luke’sFriday 26 July - 9am…Morning Prayer…St Margaret’s 10am – 6pm…Flower Festival…St Margaret’sSaturday 27 July - 10am – 5pm…Flower Festival…St Margaret’sSunday 28 July - 10am…Family Communion…St Margaret’s 10am…Morning Worship…St Luke’s 12noon…Baptism…St Luke’s 6.30pm…Evensong… St Margaret’sThe Zoom links and meeting IDs for all the Zoom events are on our pages on ACNY (A Church Near You)St. Luke’s church is now open on Wednesday afternoons between 2.00 and 4.00.All are welcome...To look aroundTo sit quietly for a whileTo light a prayer candleTo pray.News and NoticesFrom the end of July, there will no churchwarden, unless someone comes forward! If you would like to know more about what is involved, please contact Gill: gyates@uwclub.netPlease pray for at least 1 churchwarden for St. Margaret’s.Bookings - St. Margaret’s bookings has been taken over by Caryll Ingerslev. Contact: C.I.churchbookings@outlook.comSummer Study and Fellowship groupsThe book chosen for the summer session is “Holy Habits” by Andrew Roberts. This week we meet in the social area of St Margaret's Church for tea/coffee from 10.40 but will decamp to St Nicholas Methodist Church at 11am to avoid disturbing preparations for the Flower Festival. Our final session on 31st July will be at St Margaret’s as usual.All are welcome (even if you haven’t been before-each session stands alone). For more information contact Revd Maggie Stirling Troy:mstirling1@hotmail.co.ukSt Luke's are reading the same book, starting on Thursdays 3-15 pm - 4-15 pm, meeting in their Church rooms and also serving tea/coffee. All are welcome. Songs of Praise, Sunday 21st July at 3.00 p.m.Open-air Songs of Praise 3.00 p.m. Sunday 21st in the churchyard (in church if wet). Please bring your own chair if you can! Followed by tea and cake Flower Festival at St. Margaret’s – Thursday 25th - 27th JulyThere are still plenty of gaps to be filled, stewarding, making cakes, helping with refreshments.As always the success of this major event in our church year depends heavily on volunteers who are happy to smile at visitors!There are now sign-up lists at the back of the church. Please check you diaries before coming to church on Sunday!Please ask David Byrne (01392 758557) dbyrne47@outlook.com or Gill Yates gyates@uwclub.netif you want to find out more.Wednesday 7th August, 3 – 5pm – There will be Cream teas in the garden of Ken and Sandra Greedy at 29 Southbrook Road, Countess Wear. Tickets are £5 and can be obtained from Ken, Sandra or Brian Bolt, or phone Ken and Sandra at 01392 271458 or e mail – Kenneth.greedy@sky.com. All proceeds will go to St. Luke’s Church Funds. We are hoping that the weather will be suitable to sit in the garden, not pouring with rain, as happened for the Desserts Alfresco evening.Please find the August newsletter for St. Margaret’s attached.Exmouth Food BankSupplies We Are Short Of This Month – July 2024 T ins of baked beans & spaghetti hoopsCerealsStir in pasta /pasta bake saucesTins or packets of soupTinned fruitPeanut butterJars of jamCoffeeTea bagsPackets of biscuitsShampoo & conditionerThe Exmouth Foodbank urgently needs bags for life/large plastic bags to enable people to carry their food parcels home. Thank you.Many thanks for your support. We simply couldn’t do this without you!Thank you in advance for your generosity!For further information email: info@exmouthfoodbank.org 07787758511PrayersFor those who are ill or in need of our prayers:Roger Fogwill, Lucy, Pauline, Jill and Adrian, Michael, Kirsten, Chris Whitehead, Fay, Anne, Tony Bradford, Marlene Gardner, Pam Wormald, Mary, Peter, John Heal, Rosemary Henry, Gail MillerHousebound or in nursing/care homes:Alfred Wonnacott, Janet Mutter, Georgina LearPlease pray for Anne Plested supporting the work of Bethlehem Bible College, and Ben and Katy Ray in Tanzania, St. Luke’s CMS mission link.AnniversariesJoyce Robinson, Phyllis GrayJocelyn Fisher, Mary Godly, Bill Secrett, Winifred Robinson, Joan Drake, Dorothy EastwoodRecently departedPat LomaxGospel Readings for the coming weekSunday 21st July Ephesians 2: 11-endMonday 22nd July John 20: 1-2, 11-18Tuesday 23rd July Matthew 12: 46-endWednesday 24th July Matthew 13: 1-9Thursday 25th July Matthew 20: 20-28Friday 26th July Matthew 13: 18-23Saturday 27th July Matthew 13: 24-30Sunday 28th July John 6: 1-21Collect and reading for Sunday 21st JulyAlmighty Lord and everlasting God, we beseech you to direct, sanctify and govern both our hearts and our bodies in the ways of your laws and the works of your commandments; that through your most mighty protection, both here and ever, we may be preserved in body and soul; through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.Ephesians 2.11-endOne in ChristSo then, remember that at one time you Gentiles by birth, called ‘the uncircumcision’ by those who are called ‘the circumcision’—a physical circumcision made in the flesh by human hands— remember that you were at that time without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace; in his flesh he has made both groups into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us. He has abolished the law with its commandments and ordinances, so that he might create in himself one new humanity in place of the two, thus making peace, and might reconcile both groups to God in one body through the cross, thus putting to death that hostility through it. So he came and proclaimed peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near; for through him both of us have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are citizens with the saints and also members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone. In him the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are built together spirituallyinto a dwelling-place for God.
Hello All! The daily reflections this week have all been centred upon prayer, often using poetry as the means. They have reflected different ways of praying, everything from sensing the rhythm of prayer through our everyday experience through to deep gratitude for the smallest of mercies and unexpected joy. This may challenge our perception of prayer as only being of the intercession type, or the deep contemplative experience, as important as those two styles of prayer are. Ultimately prayer is the moving out of ourselves to connect with God's spirit, grace and love, and being intentional about that opening up on a daily basis. 'Bless the Lord my soul, and bless God's holy name, Bless the Lord my soul, who leads me into life'.... (Taize chant). Louise Next week, please send all contributions for the newsletter to Gill by the end of Thursday and material for A Church Near You to Tony Raven: tony@theravens.orgServices and calendar for the weekSaturday 13 July - 7.30pm…Concert – Bel Canto…St Margaret’sSunday 14 July - 10am… Holy Communion…St Luke’s 10am…Holy Communion…St Margaret’s 12.00…Baptism…St Margaret’s 3pm…Open the Story… C’s Wear Forest School, St Luke’s 6.30pm…Evensong…St Margaret’sMonday 15 July - 10am…Take 5…St Margaret’s 7pm…Compline… Zoom Tuesday 16 July - 9am…Morning Prayer…St Margaret’s 10.30am…Coffee and Chat…St Luke’s church rooms 12.30pm…Funeral – John Grey…St Margaret’sWednesday 17 July - 10am…Morning Worship…Zoom 11am…Summer Study Group…St Margaret’s 2-4pm…Open Church…St Luke’sThursday 18 July - 10am…Mini Messy Church…St Margaret’s 3.15-4.15…Summer Study Group…St Luke’sFriday 19 July - 9am…Morning Prayer…St Margaret’sSaturday 20 July - 12.00…Wedding…St Margaret’sSunday 21 July - 8am…Holy Communion…St Margaret’s 10am… Joint Holy Communion…St Margaret’s 3pm…Open Air Songs of Praise… St Margaret’sThe Zoom links and meeting IDs for all the Zoom events are on our pages on ACNY (A Church Near You) St. Luke’s Church is now open on Wednesday afternoons between 2.00 and 4.00. All are welcome... To look around To sit quietly for a while To light a prayer candle To pray. News and Notices From the end of July, there will no churchwarden at St Margaret's, unless someone comes forward! If you would like to know more about what is involved, please contact Gill: gyates@uwclub.net Please pray for at least 1 churchwarden for St. Margaret’s. Bookings - St. Margaret’s bookings has been taken over by Caryll Ingerslev. Contact: C.I.churchbookings@outlook.com Lunchtime Concerts There is no lunchtime concert on Wednesday 17th July. The next series will start in September. Summer Study and Fellowship groups The book chosen for the summer session is “Holy Habits” by Andrew Roberts. Meet in the social area of St Margaret's Church for tea/coffee from 10.40. All are welcome. For more information contact Revd Maggie Stirling Troy: mstirling1@hotmail.co.uk St Luke's are reading the same book, starting on Thursdays 3-15 pm - 4-15 pm, meeting in their Church rooms and also serving tea/coffee. All are welcome. Songs of Praise, Sunday 21st July at 3.00 p.m. Last chance to vote! Closing date for voting for Topsham's favourite hymns is this Sunday after Evensong. Vote for the hymn you would most like to sing at St Margaret's Patronal Festival Songs of Praise Open-air Songs of Praise 3pm Sunday 21st in the churchyard (in church if wet). Please bring your own chair if you can! Followed by tea and cake Flower Festival at St. Margaret’s – Thursday 25th - 27th July There are still plenty of gaps to be filled, stewarding, making cakes, helping with refreshments. As always the success of this major event in our church year depends heavily on volunteers who are happy to smile at visitors! There are now sign-up lists at the back of the church. Please check you diaries before coming to church on Sunday! Please ask David Byrne (01392 758557) dbyrne47@outlook.com or Gill Yates gyates@uwclub.net if you want to find out more. Exmouth Food Bank Supplies We Are Short Of This Month – July 2024 ·Tins of baked beans & spaghetti hoops ·Cereals ·Stir in pasta /pasta bake sauces ·Tins or packets of soup ·Tinned fruit ·Peanut butter ·Jars of jam ·Coffee ·Tea bags ·Packets of biscuits ·Shampoo & conditioner The Exmouth Foodbank urgently needs bags for life/large plastic bags to enable people to carry their food parcels home. Thank you. Many thanks for your support. We simply couldn’t do this without you! Thank you in advance for your generosity! For further information email: info@exmouthfoodbank.org 07787758511 Prayers For those who are ill or in need of our prayers: Roger Fogwill, Lucy, Pauline, Jill and Adrian, Michael, Kirsten, Chris Whitehead, Fay, Anne, Tony Bradford, Marlene Gardner, Pam Wormald, Mary, Peter, John Heal, Rosemary Henry, Gail Miller 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 Dorothy Patchett, John Drague Alfred Meager, Josephine Scott, Rosamond Major Recently departed John Grey, Pat Lomax Gospel Readings for the coming week Sunday 14th July Mark 6: 14-29 Monday 15th July Matthew 10: 34 -11:1 Tuesday 16th July Matthew 11: 20-24 Wednesday 17th July Matthew 11: 25-27 Thursday 18th July Matthew 11: 28-end Friday 19th July Matthew 12: 1-8 Saturday 20th July Matthew 12: 14-21 Sunday 21st July Mark 6:30-34, 53-end Collect and reading for Sunday 14h July Lord of all power and might, the author and giver of all good things: graft in our hearts the love of your name, increase in us true religion, nourish us with all goodness, and of your great mercy keep us in 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. Mark 6.14-29 The Death of John the Baptist King Herod heard of it, for Jesus’ name had become known. Some weresaying, ‘John the baptizer has been raised from the dead; and for this reason these powers are at work in him.’ But others said, ‘It is Elijah.’ And others said, ‘It is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.’ But when Herod heard of it, he said, ‘John, whom I beheaded, has been raised.’ For Herod himself had sent men who arrested John, bound him, and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, because Herod had married her. For John had been telling Herod, ‘It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.’ And Herodias had a grudge against him, and wanted to kill him. But she could not, for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he protected him. When he heard him, he was greatly perplexed; and yet he liked to listen to him. But an opportunity came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his courtiers and officers and for the leaders of Galilee. When his daughter Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests; and the king said to the girl, ‘Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will give it.’ And he solemnly swore to her, ‘Whatever you ask me, I will give you, even half of my kingdom.’ She went out and said to her mother, ‘What should I ask for?’ She replied, ‘The head of John the baptizer.’Immediately she rushed back to the king and requested, ‘I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.’ The king was deeply grieved; yet out of regard for his oaths and for the guests, he did not want to refuse her. Immediately the king sent a soldier of the guard with orders to bring John’s head. He went and beheaded him in the prison, brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl. Then the girl gave it to her mother. When his disciples heard about it, they came and took his body, and laid it in a tomb. This email was sent from Mission Community of Topsham and Wear using iknowchurch. 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As we all pray for peace in Israel and Palestine, please do keep alert to the work of Bethlehem Bible college whom we have been supporting for several years now.All of us at the Bethlehem Institute of Peace and Justice have been shocked and horrified at the ongoing war in Gaza and the unimaginable suffering of the Gazan people. The magnitude of the destruction is beyond comprehension. A thriving city has been destroyed, as well as thousands of innocent lives, the most significant percentage being women and children. The murder of many Israelis was a tragedy, but Israel's response has been beyond excessive. A ceasefire must occur so that the indiscriminate attack on schools and hospitals where thousands of Gazans are sheltered is stopped. Instead of trivializing the need for peace and justice studies, the magnitude of the destruction is a statement of the fruit of the neglect of peacemaking and justice studies. Therefore, we are pressing ahead with all our programs at the BIPJ. Every semester peacemakers from an array of nations from Japan to Tanzania to Belgium and Canada are pursuing graduate-level studies with us for either credit or audit. Anthony Khair, a talented student at Bethlehem Bible College, says of his studies with the BIPJ this semester: "After living through this war in Palestine. I've realized more than ever how important it is to study peacemaking and justice. Therefore, I am eager to continue taking the BIPJ's spring semester course to have a broader knowledge of how to deal with injustices in our context and internationally." Our BIPJ course participants have established deep relationships with each other. The cohort from our two-week residential Summer Intensive last May has continued their conversations about peacemaking and met in live Zoom sessions during the war. The BIPJ is a peacemaking community. Our conviction at the BIPJ is that the more people study peace, the less conflict and war there will be. The prophet Isaiah's vision of the age of the Messiah points to the time when people will not learn about war: "He shall judge between the nations and shall decide disputes for many peoples, and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore." (Isaiah 2.4). Instead of learning about war, people must know how to make peace to heal our world. We are so grateful you are part of the Bethlehem Institute of Peace and Justice family. We pray that the Lord will multiply grace and wisdom to you during these difficult days. Let's urgently pray together for the war to end soon. One of the Bethlehem Bible College students, Rose, offers this prayer: In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, JESUS, I want you to be the sunshine of our life. We ask you to be with our people in Gaza, to protect them under their broken homes. Please be with the mothers, fathers, and their children. Our hearts are broken because so many people have died. Amen. For Christ always –