Dear Friends,

It was very good to be able to offer our Harvest Thanksgiving last week. We were able to send a gift of £55 to the Freedom Centre in Barnstaple from the cash donations at the service – thank you to all who donated and those who have made personal donations via the Freedom Centre and the Christian Aid websites. It was wonderful to have Revd Jean participating in leading the service again with a reading, and we were pleased that Marilyn, who is in training for ministry at St Mellitus led our intercessions.

Looking forward: I am in discussions with the team who organise the Act of Remembrance at Lynton Town Hall to see what is possible for this year. I met with members of Christchurch, Parracombe last week to make the risk assessment that will enable us to begin a month service there in the coming months. More details next week!

I am conscious that we have not held the annual Civic Service at St Mary’s this year. It is a time when we give thanks for all who serve our community in civic roles and who give their time and gifts in other ways to benefit the community, and it is good to do that even without the gathering in church. Please pray for all who are at work to keep our common life going through times we could not have imagined even this time last year.

Today (Saturday) I am about to attend a Zoom gathering of the Diocesan Synod. If you read this in time, please keep us in your prayers as we reflect on the impact of the last months on the life of the church across our county.

Be assured of my prayers for you too!

God bless

Samantha