To obtain a copy of The Estuary Magazine please visit St Margaret's Church or The Topsham Bookshop.
MISSION COMMUNITY NEWSLETTER 7.12.25Dear All!Please do make sure you carve out some time for 'still small voice' amidst the rush and bustle of Christmas preparations and celebrations. The full Christmas timetable will be in this newsletter and on our Christmas cards. Enjoy a concert or service, let yourself sink into the music and singing, words that evoke past times, and speak of future hope.Great thanks go to all who are making our churches so hospitable for Christmas and welcoming of congregations regular and new. The musicians, flower arrangers, cleaners, hospitality, behind the scenes people of admin, bookings, safeguarding. All those who are volunteering for worship and events - vergers, stewards, readers, prayers. Everyone, we make this happen as a team and you are gifts to church and community, each and every one. Thank you. LouiseLouise’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 Saturday 6th December 8am… Prayer Breakfast…St Margaret’s Sunday 7th December 10am… Holy Communion…St Margaret’s 10am…Holy Communion…St Luke’s 6.30pm…Evensong for Advent…St Margaret’s Monday 8th December 10am…Stay and Play…St Margaret’s 2.30pm…Contemplative Prayer…St Margaret’s 7pm…Compline…Zoom Tuesday 9th December 9am…Morning Prayer…St Luke’s 9.30am…Bereavement Service…St Margaret’s 11am…Study Session…Watermeadow Grange 1pm…Interment of ashes…St Margaret’s 3.30pm…Anna Friends Support Group…St Margaret’s 7.30pm…St David’s Singers Concert…St Luke’s Wednesday 10th December 10am…Morning Worship with Anne Plested…Zoom 12noon…Mosque Visit…Exeter Mosque 2.30pm…Tea and Cake…St Margaret’s Thursday 11th December 10am…Stay and Play…St Margaret’s Friday 12th December 9am…Morning Prayer…St Margaret’s Sunday 14th December 10am… Holy Communion…St Margaret’s 10am…Holy Communion…St Luke’s (with Anne Plested) 3pm…Nativity Trail…St Nicholas Methodist ChurchThe Zoom links and meeting IDs for all the Zoom events are on our pages on ACNY (A Church Near You)Christmas Events and Services in DecemberSunday 7th 10.00 a.m. Holy Communion at St. Margaret’s and St. Luke’s 6.30 p.m. Evensong for Advent at St. Margaret’sTuesday 9th 7.30 p.m. St David’s Singers concert at St. Luke’s (see below)Friday 12th 7.00 p.m. Winter Concert at St. Luke’s (see below)Sunday 14th 10.00 a.m. Holy Communion at St. Margaret’s and St. Luke’s 3.00 p.m. Nativity Trail at St. NicholasSaturday 20th 10.30 a.m. Carol Singing on Chapel PlattSunday21st 8.00 BCP Holy Communion at St. Margaret’s 10.00 a.m. Joint Crib and Carol service at St. Luke’s 6.30 p.m. Carol Service at St. Margaret’sMonday 22nd 7.30 p.m. Carols by Candlelight at St. Margaret’sWednesday 24th 3.00 p.m. Crib and Carol Service at St. Luke’s 6.00 p.m. Community Carols at St. Margaret’s 11.00 p.m. Midnight Mass at St. Margaret’s and St. Luke’sThursday 25th 8.00 a.m. BCP Holy Communion at St. Margaret’s 10.00 a.m. Holy Communion at St. Margaret’s and St. Luke’s28th December 10.00 a.m. Family Holy Communion at St. Margaret’s 10.00 a.m. Christingle at St. Luke’s 3.00 p.m. Songs of Praise at St. Margaret’sBookingsSt. 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 NoticesPlease also find attached a communication from the Bishop.Ecumenical 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 has organised a visit to the Exeter Mosque on Wednesday 10th December at 12.00, via a contact who teaches at the university.Please contact Louise directly, if you are interested.Carol Singing on Chapel PlattThe traditional ecumenical carol singing on Chapel Platt will be held on Saturday 20th December at 10.30 am, with coffee and mince pies (with donations invited) to follow at St Nicholas.Christmas!Countdown to Christmas: there are three ways to engage with the themes of Advent1. 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. 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 14th December at 10 a.m. and will hopefully join one of our midweek Zoom worship services.Watch this space for when exactly.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! ♥️ 🧁St. Luke’s ChurchTuesday 9th December at 7.30pm. “The Spirit of Christmas”.A Christmas Concert by the St. David’s Singers, directed by Stephen Tanner.There will be choral music for Advent and Christmas, interspersed with readings and congregational carols.During the interval there will be coffee, tea and biscuits.Admission is free. There will be a retiring collection, which will be equally shared between the St. David’s Singers and St. Luke’s Church.Towards the end of October, the St. David’s Singers with their new Director, Stephen Tanner, visited the Truro Cathedral, singing for Evensongs and Eucharist over the weekend, plus an evensong in a local church. They said it was a real privilege to be able to contribute to the worship in such beautiful surroundings, and the acoustics were wonderful, as they are in St. Luke’s.Winter ConcertCountess Wear Community Choir warmly invite you to their"Winter Concert"Friday December 12th St Lukes Church.Doors open at 6.30 pm for prompt start at 7.00pm. Entry is free.There will be collection for St Lukes Church and Hospice Care.Bring your friends it would be lovely to have a full church!Please find St. Luke’s magazine attached.Exmouth Food BankEach winter the Food Bank sees a 20% rise in people seeking support with food. On average we expect to distribute 90 parcels a week in December. The majority of parcels will be for families with four or more members. This year the 10% increase in the energy price cap, plus the withdrawal of the winter fuel allowance for pensioners, will place a further demand on our services.I f you are thinking of donating to the Food Bank this Christmas we would really appreciate core food items that are needed for our year round parcels as this will help us meet the surge in demand over the festive period and into 2025. We would welcome tins of: soup, tomatoes, baked beans, spaghetti, tuna, stews, meatballs, cold meats, fruits, custard and rice pudding. We would also welcome packets of spaghetti and rice…. as well as a few festive goodies!Donations will need to be with us by Friday 13 December if they are to be distributed ahead of Christmas.Thank you ❤️ For further information email: info@exmouthfoodbank.org.uk 07787758511Please find the winter newsletter attached.PrayersFor 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.AnniversariesGeorge Gray, Joyce Twigg, Enid McCairnMelona Gould, Margaret Rush, Owen Turl, James Harding, Tony Harding, Winifred Levy, Lucy Lovell, Elsie LawrenceRecently departedGospel Readings for the coming weekSunday 7th December Matthew 3: 1-12Monday 8th December Luke 5: 17-26Tuesday 9th December Matthew 18: 12-14Wednesday 10th December Matthew 11: 28-endThursday 11th December Matthew 11: 11-15Friday 12th December Matthew 11: 16-19Saturday 13th December Matthew 17: 10-13Sunday 14th December Matthew 11: 2-11Collect and reading for Sunday 7th DecemberO Lord, raise up, we pray, your power and come among us, and with great might succour us; that whereas, through our sins and wickedness we are grievously hindered in running the race that is set before us, your bountiful grace and mercy may speedily help and deliver us; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, to whom with you and the Holy Spirit, be honour and glory, now and for ever.Matthew 3.1-12In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.And the same John had his raiment of camel’s hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey.Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan,And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance. but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.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!
