Hello All!

I have been following the meditations and poetry of Jan Richardson throughout Lent, and especially during Holy Week have been sharing these through our daily reflections. Jan is a talented, deeply spiritual Methodist minister based in the United States.

This is her reflection piece for Holy Saturday, that day when we are neither at the foot of the cross nor greeting the first glimmers of resurrection at the empty tomb. Holy Saturday can be a very 'out of time' experience, in the same way people can feel dislocated from time when going through challenging experiences in their lives. Hopefully this meditation by Jan Richardson may help and encourage:

Reading from the Gospels, Holy Saturday:
Matthew 27.57-66 or John 19.38-42

Holy Saturday is not a day for answers. It is a threshold day, a day that lies between, and so resists any easy certainty. It is a day of waiting, of remembering to breathe, of willing ourselves to turn to one another when grief lays hold of us.

—from: Holy Saturday: A Day Between
The Painted Prayerbook

It’s Saturday.

If we have grown weary in this season. If we have become overwhelmed. If we are living with fear or anxiety or worry about what lies ahead. If the swirl of Holy Week has become intense. If time is moving strangely. If grief has been a traveling companion. If the ground beneath us has given way. If resurrection seems less than certain.

It’s Saturday.

This is the day that calls us to breathe. This is the day that invites us to make a space within the weariness, the fear, the ache. This is the day that beckons us to turn toward one another, and to remember we do not breathe alone.

It’s Saturday.

Times of change, particularly unanticipated change, can be disorientating; and naturally can invite curiosity as to why those changes are happening. However, it can become problematic in community when that curiosity tips over into speculation, and the community circulates misinformation, even damaging gossip.

If anyone needs to talk through any of the changes we are experiencing within our church communities, please do approach myself or one of the wardens, who are now Jackie Crozier and Sandra Greedy (it doesn't matter that Jackie and Sandra worship at St Luke's, they are available across the benefice); or if you are needing more information around the safeguarding issues and audit that have been to the forefront recently, please do contact Katie, our parishes safeguarding representative. Their contact details are below, as are mine.

It is important to keep to the fore that misinformation and damaging gossip, including and especially in written form, is not acceptable behaviour for any group or organisation, workplace or voluntary, and especially not for a church. We are called to even higher standards of mutual respect than regularly expected.

Louise

Louise: [email protected]

Sandra: [email protected]

Jackie: [email protected]

Katie Gray: [email protected]

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]

Caryll Ingerslev – St. Luke’s: [email protected]

Jane March-Mcdonald – St. Margaret’s - [email protected]

For issues with rough sleepers:

Elizabeth Reed: [email protected]

Please send all contributions for the newsletter to Gill Yates by the end of [email protected]

Material for A Church Near You to Tony Raven: [email protected]

Services and calendar for the week

Sunday 20th April (Easter Day)

8am…BCP Holy Communion…St Margaret’s

10am…Holy Communion…St Margaret’s

10am…Holy Communion…St Luke’s

Monday 21st April

7pm…Compline…Zoom

Tuesday 22nd April

9am…Morning Prayer…St Margaret’s

Wednesday 23rd April

10.00am…Morning Worship…Zoom

1.15pm…Lunchtime Concert…St Margaret’s

2.30pm…Coffee and Cake…St Margaret’s

Thursday 24th April

10am…Mini-Messy Church…St Margaret’s

Friday 25th April

9am…Morning Prayer…St Margaret’s

11am…Holy Communion…Pym Court

Sunday 27th April

10am…Family Friendly Holy Communion…St Margaret’s

10am…Morning Worship…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 is always open from approx. 9am, but closure times depend on the season. The church is now being closed at around 5pm.

News and Notices

St. Luke’s Church Rooms Christian Aid Big Brekkie

On Saturday 3rd May , you are invited to come along to enjoy anything from a slice of toast to a full English breakfast, with fruit juice and tea or coffee. The ‘Brekkie’ is free but donations to Christian Aid will be requested.

There will be two sittings from 9am to 10am and then from 10am to 11am. Please let Jill Allen know to which ‘sitting’ you will be coming. You can sign up for which sitting you would like your ‘brekkie’ on a list which will be at the back of St. Luke’s Church, or you can contact Jill by email [email protected] or phone 01392 877195.

Revd. Tony Raven will be our Chief Cook, assisted by his wife, Dorothy, and Ken Greedy.

This year our contribution to Christian Aid will be more important than ever, considering governments’ reduction of help to the world’s poorest people. We need to step up and do our bit!

Coffee and Cake

Do come along to St. Margaret’s on a Wednesday afternoon for coffee, tea, cake and a chat! From 2.30 p.m.

Lunchtime Concert

This coming Wednesday at 1.15.

Iryna Ilynska – Mezzo-soprano; ; John Draisey – piano: 'Queens in Opera'.

Retiring Collection for St Margaret’s “DreamBig” project.

Sponsored by Wilkinson Grant

Walking Group

The first walk this year is coming up on Monday April 28th in the afternoon.

The plan is:

2.00 Meet at St. Margaret’s for a short prayer time.

2.15 Walk through Topsham with Gill pointing out a few points of interest, then round the Goat Walk, where there will be space to chat or enjoy the peace, then back to St. Margaret’s.

3.15 ish Refreshments in St. Margaret’s

4.00 end

Please let Gill know if you will be joining the walk.

[email protected]

Exmouth Food Bank

We are currently focusing on replenishing our core stock so that we can continue to feed those in need.

In particular we would welcome donations of :

• Cereals
• Porridge oats & instant porridge
• Pasta• Stir in pasta/pasta bake sauces
• Tinned fruit
• Tinned vegetables (sweetcorn, mixed veg)
• Fruit squash/juice
• Longlife milk

In addition toiletries such as hair shampoo, conditioner, body wash and deodorant would also be helpful. Also bags for life.

Thank you for your support. You are AMAZING !

For further information email: [email protected] 07787758511

Please find a list of Positions Vacant attached.

Prayers

For those who are ill or in need of our prayers:

Jean, Jill and Adrian, Fay, Kirsten, Jan, Roger, Marlene Gardner, Pam Wormald, Mary, Peter, John Heal, Rosemary Henry, Gail Miller, Carol Walker, Wendy Lockwood

Housebound or in nursing/care homes:

Alfred Wonnacott, Janet Mutter, Georgina Lear, Peter Gwynne

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 hoping to fly to Bethlehem during April to spend some time with the Community there.
Perhaps pray that her physical presence at this time will help to give the College staff and students a real sense of solidarity with Christians in the UK.

Anniversaries

Ernest Crabb

Mary Thomson, Peggy Traynor

Recently departed

Gladys McCartney

Gospel Readings for the coming week

Sunday 20th April Acts 10: 34-43

Monday 21st April Matthew 28: 8-15

Tuesday 22nd April John 20: 11-18

Wednesday 23rd April Luke 24: 13-35

Thursday 24th April Luke 24: 35-48

Friday 25th April John 21: 1-14

Saturday 26th April Mark 16: 9-15

Sunday 27th April Acts 5: 27-32

Collect and reading for Sunday 20th April

Lord of all life and power, who through the mighty resurrection of your Son overcame the old order of sin and death to make all things new in him: grant that we, being dead to sin and alive to you in Jesus Christ, may reign with him in glory; to whom with you and the Holy Spirit be praise and honour, glory and might, now and in all eternity.

Then Peter began to speak to them: ‘I truly understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. You know the message he sent to the people of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ—he is Lord of all. That message spread throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John announced: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power; how he went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. We are witnesses to all that he did both in Judea and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree; but God raised him on the third day and allowed him to appear, not to all the people but to us who were chosen by God as witnesses, and who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one ordained by God as judge of the living and the dead. All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.’

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