Parish News for Advent Sunday 30th NovemberAdvent Sunday eventsBenefice Holy Communion at St Mary’s Church, MarystoweOur service begins at 10.30am and the postcode for St Mary’s is PL16 0JA. Today we begin the new lectionary (worship, readings and festivals) cycle; the Church fabrics turn to purple for Advent and we have fantastic hymns like Hills of the North Rejoice, and the very ancient O Come, O Come, Emmanuel (stemming back to at least the 8th century). Canon Tim is leading the service, Rev Gill is preaching, and LLM Richard is leading the intercessions. We also have a guest organist for the occasion. Do stay for the delicious coffee afterwards.You might like to pray the simple prayer for the day:Almighty God,as your kingdom dawns,turn us from the darkness of sin to the light of holiness,that we may be ready to meet youin our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.Amen.Christmas Lights at Sydenham DamerelAt 6pm Sydenham Damerel is the place to be - for the switching on of the Christmas lights. You can see from last year’s picture below where to meet - you can’t miss us!Advent Group 2025 continues this weekThere are two opportunities each week - Mondays at 7pm at the Vicarage, repeated in the daytime on Wednesdays at 10.45am (after the Midweek Communion) in the Priest Room. All are welcome to come along - and it’s useful (though not essential) if you can let me know you’re coming (07947 604160). No prior knowledge of Advent, theology, the bible, how to pray, who God is, or anything else required. Just bring yourself and enjoy refreshments and friendship and down-to-earth discussion around the Advent Candle themes. Turn up for just one, or pop in to more than one.Week 1 - Hope: 7pm at the Vicarage (phone for directions) on 24th November, and 10.45am in the Priest Room on Wednesday 26th NovemberWeek 2 - Peace: 7pm on 1st December, repeated 10.45am on 3rd DecemberWeek 3 - Joy: 7pm on 8th December and 10.45am on 10th DecemberWeek 4 - Love: 7pm on 15th December and 10.45am on 17th DecemberFrank HockingOn Monday 1st December we have the funeral of Frank Hocking. The church service is 2pm at St Constantine’s, Milton Abbot.Midweek CommunionWednesday 10am Midweek Communion in the Priest Room, Church Avenue Lamerton, PL19 8RN. This week it is led by Revd Gill. All are welcome to this gentle service, which is followed by refreshments and, for the next few weeks, our daytime Advent Group (see above).Milton Abbot School Carol ServiceWednesday 2pm in St Constantine’s Church The first of our school carol services takes place this week, and is followed by the school Christmas Fair at 3.30.Lamerton Hall Coffee MorningSaturday 6th at 10.30-12noon. Come and enjoy a delicious breakfast bap, stock up your kitchen shelves with home made goodies, and buy enough raffle tickets to win a prize!Sydenham Damerel Christmas QuizSaturday 6th at 7pm. This was oversubscribed but hats off to all those organising it to help raise funds. If you can’t get an answer from the Vicar it’s because she’s part of the Revved Up & Ready team (will they win?).Next Sunday 7th December - 2nd Sunday of Advent11.15am Holy Communion at St Andrew’s, Coryton2.30pm Advent Carol Service at Dunterton4pm Christingle Service at LamertonCheck out our calendarsYou can find our calendars online here, as well as downloadable A4 versions for noticeboards, but here they are for convenience:Advance notice of the Christmas Extravaganza and Marystowe Parish PantoThings are moving apace, so do keep this evening of multiple events all rolled into one in your calendar. It’s a temporarily different format this year, as people are pulling together to pack as much as possible in. The evening begins with Carols at 5pm, and continues on through, with an interval of course (it wouldn’t be panto without one!) culminating in the Virgin Arms barbeque.With love in Christ,GillThe Reverend Gillian GeorgePriest in Charge of the benefice of Milton Abbot, Dunterton, Lamerton, Sydenham Damerel, Marystowe and Coryton - The South Tamar Mission Community
Dear All,Thanks to a generous donation from Malcolm Gillet (whose books are mostly in “As New” condition) St Mary’s Book Sale has swollen to 101 books. The full list is below, you can click on the title to be taken to Amazon where you can read reviews or a few pages of the book. They are an eclectic mix of genre, fact or fiction.Now the nights are drawing in, you might like to buy any (or all!) of them for a good fireside read - please contact either Peter Hurdwell (phurdwell@hotmail.co.uk) or me (john.r.hearn19@gmail.com).All money raised is for the “Heating & Seating Fund” of St Mary’s.JohnAuthorTitle - click to view on AmazonConditionPriceType Adam KayThis is Going to HurtFair to Good£1.00 Alan HollinghurstThe Swimming Pool LibraryDamaged£1.00 Alan SillitoeOut of this WhirlpoolAs new£3.00Hardcover Amy LiptrotThe OutrunFair to Good£1.00 Andrew MarrA History of the WorldAs new£3.00Hardcover Ann EnrightThe Wren, The WrenFair to Good£1.00 Arnaldur IndridasonMurder in Reykjavik (Strange Shores)Fair to Good£1.00 Beth MoranAlways on my MindFair to Good£1.00 Bill Emmott20:21 VisionAs new£3.00 Bob MortimerThe Satsuma ComplexFair to Good£1.00 Bonnie GarmusLessons in ChemistryFair to Good£1.00 Chris PattenNot Quite the DiplomatAs new£3.00 Chris WhitakerAll the Colours of the DarkFair to Good£1.00 Clare MackingtoshLet Me LieFair to Good£1.00 Colin WalshKalaFair to Good£1.00 Conn IgguldenWolf of the PlainsFair to Good£1.00 Dave EggersZeitounAs new£3.00 David LeavittEqual AffectionsAs new£3.00 David NobbsThe Fall and Rise of Reginald PerrinFair to Good£1.00 Dorothy HodgkinA LifeFair to Good£1.00Biography Earnest Hemingway For Whom the Bell TollsFair to Good£1.00 Ed GlinertEast End ChroniclesAs new£3.00 Edward De BonoWordpowerGood£1.00 Elizabeth StroutLucy by the SeaFair to Good£1.00 Erin MorgensternThe Night CircusFair to Good£1.00 Evelyn WaughPut Out More FlagsFair to Good£1.00 Fiona GibsonAs Good as it GetsFair to Good£1.00 Frank BarrettTreasured IslandAs new£3.00Hardcover Graham CosterCorsairville - The lost domain of the flying boatAs new£3.00 Harry Patch with Richard Van EmdenThe Last Fighting TommyAs new£3.00 Heather MorrisCilka's Journey (sequel to The Tattooist)Fair to Good£1.00Hardcover Heather MorrisThe Tattooist of AushwitzFair to Good£1.00 Helen DunmoreBurning BrightFair to Good£1.00 Helen DunmoreTalking to the DeadFair to Good£1.00 Henning MankellThe Fifth WomanFair to Good£1.00 Iam McEwanLessonsFair to Good£1.00 Ian BanksWalking on GlassFair to Good£1.00 Ian RankinA Song for the Dark TimesFair to Good£1.00 Imogen ChichesterMr Teago and the Magic SlippersVery Good£2.00 Isabella TreeSliced IguanaAs new£3.00 James PattersonDeadly CrossFair to Good£1.00 James PattersonThe People vs Alex CrossFair to Good£1.00 Jane MacQuittyGuide to Champagne and Sparkling WineFair to Good£1.00Non Fiction JM O'NeilCommissar ConnellGood£1.00 Jo NesboThe KingdomFair to Good£1.00 John GrishamCamino GhostsFair to Good£1.00 John GrishamThe ExchangeFair to Good£1.00 John GrishamThe RacketeerFair to Good£1.00 John HumphrysLost for WordsAs new£3.00Hardcover John Le CarreOur Kind of TraitorFair to Good£1.00 John Micklethwait & Arian WooldridgeThe Right Nation - why America is differentAs new£3.00 Joseph ConradHeart of DarknessFair to Good£1.00 Karl MillerRebecca's Vest - A MemoirAs new£3.00 Katherine RundellThe Transformations of John DunneFair to Good£1.00Non-Fiction Katie Fforde A Summer at SeaFair to Good£1.00 Kingsley AmisThe Old DevilsAs new£3.00 Lawson GlassopWe Were the RatsGood£1.00 Lee & Andrew ChildIn Too DeepFair to Good£1.00 Lee ChildBad Luck and TroubleFair to Good£1.00 Lee ChildBlue MoonFair to Good£1.00 Lee ChildNight SchoolFair to Good£1.00 Lisa EvansTheir Finest Hour … and a halfFair to Good£1.00 Louise BeechHow to be BraveFair to Good£1.00 Lynda La PlanteBlood LineFair to Good£1.00 Lynne TrussWith One Lousy Free Packet of SeedVery Good£2.00 Maggie O'FarrellThe Marriage PortraitFair to Good£1.00 Marc AcitoHow I Paid for CollegeFair to Good£1.00 Margaret DrabbleA Summer Bird-CageFair to Good£1.00 Marian KeyAnybody Out ThereFair to Good£1.00 Marion ToddWhat They KnewFair to Good£1.00 Marjory AllinghamCoroner's PidginFair to Good£1.00 Mary NortonThe BorrowersVery Good£2.00Paperback Michael QuinionPort Out, Starboard HomeAs new£3.00Hardcover Milly JohnsonAfternoon Tea at the Sunflower CaféFair to Good£1.00 Monisha RajeshAround the World in 80 TrainsFair to Good£1.00Hardcover Natasha PulleyThe Watchmaker of Filigree StreetFair to Good£1.00 Nick HornbyJuliet, NakedVery Good£2.00 Peter JamesThey Thought I Was DeadFair to Good£1.00 Peter MayA Silent Death (x 2)Fair to Good£1.00 Peter MayCoffin RoadFair to Good£1.00 Peter MayThe Chess MenFair to Good£1.00 PG WodehouseThe Gold Bat & Other school storiesVery Good£2.00 Redmond O'HanlonIn Trouble Again: A Journey between the Orinoco and the AmazonAs new£3.00 Richard NeillLooking for La BombaAs new£3.00 Richard OsmanThje Bullet That MissedFair to Good£1.00 RM BallentineThe Coral IslandVery Good£2.00 Simon KernickThe Hanged ManFair to Good£1.00Hardcover Simon ScarrowThe CenturionFair to Good£1.00 Simon ScarrowThe GladiatorFair to Good£1.00 Spike MilliganA celebrationGood£1.00Hardcover Stefan SpjutStallo - Here be MonstersFair to Good£1.00 Stephen WalshFaithful Departures: Traveles with Catholic PilgrimsAs new£3.00 Tim FlanneryThe Weather MakersAs new£3.00 Toby LittExhibitionismAs new£3.00 Victoria HislopOne August NightFair to Good£1.00 Will SelfCock & BullAs new£3.00 Will SelfGreat ApesAs new£3.00 Will SelfJunk MailAs new£3.00 Will SelfThe Quantity Theory of InsanityAs new£3.00 William TaylorMaking Big BucksAs new£3.00 McSweeney's 16As new£3.00
St. Mary's Heating and Seating Fundraising Campaign - Target £15,000With sincere thanks for the tremendous local community support (and especially to the new Sydenham Damerel Parish Meeting) we have done incredibly well and now face the final push to complete this essential improvement project. We have already raised £11,500 and, in anticipation of continued success from our fundraising, we have placed the order and paid the deposit of £858 for the final 20 chairs which will cost a total of £3,500 and be delivered in the new year. We continue to seek contributions to attain our goal of just over £15,000 so every little bit of help we receive goes towards completing the Heating and Seating campaign and allows us to focus our attention on the even more challenging but really exciting new project which is aimed at installing a toilet and a If you feel able to support this important project in any way then please let me know.Peter Hurdwell [Ed. You can watch the video supporting some of St Mary’s grant applications below]
At one point we thought it was a washout - heavy rain in the morning didn't bode well for a river walk - but still people came, walking in the rain. Then the sun came out, and more people came. Some stopped for delicious refreshments along the walk, and others visited All Saints' Church, Dunterton, the historic little rural church which the Annual Walk helps remain open for worship year on year.As Nicky Ackerley, one of the organisers, posted: "The Friends and Supporters would like to say Thank you to everyone who came along for the river walk today . The weather was not on our side but 82 folk and their dogs completed the walk and by 3pm the sun did show. We are so grateful for your donations and to those who could not attend but made a donation to the upkeep of the Church and Ground thank you your contributions came to £1020. The refreshments were very well received and we are delighted so many of you came to visit the church. We have a service at 9 am on Christmas Day. A warm and friendly welcome awaits 🎄"Rev. Gill George, Vicar, says "I echo my sincere thanks to everyone who came along for the walk, but especially to the Friends and Supporters who put a phenomenal amount of work into the day. I cannot thank you enough for doing all that you do to keep this sacred building open for worship. Many thanks"The money raised will go towards ongoing church and grounds maintenance, particularly additional pointing (replacing decayed mortar) in the church walls.Our next services are:11am on Sunday 2nd November is our Annual Patronal Service for All Saints' Sunday.2.30pm on Sunday 7th December is our Advent Carol Service - all welcome for this candlelit service with seasonal refreshments afterwards.9am on Christmas Day - Christmas Communion followed by Christmas Breakfast in the church
