As we enter the first week of August, the countryside is alive with colour, warmth, and wonder—an open invitation to notice the fingerprints of God in nature. Whether it’s golden fields, quiet woodlands, or birdsong at dawn, summer offers space to pause and pray. This Sunday’s gospel reminds us of Jesus’ teaching on prayer—simple, sincere, and rooted in trust. Just as the natural world reflects God’s beauty and provision, so, too, does our quiet time with Him open us to His presence. We look forward to welcoming you as we explore how to pray, see, and be still with God.
Peter
If you are needing to contact Louise, please use either email or mobile phone, text or call.
[email protected] or 07779585908
Safeguarding
For any safeguarding concerns, please contact one of the following:
Revd Louise Grace: 07779585908 [email protected]
Katie Gray: [email protected]
For issues with rough sleepers:
Elizabeth Reed: [email protected]
THIS WEEK only - Please send all contributions for the newsletter to Gill Yates by 5.30 on Wednesday 30th July
Services and calendar for the week
Sunday 27th July
10am… Family Holy Communion…St Margaret’s
10am… Morning Worship…St Luke’s
6.30pm…Evensong…St Margaret’s
Monday 28th July
10am…NO Mini-messy church…St Margaret’s
(cancelled)
7pm…Compline…Zoom
Tuesday 29th July
9am…Morning Prayer…St Margaret’s
11am…Memorial Service (John Bradbury)
Wednesday 30th July
10.00am…Morning Worship…Zoom
1.15…Lunchtime Concert…St Margaret’s
2.30pm…Tea and Cake…St Margaret’s
Thursday 31st July
10am…Mini Messy Church…St Margaret’s
Friday 1st August
9am…Morning Prayer…St Margaret’s
Saturday 2nd August
8am… Prayer Breakfast…St Margaret’s
12noon…Wedding…St Margaret’s
Sunday 3rd August
10am…Holy Communion…St Margaret’s
10am…Holy Communion…St Luke’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 church closure
The church has been temporarily locked this week, apart from events, planned sessions and services.
This is to address some local concerns to ensure a safe and welcoming environment for all members of our community.
We hope to be fully open again within the coming week. Thank you for your patience.
For Your Convenience
You may have noticed the arrival of a portaloo outside St. Margaret’s. There is no longer any need to enter the church rooms. Vergers will have the number for the padlock.
Leave of absence
The leadership team fully support Revd Louise Grace taking some additional leave over the summer, in addition to annual leave.
It's been a busy and fulfilling year with important projects such as The Dream Big project, developments in safeguarding in its widest context, the ongoing successes of having a family worker to development our already flourishing children’s work and other ongoing parish services and activities. This busyness and juggling of projects creates its own challenges and Louise's need for extra recuperation is also recognized by senior diocesan leadership.
Louise will return fully on 19/9.
Contact details will be the leadership team and Katie Gray, Parish Safeguarding Representative
Confirmation
Many people associate confirmation as a rite of passage for teenagers, and that often is the age bracket of candidates. However, there are increasing numbers of adults exploring confirmation (literally, confirming our baptism promises for ourselves), and enjoying the exploration that preparation sessions offer.
There's already one adult in our worshipping community asking for confirmation. I would like to see if there are others. The service would likely be late autumn/early winter, and preparation would involve attending four preparation sessions.
Please let me know if you are interested.
St. Margaret’s
Coffee and Cake
Wednesday afternoon at 2.30 p.m. - coffee, tea, cake and a chat !
Lunchtime Concert
Wednesday July 30th at 1.15 - Nicola Howard, soprano, accompanied by Alex Wilson, songs by Porter, Bernstein, Weill etc.
Flower Festival 2025
Huge thanks to all who contributed in any way to the success of this annual event. £1400 + was raised.
Cable Recycling
Peter Lockwood is very kindly collecting again:
charger cables, chargers with obsolete connectors, cables from old computers/printers, mains cables, unwanted plugs , adaptors etC. Electric wire, telephone/TV cabling, items made of copper, aluminium, bronze.
NO FERROUS METAL
There will be a box at the back of the church.
Proceeds to the Dream Big Project.
Please find attached a list of positions vacant and
St. Luke’s monthly newsletter
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, Dave, 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 is now safely back in Somerset after 3 months teaching in Bethlehem.
Anniversaries
Dorothy Eastwood, Mollie Cann, Elsie Williams, Timothy Orpen, Sven Herzog
Recently departed
Terry May
Gospel Readings for the coming week
Sunday 27th July Luke 11: 1-13
Monday 28th July Matthew 13: 31-35
Tuesday 29th July Matthew 13: 36-43
Wednesday 30th July Matthew 13: 44-46
Thursday 31st July Matthew 13: 47-53
Friday 1st August Matthew 13: 54 - end
Saturday 2nd August Matthew 14: 1-12
Sunday 3rd August Luke 12: 13-21
Collect and reading for Sunday 27th July
Merciful 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 and above all things, may obtain your promises, which exceed all that we can desire; 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.
Luke 11.1-13
And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.
And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.
Give us day by day our daily bread.
And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.
And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves;
For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him?
And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee.
I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth.
And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.
For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent?
Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?
If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?
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