Dear Friends
As we start the autumn season, we can feel a change in the weather. We may yet see times of sunny weather but we brace ourselves for cold, rain and wind. It is no good fighting it, so embrace it. Walk in stormy weather wrapped up in warm coats and come home to hot dinners by the fire-side. With longer darker nights this poem/song comes to mind when facing darker times in our lives:
Shadows around me,
Shadows above me,
Never conceal my saviour and guide;
He is the light, in him is no darkness,
Ever I’m walking close to his side.
(’Heavenly Sunlight” by Henry J Zelly)
God is described in Jeremiah as the Potter. He calls us not just to admire his work, but to yield ourselves to it. Today, the question is not simply “Do you believe in God?” but “Will you let him reshape you?”
God bless
Rev Peter
Louise has a new email address: [email protected]
During her leave of absence until mid September, the account will be monitored by a member of the leadership team.
Safeguarding
For any safeguarding concerns, please contact :
Katie Gray: [email protected]
For issues with rough sleepers:
Elizabeth Reed: [email protected]
Please send all contributions for the newsletter to Gill Yates by Thursday evening.
Services and calendar for the week
Sunday 7th September
10am… Holy Communion…St Margaret’s
10am…Holy Communion…St Luke’s
Monday 8th September
10am…Mini Messy Church…St Margaret’s
7pm…Compline…Zoom
Tuesday 9th September
9am…Morning Prayer…St Luke’s
Wednesday 10th September
10am…Morning Worship…Zoom
1.15…Lunchtime Concert…St Margaret’s
2.30pm…Tea and Cake…St Margaret’s
Thursday 11th September
10am…Mini Messy Church…St Margaret’s
Friday 12th September
9am…Morning Prayer…St Margaret’s
Sunday 14th September
10am… Holy Communion…St Margaret’s
10am…Holy Communion…St Luke’s
3pm…Forest Church…Point-In-View Chapel (one month only)
6.30pm…Evensong…St Margaret’s
The Zoom links and meeting IDs for all the Zoom events are on our pages on ACNY (A Church Near You)
Bookings
St. Margaret’s bookings are managed by Caryll Ingerslev.
Contact:[email protected]
St. Luke’s Church and Church Rooms bookings are managed by Sandra Greedy.
[email protected] or phone 01392 271458
St. Luke’s church is open on Wednesdays afternoons between 2.00 and 4.00.
St. Margaret’s will be open between 9.00 and 5.00 from Saturday 6th September.
St. Margaret’s
Dream Big Fundraising is continuing steadily, and in the last week there was a cheque for £500 left in the wall safe, and the Just Giving account is now approaching £1000.
Cables come in by the bagful. Sincere thanks to all who have contributed by any route.
The “Please help us” leaflet should have reached everyone in Topsham, but if you did not get one, please pick one up from church, or from the Topsham Bookshop. Asking friends and neighbours if they have received one might also give you the opportunity to pass them around. The leaflet was specially directed at people who may donate from their phones via the QR code.
Quiz Nights. We hope that the Old Firestation’s charity fund will donate to Dream Big within the next few weeks. We will advertise it so St Margaret’s can have at least one table each night we are being supported. We will have a particular need for someone is good on pop songs. Please admit to this skill so you can strengthen our tables!
Parish Walks
The next walk will be on Monday September 22nd. Carolyn Keep has offered to do a walk round Woodbury. The vicar of Woodbury may join us.
2.00 meet at St. Swithun’s Church, Woodbury. Further details to follow.
This will be quite a short walk, so accessible to most.
If you have not already expressed an interest in these walks and would like to be added to the list please email Gill Yates
Mini-messy Church
Mini-messy church will be meeting on Mondays and Thursdays at 10.00 a.m. in St. Margaret’s.
Coffee and Cake
Wednesday afternoon at 2.30 p.m. - coffee, tea, cake and a chat !
♥️ 🧁
Lunchtime Concert
Wednesday September 10th at 1.15 - “Cello for Two”: Jane Greenwood and Annabel Rooney present music for two cellos.
Exmouth Food Bank
This month we would welcome donations of the following items:
Tinned meat meals (e.g. stew, meatballs)
Tinned cold meat (e.g. ham, corned beef)
Porridge oats & instant porridge
Pasta
Stir in pasta/pasta bake sauces
Tinned fruit
Fruit squash/juice
Longlife whole milk
Thank you so much ❤️
For further information email: [email protected] 07787758511
Prayers
For those who are ill or in need of our prayers:
Jill and Adrian, Kirsten, Jan, Roger, David Byrne, Marlene Gardner, Pam Wormald, Mary, Peter, John Heal, Rosemary Henry, Gail Miller, Carol Walker
Housebound or in nursing/care homes:
Alfred Wonnacott, Janet Mutter, Georgina Lear
Please 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 spent ten weeks at Bethlehem Bible College earlier this summer. During this time she acted as chaplain to their annual summer course in Peace and Justice studies, which included several visits around the country, and also taught an English language course.
Anniversaries
Reg Trerice, Colin Roach
Margery Rew, Maureen Welchman, Emily Luscombe, Philip Malim,
Recently departed
Dave Crozier, Molly Fricker, Patrick Beasley
Gospel Readings for the coming week
Sunday 7th September Luke 14: 25-33
Monday 8th September Luke 6: 6-11
Tuesday 9th September Luke 6: 12-19
Wednesday 10th September Luke 6: 20-26
Thursday 11th September Luke 6: 27-38
Friday 12th September Luke 6: 39-42
Saturday 13th September Luke 6: 43-end
Sunday 14th September John 3: 13-17
Collect and reading for Sunday 7th September
Almighty and everlasting God, you are always more ready to hear than we to pray and to give more than either we desire or deserve: pour down upon us the abundance of your mercy, forgiving us those things of which our conscience is afraid and giving us those good things which we are not worthy to ask but through the merits and mediation of 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.
Luke 14: 25-33
25 Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: 26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. 27 And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.28 “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? 29 For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, 30 saying, ‘This person began to build and wasn’t able to finish.’31 “Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Won’t he first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? 32 If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. 33 In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples.
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