MISSION COMMUNITY NEWSLETTER
w.b. 8th February 2026
Dear Friends,
As we move into February, some promises of spring emerge in the countryside. The first snowdrops and daffodils are visible. There are some days of winter left but hope of better days is on the horizon.
Speaking to some folk whose lives are hurting with grief or past trauma, our hearts can grow weary. When will the Lord as a shepherd ever lead us into green pastures or still waters as in Psalm 23. It can feel that our winter or wilderness will never end. Indeed the church calendar is heading for Lent. But Easter will come. Spring will come. “For everything there is a season, and a time or a season for every matter under heaven.”
In the garden, it is a time to think about preparing the ground for planting out. In our lives it is a time to take courage. We need to trust in a God who brings hope to the hopeless. I love the verse "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1.9). As we face whatever life throws at us, we need a God who will go with us.
Live courageously this week
Peter
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 8th February
10am… Holy Communion…St Margaret’s
10am… Holy Communion…St Luke’s
3pm…Forest Church…St Luke’s
6.30pm…Evensong…St Margaret’s
Monday 9th February
2.30pm…Julian Contemplative Prayer… Holy Cross
7pm…Compline…Zoom
Tuesday 10th February
Wednesday 11th February
10am…Morning Worship…Zoom
2.30pm…Tea and Cake…St Margaret’s
Thursday 12th February
Friday 13th February
9am…Morning Prayer…St Margaret’s
Saturday 14th February
Sunday 15th February
10am… BCP Holy Communion…St Margaret’s
10am… Joint 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]
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 churchwarden can be contacted on:
[email protected] or phone 01392 271458
St. Margaret’s Churchwarden can be contacted on:
St. Luke’s Church will reopen on Wednesday afternoons from Wednesday 8th April until Wednesday 30th September.
St. Margaret’s is open every day between 9.00 a.m. and 4.00 p.m.
The Dream Big Project
The Dream Big Project has begun and work is evident within the Church. The expert carpenters have been sent their work orders and the builders have completed the stripping out of pews and some of the old kitchen area. So far, so good. Our thanks for bearing with us while the work is ongoing, but the possibility of mission from the re-ordered church, is full of possibilities!
Helen, Churchwarden
Lent Study at Watermeadow Grange
This year for Lent study we will be returning to Watermeadow Grange, who are hosting the church, and together we will be studying a Lent course which uses the themes from the film The Kings Speech. Please do sign up if you are interested by contacting Revd Louise Grace at [email protected]
Study group: 2nd, 9th and 16th March at 11.00 a.m.
Services: 19th February, 12th March, 2nd April, 23rd April at 11.00 a.m.
18th February 2026 – Ash Wednesday.
There will be a communion service at 7pm at St. Luke’s Church.
Lent Lunches
It's been a tradition in Topsham for the churches to offer lunch on each of the six Fridays during the season of Lent. This year, because of the re-ordering of the social area at the back of St Margaret's, there will be just four lunches, two at St Nicholas Methodist Church on 6th and 13th March and two at Holy Cross Catholic Church on 20th and 27th March. A simple meal of soup, bread and cheese will be served in turn by each of the churches, with a donation of £4 requested for a particular charity (which each church will select to support). The lunches will be available between 12.30 and 1.30 pm on each day. Everyone, of any faith or none, is very welcome to attend any or all of these events and share conversation with friends from across the town. Do put these dates in your diary and come along!
Coffee and Cake
Wednesday Coffee and Cake will continue throughout the building works and be hosted in the front entrance Foyer of the Church. We look forward to welcoming you 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
In preparation for an increase in demand for our services during the winter months we are planning to build up our stocks of essential tinned items. We will include these in the parcels we supply to our clients and will also share them with other local organisations that are supporting people in food poverty.
If you are kind enough to be planning to donate to us, we would be grateful to receive the following priority items:
Tins of soup
Tinned tomatoes
Tinned baked beans and spaghetti
Tinned meat meals such as stews, meatballs or curry
Tinned cold meats such as ham, chicken or corned beef
Tinned tuna
Tinned fruit, rice pudding or custard
N.B The collection point is now inside the front entrance foyer, while the building is ongoing.
Thank you for your Kindness ❤️
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:
Martin Branch, Jill and Adrian, Kirsten, Jan, Jeremy, Marlene Gardner, Pam Wormald, Mary, Peter, John Heal, Rosemary Henry, Gail Miller, Maurice Webb
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.
Anniversaries
Eric Atwell, Margaret Gilbert, Thomas Darke, Winifred Darke
William Traynor, Joachim Benemann, Percy Wiggins
Recently departed
Jackie Hatton
Gospel Readings for the coming week
Sunday 8th February Matthew 6: 25-end
Monday 9th February Mark 6: 53 - end
Tuesday 10th February Mark 7: 1-13
Wednesday 11th February Mark 7: 14-23
Thursday 12th February Mark 7: 24-30
Friday 13th February Mark 7: 31 - end
Saturday 14th February Mark 8: 1-10
Sunday 15th February Matthew 17: 1-9
Collect and reading for Sunday 8th February
Almighty God, you have created the heavens and the earth and made us in your own image: teach us to discern your hand in all your works and your likeness in all your children; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit reigns supreme over all things, now and for ever.
Matthew 6.25 - end
Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?
Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?
And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:
And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?
Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
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