A SPECIAL MEETING OF PARISHIONERS FOR THE ELECTION OF A CHURCHWARDENNotice is hereby given of a special meeting of parishioners to be held on Monday 3rd November 2025 at 7.30pmin St Margaret’s Church to elect a churchwarden.The brief formal meeting will be followed by refreshments.
To obtain a copy of The Estuary Magazine please visit St Margaret's Church or The Topsham Bookshop.
MISSION COMMUNITY NEWSLETTERThere is a depth to the simplicity of the Act of Remembrance each year, exemplified by the simple commitment 'We will remember them'. Of course so much is implied by those four words: a commitment to honour the sacrifice of others; a commitment to learn the lessons of the past in order to build a better future; a commitment to peace in our own daily lives as the outliving of our words.Please do join us on Sunday, or next Tuesday, or both, - details below:There will be a service at 9.30am at St Margaret's, 10am at St Luke's, and both will observe the Act of Remembrance at 11am.There will also be a short Act of Remembrance at St Margaret's, by the war memorial on Tuesday 11th at 11am; and an Act of Remembrance and service at Watermeadow Grange at the same time. All are welcome.We will remember them.Louise Louise’s email address: vicartopshamwear@gmail.comSafeguardingFor any safeguarding concerns, please contact :Katie Gray: safeguardingtopshamwear@gmail.comFor issues with rough sleepers:Elizabeth Reed: homelessoutreachtopshamwear@gmail.comPlease send all contributions for the newsletter to Gill Yates by Thursday evening.gyates@uwclub.netServices and calendar for the week Sunday 9th November9.30am… Ecumenical Service…St Margaret’s10am…Holy Communion…St Luke’s11am…Act of Remembrance…Topsham War Memorial3pm…Family Event…St Margaret’s6.30pm…Evensong…St Margaret’sMonday 10th November 10am…Stay and Play…St Margaret’s2.30pm…Julian Contemplative Prayer…St Margaret’s7pm…Compline…ZoomTuesday 11th November 9am…Morning Prayer…St Luke’s3.30pm…Anna Friends Support Group…St Margaret’sWednesday 12th November10am…Morning Worship…Zoom2.30pm…Tea and Cake…St Margaret’sThursday 13th November10am…Stay and Play…St Margaret’s11am…Funeral…St Luke’sFriday 14th November 9am…Morning Prayer…St Margaret’s Sunday 16th November8am…BCP Holy Communion…St Margaret’s 10am…Joint Holy Community & Baptism…St Margaret’sThe 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 NovemberBookingsSt. Margaret’s bookings are managed by Caryll Ingerslev.Contact: bookingstopsham@gmail.comPlease 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: bookingswear@gmail.comSt. Luke’s churchwardens can be contacted on:churchwardenwear@gmail.com or phone 01392 271458Our 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.News and NoticesEcumenical EventsDuring 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.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 vicartopshamwear@gmail.com 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.Bethlehem - Beacon of Hope.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 14thDecember at 10 a.m. and will hopefully join one of our midweek Zoom worship services.Watch this space for when exactly. Angels!Wool is available in a box at the back of church for those wishing to knit/crochet Christmas angels.Coffee and CakeEvery 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: Local supportThe Salmon Supper on Thursday evening was a great success, raising well over £1100 from ticket sales and a raffle. Full marks to Liz Hodges for the idea, and for masterminding the cooking, supported by a team of friends and family. They served up a delicious meal, and a great time was had by all. Particular thanks to Joe and Kate Hodges, owners of Route 2, for allowing us the use of their café and kitchen, and to all those who bought tickets. We are also expecting to receive over £500 from the charity quiz nights held at The Old Firestation, so many thanks to the team there for their support. The Charter Day committee have also given us £500 from the takings of the refreshments served in the church in the summer.A further £500 was raised from the leaflet campaign around the town in September, and let’s not forget the £10,000 already pledged by the Topsham Market House Trust. All this generosity from the local community is both encouraging and vital to our project.ThanksPaul JakemanExmouth Food BankThis 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 porridgePastaStir in pasta/pasta bake sauces Tinned fruitFruit squash/juiceLonglife whole milkThank you so much ❤️For further information email: info@exmouthfoodbank.org.uk 07787758511PrayersFor 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 WalkerHousebound 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.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.AnniversariesJohn Lear, Dorothy Price, Tony and Vivienne CounterJoan Ashford, George Simey, James FrickerRecently departedDiana Gwendoline CarnellGospel Readings for the coming weekSunday 9th November Luke 20: 27-38Monday 10th November Luke 17: 1-6Tuesday 11th November Luke 17: 7-10Wednesday 12th November Luke 17: 11-19Thursday 13th November Luke 17: 20-25Friday 14th November Luke 17: 26 - endSaturday 15th November Luke 18: 1-8Sunday 16th November Luke 21: 15-19Collect and reading for Sunday 9th NovemberAlmighty Father, whose will is to restore all things in your beloved Son, the King of all: govern the hearts and minds of those in authority, and bring the families of the nations, divided and torn apart by the ravages of sin, to be subject to his just and gentle rule: who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.Luke 20.27-38Then came to him certain of the Sadducees, which deny that there is any resurrection; and they asked him,Saying, Master, Moses wrote unto us, If any man’s brother die, having a wife, and he die without children, that his brother should take his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.There were therefore seven brethren: and the first took a wife, and died without children.And the second took her to wife, and he died childless.And the third took her; and in like manner the seven also: and they left no children, and died.Last of all the woman died also.Therefore in the resurrection whose wife of them is she? for seven had her to wife.And Jesus answering said unto them, The children of this world marry, and are given in marriage:But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage:Neither can they die any more: for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection.Now that the dead are raised, even Moses shewed at the bush, when he calleth the Lord the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.For he is not a God of the dead, but of the living: for all live unto him.This email was sent from Mission Community of Topsham and Wear using iknowchurch. 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Dear all I haven't forwarded anything from Bethlehem recently but this request for prayer arrived a few days ago. A few weeks ago a group from the College spent a couple of weeks in Jordan running a summer camp for refugee children from the conflict in Syria. Munther Isaac is one of the best Christian advocates for the Palestinians at the moment. Anne and I heard him speak in Bristol last summer, and he caused some controversy a while back when Justin Welby didn't have time to see him during his visit to the region. Justin apologised later. Margaret and I are hoping to have lunch with Anne Plested the week after next. Will try to keep you in touch, but meanwhile thank you for your prayers. God bless David As we recruit students for the upcoming academic year, please join us in praying that the Lord opens doors for those wishing to study at Bethlehem Bible College. May He guide His children to the right fields where they can continue building His kingdom on earth. We are grateful for the success of our summer community training programs. Over two weeks, we welcomed 26 adolescents and 5 young leaders to our summer camp, along with more than 70 local and international students in our language courses. Please pray that these programs do more than fill their time; may they instill the love of Jesus Christ and highlight the significance of our Holy Land. We ask for your prayers for Rev. Munther Isaac, who has been traveling this summer to share about our College, its impact on the community, and the ongoing conflict in our Holy Land. May the Lord bless and protect him. Due to the water shortage caused by the occupation, please pray for families suffering from a lack of water for days and weeks. Congratulations to our recent high school (Tawjihi) graduates! We wish them blessings as they decide on their next steps!
