To obtain a copy of The Estuary Magazine please visit St Margaret's Church or The Topsham Bookshop.
MISSION COMMUNITY NEWSLETTERw.b. 12th July 2026Dreams Coming True – Our two weeks of colour and song to celebrate St Margaret’s new social area and community space!From 10th – 13th July, Topsham Art Group’s Art Festival have chosen the spaces in our church for their exhibition of four local artists’ work – using paint and sculpture, the art of Steve Thorpe, Hannah Woodman, Lucy Runge, and Alastair Lambert celebrates place, using the church’s interiors to partner their work with organic materials, shape, and light.‘Four Artists | Four New Works | Four Days | https://www.topshamartgroup.co.uk/events/four-by-four/On Sunday 12th of July, a long peal of St Margaret’s marvellous bells (5.30-6.15) will herald a very special musical event. We’ll listen out for the church itself to ring out with celestial music, when at 6.30 a very special Evensong service takes place, with Exeter & District Organists’ Association, conducted by their President this year, our own inimitable Tony Yates. The concert especially features music by Devon composers, and for most of the service Andrew Millington, Organist Emeritus at Exeter Cathedral, will play. The preacher will be Prebendary Nigel Guthrie, past president of E.D.O.A. We’ll be singing our hearts out with Stanford’s Psalm 150, and four well-known hymns for everyone to sing are included in the service..To complete our two weeks of delight and celebration, the new social area will be full of colour (and tea and cakes!) for St Margaret’s beloved annual Flower Festival, when the town brings the church the glorious colour and invention of its floral displays – all around that theme of DREAMING. Come and see it for yourselves: Thursday July 16th – Saturday July 18thWe ‘dreamed big’ and the dream did come true!With thanks to Min Wild for the above.Louise’s email address: vicartopshamwear@gmail.comSafeguardingFor any safeguarding concerns, please contact :Katie Gray: safeguardingtopshamwear@gmail.comFor issues with rough sleepers:Louise Grace: vicartopshamwear@gmail.comPlease send all contributions for the newsletter to Gill Yates by Thursday evening.gyates@uwclub.netN.B. Bitumen is being sprayed on the road in front of St. Margaret’s on Sunday 12th July.Please check shoes before coming into church!Services and calendar for the week Sunday 12th July 10am…Holy Communion…St Margaret’s 10am…Holy Communion…St Luke’s 6.30pm…Evensong…St Margaret’s Monday 13th July 2.30pm Julian Contemplative Prayer 7pm…Compline…Zoom Tuesday 14th July Wednesday 15th July 10am onwards…Preparation for Flower Festival…St Margaret’s 10am…Morning Worship…Zoom 2.30pm…Tea and Cakes…St Margaret’s Thursday 16th July 10am-6pm…Flower Festival…St Margaret’s 11am…Holy Communion…Watermeadow Grange Friday 17th July 10am-6pm…Flower Festival…St Margaret’s 9.00am…Morning Prayer…St Margaret’s 11am…Holy Communion…Armada Court Saturday 18th July 10am-5.30pm…Flower Festival…St Margaret’s Sunday 19th July 10am…Joint Holy Communion…St Margaret’sThe Zoom links and meeting IDs for all the Zoom events are on our pages on ACNY (A Church Near You)BookingsSt. 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 churchwarden can be contacted on:churchwardenwear@gmail.com or phone 01392 271458St. Margaret’s Churchwarden can be contacted on:churchwardenstmargarets@gmail.comSt. Luke’s Church is open on Wednesday afternoons between 2.00 and 4.00 until Wednesday 30thSeptember.St. Margaret’s is open every day between 9.00 a.m. and 5.00 p.m.Choral Evensong Sunday 12th July 2026: 6.30 pmCome & Sing: well-known hymnswith Exeter & District Organists’ Association, featuring music by Devon composers.Conducted by Tony Yates, President this year of E.D.O.A.The Musical Lunchbox – Wednesdays at 1.15NO CONCERT THIS WEEK BECAUSE OF THE FLOWER FESTIVAL.The Flower Festival – Thursday July 16th – Saturday July 18thThe theme this year is “Dreams”.Do come and admire many wonderful displays and enjoy some refreshments at our new facilities!Thursday to Saturday – 10.00 – 6.00 (5.30 on Saturday)Please sign the lists available by the riverside door into the church if you are able to help with stewarding, refreshments and/or baking cakes during the Flower Festival.If you haven’t completed your basic safeguarding course in the last 3 years please follow this link and do so before the festival https://exeter.anglican.org/resources/safeguarding/core-pathway-basic-awareness/Then please send a copy of your certificate to Katie Gray, our safe-guarding representative on safeguardingtopshamwear@gmail.com This requirement was checked with The Diocesan Safeguarding Team for last year’s flower festival and their response was ‘All volunteers will require Basic Awareness safeguarding training as a minimum with the addition of Foundation level and Domestic Abuse if their role involves children.’Please provide a list of ingredients, if you are being kind enough to provide cakes.Pastoral Principles CourseI would like to thank all those who attended our recent Pastoral Principles course. It was a privilege to spend Tuesday evenings with you, whether you attended for the whole course or just one or two evenings. We hope to repeat the course at some time in the future.Katie Gray (Parish Safeguarding Representative)Nello’s Longest TableNello’s Longest Table is on Sunday 26th July. The Yates and the Jakemans have taken two tables outside the church, and would welcome some others to join them. The cost is £6 per person for a seat at the table, and we bring our own food contributions to share. The event is part of the Topsham Food Festival, and the theme is Italian this year. We meet, greet and eat in the early evening, and Evensong has been cancelled for the occasion. Please speak to Gill or Niki at church, or email paul@jakemans.net if you are interested. First come first served!Coffee and CakeWe look forward to welcoming you on Wednesdays 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! 🎂 🥮Exmouth Food BankIf you are kind enough to be planning to donate to us, we would be grateful to receive the following priority items: Crisps/savoury snacksBottles of squash e.g orange squashJams/peanut butterTins of soupTinned meat meals such as stews, meatballs or curryTinned cold meats such as ham, chicken or corned beefTinned tunaTinned fruit, rice pudding or custardHair shampoo & conditioner Thank you for your Kindness ❤️We are also really short of clean, large 'bags for life'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, Tom RichardsonMarlene Gardner, Pam Wormald, Mary, Peter, John Heal, Gail MillerHousebound or in nursing/care homes:Alfred Wonnacott, Georgina Lear, JohnPlease pray for Anne Plested supporting the work of Bethlehem Bible College, and Ben and Katy Ray in Tanzania, St. Luke’s CMS mission link.AnniversariesDorothy Patchett, John DargueArthur Goldsbrough, Alfred Meager, Josephine ScottRecently departedGospel Readings for the coming weekSunday 12th July Matthew 13: 1-9, 18-23Monday 13h July Matthew 10: 34 – 11: 1Tuesday 14th July Matthew 11: 20-24Wednesday 15th July Matthew 11: 25-27Thursday 16th July Matthew 11: 28 - endFriday 17th July Matthew 12: 1-8Saturday 18th July Matthew 12: 14-21Sunday 19th July Matthew 13: 24-30, 36-43Collect and reading for Sunday 12th JulyMerciful God,you have prepared for those who love you such good things as pass our understanding: pour into our hearts such love toward you that we, loving you in all things, may obtain your promises, which exceed all that we can desire; through jesus Vchrist your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.Matthew 13.1-9,18-23The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side.And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow;And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth:And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower.When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.Positions vacantSt Margarets’ Topsham and St Luke’s Countess Wear are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. All post holders and volunteers are expected to share this commitment. All appointments are subject to acceptable pre-appointment checks, including a satisfactory DBS check of the appropriate level for the role.We are currently wishing to appoint suitable people to the following paid role in our parishes:CleanerSt Margaret’s Church Topsham is looking for a cleaner to work in our newly refurbished social area. The area includes a new toilet area, kitchen servery and communal area.You will be employed to work for 2 hours a week (1 hour early in the week and 1 hour towards the end of the week). There may be an opportunity for additional hours after specific larger events.This is a paid, contracted role at £15 per hour (holiday pay will be paid). All required health and safety training, products, equipment and PPE will be provided.If you take pride in your work, have an eye for detail and want to be an essential part of our community creating a welcoming space for all, then we would welcome your application.Email: recruitmenttopshamwear@gmail.com for an application form and full Role DescriptionWe are currently wishing to appoint suitable people to the following volunteer roles in our parishes:Cleaner for Main Body of ChurchSt Margaret’s Church Topsham is looking for more volunteers to join our team who clean the main body of the church not the new social area.The role involves spending an hour every four weeks (or less frequently if we can recruit enough cleaners), working in a group of two. The work involved includes:Vacuuming the carpets in the entrance, in front of the altar, and in the little side chapelSweeping the aisles and the pewsDusting the woodwork (pews, choir stalls and any other woodwork)It should not take more than an hour each time and you can arrange a time to suit your team.Please do think about joining the team. Our group of volunteers is becoming smaller and some of the members have mobility issues and may not be able to continue for much longer.If you take pride in your work, have an eye for detail and want to be an essential part of our community to create a welcoming space for all then we would welcome your application.Email: recruitmenttopshamwear@gmail.com for an application form and full Role DescriptionSacristan for St Margaret’sWe are looking for a new Sacristan to join our team and to prepare for the service on the first Sunday of the month. The successful applicant will need to spend approximately twenty minutes on a Friday or Saturday to make the required preparations in the vestry, in readiness for the Sunday morning service. Then on Sunday you would be required to arrive at 09:30 to lay everything out on the altar and spend time after the service putting things away.Email: recruitmenttopshamwear@gmail.com for an application form and full Role DescriptionVolunteer in Forest church.We hold a monthly service that needs volunteer support to assist in delivering activities alongside established leaders. A requirement will be to arrive early to help with the set up and read the plans for the session. You would then be expected to help in the clearing up afterwards. You would be needed from 2.30 pm until 4.00pm every Second Sunday of each month. The activity takes place at St Luke’s Church.Essential requirement: experience of working with families.Email: recruitmenttopshamwear@gmail.com for an application form and full Role DescriptionVolunteer for St Luke’s IntercessionsSt Luke’s Church is looking for volunteers to lead the intercessions during the 10 o’clock Sunday Service. Volunteers take turns to lead the prayers once a month on a rota.The successful candidates will need to liaise with the incumbent and leadership team. They will need to give approximately one hour preparation time in the run up to each service. Prayer resources are encouraged to be used.Key skills: clarity and appropriate communication, confidentiality, awareness of current affairs and needs for prayer further afield as well as local, team player, humility and ability to convey pastoral care.Email: recruitmenttopshamwear@gmail.com for an application form and full Role DescriptionVolunteer Second Lead for the Parent and Toddler Groups at St Margaret’s ChurchSt Margaret’s Church is looking for a volunteer Second Lead to help run our friendly ‘Mini Messy’ Parent and Toddler Groups and the ‘Kids Matter’ parenting programme.St Margaret’s Church is seeking a warm, energetic, and compassionate individual to join our team as a Second Lead for our thriving Parent and Toddler groups. This role is ideal for someone who enjoys interacting with young children and fostering meaningful connections with parents and caregivers.The Second Lead will support the running of our sessions, working closely with our group leader to create a safe, welcoming, and inclusive space for all attendees. These groups play a key role in our church’s mission to provide community support, foster spiritual curiosity, and offer encouragement in a non-judgmental and respectful environment.Are you energetic, great with children, and love connecting with parents and caregivers? Join us in creating a welcoming space where everyone can feel part of a community, explore Christian values, and have meaningful conversations — no matter their beliefs.Must be happy to chat, play, and support!Email: recruitmenttopshamwear@gmail.com for an application form and full Role DescriptionThis 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!