Dear friendsWe find ourselves after Easter listening in church to the stories of the risen Jesus. This week we look forward to the Ascension of Jesus into heaven and then to Pentecost. Let us pray for our churches that we grow more into his purposes for our lives as a community together. Let us look with anticipation for what he has for us this week.Have a great weekendPeterWhile Louise is on sabbatical, the principal points of contact are as follows:Gill Yates, St. Margaret’s: gyates@uwclub.netCaryll Ingerslev, St. Luke’s: caryll_i@yahoo.co.ukPlease send all contributions for the newsletter material for A Church Near You to Tony Raven: tony@theravens.orgto Gill by the end of Thursday and Services and calendar for the week Saturday 4th May 8.00 a.m. 2.00 p.m. Prayer Breakfast Wedding St. Margaret’s St. Margaret’s Sunday 5th May 10.00 a.m. 10.00 a.m. Holy Communion Holy Communion St. Margaret’s St. Luke’s Monday 6th May 7.00 p.m. Compline Zoom Tuesday 7th May 9.00 a.m. Morning Prayer St. Margaret’s Wednesday 8th May 10.00 a.m. 1.15 p.m. Morning Worship Lunchtime concert Zoom St. Margaret’s Thursday 9th May 10.00 a.m. 7.30 p.m. Mini Messy Church Ascension Day service St. Margaret’s St. Margaret’s Friday 10th May 9.00 a.m. Morning Prayer St. Margaret’s Sunday12th May 10.00 a.m. 10.00 a.m. 3.00 p.m. 6.30 p.m. Holy Communion Holy Communion Open The Story Evensong St. Margaret’s St. Luke’s Forest School St. Margaret’s N.B. St. Margaret’s will be closed on Monday morning for a private booking.The 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 prayNews and NoticesElectoral Roll – The APCM for St. Margaret’s will be on Wednesday 8th May. A copy of names on the current electoral roll is available in church. There is a concern that there are some discrepancies. Please check the list and let Paul Jakeman know:1. If your name is not there and you think it should be.2. If there are names there that shouldn’t be ( e.g. people who have moved away).3. If you would like to be added to the electoral roll. There is a form to fill in.Before the APCM, Annie Jeffries will do a presentation on Anna Chaplaincy. Anna Chaplains offer spiritual care in later life. There may be people in our community who would like to train as an Anna Chaplain. This is a chance to find out all about it. All are welcome. Refreshments from 6.45 p.m. with the talk starting at 7pm. The APCM will then follow on at about 7.30 p.m.. Further refreshments will follow the APCM!PCC If anyone would like to stand for the PCC, please let Gill or Paul know. There is still time to offer and we really need new people!Lunchtime Concerts Wednesdays, 1-15 – 2.00 p.m. May 8th - Phil Bonser and Dorothy Raven, clarinet and piano.Saturday May 4th – Kit Reynolds, from St. Luke’s is abseiling from the top of Exeter Cathedral’s Norman North Tower to raise funds for the Cathedral. His sponsorship link is below.https://www.justgiving.com/page/kit-reynolds-abseilHe would welcome any sponsorship!Big Music CollectiveThere are 2 music wellbeing events in May.Free Arts Award Taster Day at St Margaret's Church, Topsham - Sat 11th May, 10.30-2 p.m. 7-11yr olds.Book Free Space & Info: https://www.bigmusiccollective.com/service-page/arts-awards-taster-day?category=9b82e67d-a9b8-4b33-87b0-283aff407e55&referral=service_list_widgetBig Silly Gig at Theatre Alibi's Centre of Imagination - Sat 18th May, 10am, 4-7yr olds (siblings welcome)More Info: https://www.bigmusiccollective.com/bigsillygigsTickets: https://theatrealibi.co.uk/production/big-silly-gig/Please see ACNY for further details.Saturday 11th May - You are invited to come along to St. Luke’s Church Rooms to enjoy a ‘Big Brekkie’ to raise money for Christian Aid. Revd. Tony Raven and his wife, Dorothy, have once again offered to be chief cook and assistant. Breakfast will be served between 9 and 10am, and 10 and 11am. It would be very helpful to know when people are coming, so please let Jill Allen know to which ‘sitting’ you will be coming. You can sign up to which sitting you would like your brekkie, on a list which will be at the back of the church, or you can contact Jill by e mail -g.m.allen@hotmail.co.uk. – or phone 01392 271458.Christian Aid WeekFriday 17th May Christian Aid lunch at St Margaret’s 12.30-1.30- come and join us for lunch of soup, bread, cheese and (as it’s not Lent) cake and coffee to follow. All are welcome. Donations to Christian Aid.Pentecost Celebration Exeter Cathedral, Sunday 19 May at 6pmThy Kingdom Come: 9th-19th May 2024 The period from Ascension Day to Pentecost is a time when the worldwide church is called to prayer. There are lots of ways for us to join in this year: ‘Novena’ prayer booklets with a written reflection for each day are available from both churches this Sunday to take home for your personal prayers during the period. We also have a few copies of the Prayer Journal which includes QR links to videos and space to write your own reflections. These are available from the prayer area here at St. Margaret's. Online resources: you can download the ‘Thy Kingdom Come’ App or sign up for daily prayer emails from the website https://www.churchofengland.org/resources/thy-kingdom-come St Margaret’s church will be open daily for prayer with interactive prayer stations around the church. Holy Communion for Ascension Day Thursday 9th May 7:30pm at St. Margaret’s. On Sunday 19th May we are all invited to the Pentecost celebration service at 6 pm at Exeter Cathedral. Prayer and worship will be led by Bishop Jackie and Bishop James, with music led by Andy Flannagan and a talk from Ruth Valerio. We would like to make this a Mission Community event and we are joining with members of St Luke’s, for a picnic from 4 pm on the Cathedral green before the worship. If you would like to join us, please give your name to Reverend Maggie Stirling-Troy mstirling1@hotmail.co.uk or Caryll Ingerslev caryll_i@yahoo.co.uk so that they can book our free tickets on eventbrite. Summer Study and Fellowship groupsThe book chosen for the summer session is “Holy Habits” by Andrew Roberts. Meeting in the social area of St Margaret's Church, 11 a.m. - 12 noon, with tea/coffee from 10.40. Starting on Wednesday 29th May for ten weeks. All are welcome.St Luke's are reading the same book, starting on Thursday 30th May, 3-15 pm - 4-15 pm, meeting in their Church rooms and also serving tea/coffee. All are welcome. Exmouth Food BankSupplies We Are Short Of This Month – May 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 & 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 07787758511Please find the newsletters for St. Margaret’s and St. Luke’s attached.PrayersFor those who are ill or in need of our prayers:Roger Fogwill, Lucy, Pauline, Jill and Adrian, Michael, Kirsten, Chris Whitehead, Fay, Tony Bradford, Marlene Gardner, Pam Wormald, Mary, Peter, John Heal, 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 linkAnniversariesLilian GibbinsJean Billen, John Armitage, John Mould, Geoffrey Robinson, Hilary Dangerfield, Gordon Simpson, John Strong, Richard Gardner, Valerie May, Jean Johnston, Frank DoveyGospel Readings for the coming weekSunday 5th May John 15: 9-17Monday 6th May John 15: 26 – 16:4Tuesday 7th May John 16: 5-11Wednesday 8th May John 16: 12-15Thursday 9th May Acts 1: 1-11Friday 10th May John 16: 20-23Saturday 11th May John 16: 23-28Sunday 12th May John 17: 6-19Collect and reading for Sunday 5th MayGod our redeemer, you have delivered us from the power of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of your Son: grant, that as by his death he has recalled us to life, so by his continual presence in us he may raise us to eternal joy; 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 15.9-17As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete. ‘This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. I do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father. You did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name. I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another.
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 –
1 Corona Virus Guidance Click on this heading to go to Exeter Diocese Site and lots of information2 Love Topsham All sorts of news and events going on here only a click away3 Estuary League of Friends All sorts of help can be found here from advise about COVID-19 to having your toenails looked after.4 Coronavirus - Support for Schools, Parents and Pupils - Help is at hand.5 Difficult Conversations A resource from the NSPCC6 Childline More information for parents and children7 Information for parents - Talking about difficult topics