Dear All!
As we approach Advent, let us all remember that this is a time of preparation, not just of the decorations and the like (as great as those are), but also our souls, to receive the newborn Christ once more. Each year we sing the same carols and hear the same story, and yet we experience it anew, because we are different, what we have experienced the year before is different and so we will see the story with fresh eyes and heart.
Remember that we are having a study group at Watermeadow Grange on the 9th and 16th of December, and there is also the opportunity to read Trevor Dennis's book, 'The Christmas Stories' and engage in a book group discussion of those.
Please let me know if you intend to attend either
Louise
Louise’s email address: [email protected]
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 30th November
10am… Holy Communion…St Margaret’s
10am…Holy Communion…St Luke’s
3pm…Songs of Praise…St Margaret’s
Monday 1st December
10am…Stay and Play…St Margaret’s
7pm…Compline…Zoom
Tuesday 2nd December
9am…Morning Prayer…St Luke’s
Wednesday 3rd December
10am…Morning Worship…Zoom
2.30pm…Tea and Cake…St Margaret’s
Thursday 4th December
10am…Stay and Play…St Margaret’s
12noon…Funeral of Richard Staves…St Margaret’s
Friday 5th December
9am…Morning Prayer…St Margaret’s
Saturday 6th December
8am…Prayer Breakfast…St Margaret’s
9.15am…Rotary Christmas Fair
Sunday 7th December
10am… Holy Communion…St Margaret’s
10am…Holy Communion…St Luke’s
6.30pm…Evensong for Advent…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]
Please 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: [email protected]
St. Luke’s churchwardens can be contacted on:
[email protected] or phone 01392 271458
Our 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.
Visit of Bishop Mike
If anyone would like a copy of the Bishop’s sermon from last Sunday, please email Gill Yates: [email protected]
Please also find attached a communication from the Bishop.
Ecumenical Events
During 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.
Christmas!
Countdown to Christmas: there are three ways to engage with the themes of Advent
1. 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 [email protected]
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.
Songs of Praise - Advent Sunday - 30th November
If you love singing come along to our Songs of Praise, at 3pm in the social area of St Margaret's Church. Followed by tea and cakes. We look forward to welcoming you.
Parish Walks – the next one will be in the Spring!
St. Luke’s Church – Tuesday 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. 3.Bethlehem - Beacon of Hope.
Angels!
Wool is available in a box at the back of church for those wishing to knit/crochet Christmas angels.
Coffee and Cake
Every 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!
♥️ 🧁
Exmouth Food Bank
Each 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: [email protected] 07787758511
Please find the winter newsletter attached.
Prayers
For 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 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 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.
Anniversaries
Mabel and Clarence Bolt, Thelma Palmer, Derek Sheeres
Melona Gould, Margaret Rush, Owen Turl, James Harding, Tony Harding, Winifred Levy, Lucy Lovell, Elsie Lawrence
Recently departed
Gospel Readings for the coming week
Sunday 30th November Matthew 24: 36-44
Monday1st December Matthew 4: 18-22
Tuesday 2nd December Luke 10: 21-24
Wednesday 3rd December Matthew 15: 29-37
Thursday 4th December Matthew 7: 21, 24-27
Friday 5th December Matthew 9: 27-31
Saturday 6th December Matthew 9: 35 – 10: 1, 6-8
Sunday 7th December Matthew 3: 1-12
Collect and reading for Sunday 30th November
Almighty God, give us grace to cast away the works of darkness and to put on the armour of light, now in the time of this mortal life, in which your Son Jesus Christ came to us in great humility.; that on the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge the living and the dead, we may rise to life immortal; through him who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.
Matthew 24.36-44
But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.
But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,
And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.
Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.
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