- Northmoor Team Ministry

NORTHMOOR NEWS
THE MAGAZINE OF THE NORTHMOOR TEAM MINISTRY
November
2015
Price 50p
Langemark—Belgium
IN THIS EDITION
Editorial: Priceless
Sacraments: Absolution
Website: www.northmoorteam.org.uk/
@NorthmoorTeam
Northmoorteam
NORTHMOOR TEAM MINISTRY
WEST DEVON
St Mary’s Belstone with Sticklepath
St Mary the Virgin Bratton Clovelly
St Bridget’s Bridestowe
St Mary the Blessed Virgin Exbourne
St German’s Germansweek
St John the Baptist Hatherleigh
St Petroc’s Inwardleigh
St James Jacobstowe
St Petroc’s Lydford
St Michael and all Angels Meeth
St Thomas of Canterbury Northlew
All Saints Okehampton
St Thomas a Becket Sourton
Editor: Emily Franco [email protected] : 01837 55073
Advertising: ann pantrey : [email protected] : 01837 55830
2
Team Clergy
Team Readers
Revd Stephen Cook, Team Rec- Revd Dr Ruth Hansford, Team Vicar
The Rectory, Hatherleigh EX20
tor
The Rectory, Church Path,
Okehampton EX20 1LW
01837 659297
[email protected]
Revd Adrian Brook Team
Vicar
01837 861580
[email protected]
3JY
01837 810314
[email protected]
Revd Richard Bache, Team Curate
The Rectory, Lydford
01822 820536
[email protected]
Services around the Team
* = Joint service with other denominations, venue alternates
** = Always on the last Sunday of the month; venue rotates
Belstone St Mary’s
1st, 3rd, 5th Sun 9.30 Morning Prayer
2nd, 4th Sunday 9.30 Holy Communion
Bratton Clovelly St Mary the Virgin
1st, 3rd Sunday 9.30 Holy Communion
2nd Sunday
9.30 The Sunday Club
Last Sunday
10.30 Shared Communion Service**
(4th Sunday if 5)
9.30 Morning Prayer
3rd Friday
10.30 Celtic Holy Communion
Bridestowe St Bridget’s
1st Sunday
11.00 United Family Service*
2nd (4th) Sunday
9.30 Holy Communion
3rd Sunday
9.30 Morning Prayer
Last Sunday
10.30 Shared Communion Service**
Exbourne St Mary the Blessed Virgin
1st Sunday
9.30 Holy Communion
2nd Sunday
11.00 Family Service
3rd Sunday
11.00 Morning Prayer
4th Sunday
11.00 United Service*
5th Sunday
varies Benefice Service
2nd Thursday 8.45pm Compline
4th Wednesday 8.30am Morning Prayer
Sandra Collier
Ingrid Dodd
Kerry Friend
Maurie Webber
Michael Winter
Carol Bache
Beverley Johnson
Chrissie Erickson
01837 810042
01837 810241
01837 861304
01837 53845
01837 851718
01822 820536
07815 821532
07976 600632
Parish Office
01837 52731
[email protected]
Website
www.northmoorteam.org.uk/
Inwardleigh St Petroc’s
5th Sunday
9.30 Morning Prayer
Other Sundays 9.30 Holy Communion
Jacobstowe St James
2nd, 4th Sundays
9.30 Holy Communion
5th Sunday
varies Benefice Service
Lydford St Petroc’s
1st Sunday
11.00
2nd, 4th Sunday 11.00
3rd Sunday
11.00
5th Sunday
10.30
Morning Prayer
Holy Communion
Matins
Shared Communion Service
Meeth St Michael and all Angels
1st Sunday
9.30 All Age Worship
2nd Sunday
11.00 Holy Communion
3rd Sunday
9.30 Morning Prayer
5th Sunday
varies Benefice Service
Northlew St Thomas of Canterbury
1st, 3rd Sundays 9.30 Holy Communion
6.30 Evening Prayer
2nd Sunday
9.30 Morning Prayer
6.30 Evening Prayer
4th Sunday
11.00 Family Service
6.30 Holy Communion
5th Sunday
varies Benefice Service
1st Thursday 9.30am Holy Communion
Okehampton All Saints
1st Sunday
11.00 Family Service
6.30 Holy Communion
Other Sundays 11.00 Holy Communion
[Sunday School during service]
6.30 Evensong
3rd Friday
2.00 Puzzletree Praise
Germansweek St German’s
1st Sunday
11.15 Holy Communion—book of
common prayer
3rd Sunday
4.00 Evening Song - a relaxed ser Okehampton St James Chapel
vice of reflection
1st Thursdays 10.00 ‘Worship Without Words’
Other Thursdays
10.00 Holy Communion
Hatherleigh St John the Baptist
1st Sunday
11.00 Holy Communion
Sourton St Thomas a Becket
2nd Sunday
11.00 Morning Prayer
1st Sunday
8.00 Holy Communion
[Sunday School meets 102nd (4th) Sunday
11.00 Morning Prayer
12]
3rd Sunday
11.00 Family Communion
3rd Sunday
11.00 Family Service
Last Sunday
10.30 Shared Communion Service**
6.00 Evening Prayer
4th Sunday
11.00 United Service*
Sticklepath St Mary’s
5th Sunday
varies Benefice Service
2nd Sunday
11.00 Morning Prayer
4th Sunday
8.30 Holy Communion
3
Editorial
Priceless
84 of the Church of England’s bishops have been urg-
Christians believe that far from being by-products
ing David Cameron to take more refugees into Britain:
of chemical and biological reactions, we are de-
at least 50, 000 from Syria over the next 5 years.
signed, purposed and loved by the Eternal Father.
They say that they will be encouraging congregations
It is His love that imbues each one, weak and
to host families within their own parishes, and believe
strong, with incalculable significance. This little boy
that there is a ground-swell of willingness from the
had only his father to mourn him; he would have
British people and charitable organisations to support
become an economic demand upon whichever
the extra demand.
host nation received him. Understood in this way,
This is a fascinating turnaround from the fatigue and
his loss was of little consequence. But, inexplicable
even hostility towards immigration felt by many, as
by science or economics, was the knowledge that
our islands have come under increasing pressure from
somehow with his death we had all lost something.
innumerable people leaving their homes to find safety
Scripture teaches that the love of God has birthed
and fi-
both the
nancial
design and
securi-
purpose of
ty.
each one.
There
We are
are
made in
probably many reasons for this change in the climate
His image: each one is imbued with untold value.
of public opinion. However, I think that a key turning
This has implications for all of us. It is this uncondi-
point was the moment the little 3 year old body of
tional love that gives us our value. We are not
Aylan Kurdi was washed up on a Turkish beach.
called to prove it or earn it. We are simply to re-
What was it about this little boy that touched us all so
ceive it. God’s love is our reason for being and our
much?
definition. The grief triggered by a little boy’s body
I believe that the emotion we felt went beyond com-
on a beach demonstrated the irreplaceable value
passion for the father suffering the enormity of his
of a weak and fragile human life. Let us understand
loss. It, rightly, calculated that Aylan, in himself, de-
our own value in this light and, as we do so, confer
spite his weakness and relative lack of economic val-
this value onto every other weak, fragile, inade-
ue, was extraordinary precious.
quate and precious person we meet.
Darwinian evolution would have us believe that we
are all simply products of blind, happenchance. But
Carol Bache
4
Quiet reactionary ‘real ale’ pub
Locally sourced seasonal food only
Hot-Pot Nights Friday & Saturday
Light lunches served from 12noon-2.30pm daily
Please ring for menu and price involved
Buffet style catering now available for any family celebration
including small wedding parties, Christenings, wakes and
coach parties up to 35 people
We continue to open all day Friday and Saturday
Emporium
Rosemary House
Market Street
Okehampton
99p household goods, Toys, Sweets, Ice cream
Hornby Trains, Thomas Tank Engine
5
The Little Bridge House Journey
The idea to walk to Little Bridge
House, our Children’s Hospice in
North Devon from Chagford, was a
leap of faith – in our feet, the
weather and in the hope that many
hands and generous spirits would
support our endeavour.
The reality of the Children’s Hospice
needs constant leaps of faith, drive
and unbelievable commitment to the
care of life-limited children and
their families.
And so we set off from Chagford
Square with a map, provisions,
boots and plasters following the Two
Moors Way north. The sun shone,
and before us lay 70 miles and more,
of walking over and through
streams, styles, fields, farms, woodland and moor over four weekends. What we experienced along the way was
so much more than we could have imagined; from following the lively river Teign at the beginning of our journey,
to the crossing of the great river Taw over the ancient bridge in Barnstaple, nearing the end.
The map shows a sparsely populated area, full of tiny lanes, quilt-like fields and threads of blue rivers. What we discovered was that unsung particular quiet beauty of west, mid and north Devon with its hamlets, isolated ancient
farmsteads, rough trackways, green lanes sunk in high banks, small villages and church towns; over our shoulder,
the dark mass of Dartmoor, a powerful presence. Sheep, cows, and many a farm dog,
eyed us warily along the way. We traipsed through fields, just harvested, some just
ploughed, ready for autumn sowing, some just wet and soggy sprouting robust marsh
reeds……..we admired cob barns full of dry logs for winter, posh corrugated barns full
of young calves, the odd large house, always a surprise and many churches, all open and
welcoming.
The rough back of Exmoor came closer as we climbed steadily from the ancient stone
crossing of Tarr Steps, through winding coombes to the delightful village of Withypool
and on to Simonsbath on the high moor.
And through this timeless landscape ran the clear bright streams, flowing into the faster-running rivers, the beauty
of the ‘Barle’ and the ‘Bray’. The primaeval sound of the River Exe breaking through the
earth in the marshes high on Exmoor, was a dropping-to-the-knees moment, this unstoppable energy, this life-force of life-giving water. The trickling, burbling, bubbling sounds
reminded me of children, their natural joy and liveliness, the constant movement, chattering, flowing and swirling. And we were walking for children and families who may not
experience these high places but with support can still enjoy lively times together, bubbling experiences, joi d’vivre against the odds of time.
The ending of our journey was in the delightful Narnia garden of Little Bridge House, an
evocative sensory adventure for children, when unknowingly you step on a sensory pad and streams of water
shoot up into the air to the absolute delight of all. A perfect finish shared with ‘The Tarka Trail Blazers’ from
Hatherleigh who travelled a different path. We arrived more or less together, shared tea and cake with the sense
that we were ‘fellow travellers’ on such a worthwhile, unforgettable journey.
News in Brief in Devon
Earth Matters, Faith Matters Devon Earth and Faith Network is running this free day on faith and climate justice
from 11am to 4pm on 1 November at the Old Deanery in Exeter. The main speaker is Indian activist and speaker
Satish Kumar. Places are limited. To book call Joanie Harris on 01392 294940.
No Rehearsal Nativity This great new resource from Bible Reading Fellowship is full of ideas on how to run a nativity service with no rehearsal necessary. Author Janine Gillion uses her skills as a teacher, actor and vicar’s wife
to produce this helpful manual, adaptable to each unique setting. No Rehearsal Nativity costs £8.99.
Speak Up For Fairtrade is the name of a half-day workshop being held in The Old Deanery, Exeter from 10.30 to
2.30pm on 21 November. It is aimed at inspiring people to speak about the benefits of Fairtrade in their churches
during Fairtrade Fortnight 2016. To book your place email [email protected]
6
St Mary’s Belstone with Sticklepath
As mentioned last month the 14th November, at 7.00 pm is our second Cash for Khazi
concert whereas before there will be a whole host of local talent on show, a two course
interval meal and a licensed bar supplying copious amounts of wine and beer. The community choir has had its first rehearsal with a good turn and lots of concentration and perseverance produced a surprisingly good sound. We are having another rehearsal on the 14th November at 3.00 pm
just to get tuned up and ready, so if anybody who missed the previous one would still like to join in, please do.
Rumour has it that the Lively Ladies are still alive and are going back in time to the roaring twenties and the flapper
era which should get the punters in.
So get your tickets from Marion and to help with the catering please get them in advance and not ideally on the
door.
Advent Sunday is on the 29th November and we will be having our usual Christingle service at 4.00 pm and the Posada will then start its journey around the village before being positioned in the crib at our special carol service on
the 20th December at 4.00 pm. There will be more about the Christmas programme next month.
On Wednesday the 18th November at 7.30 pm in Hatherleigh there is the deanery confirmation with Bishop Robert
and I am delighted to mention that our own John Moppett will be amongst the candidates. This is great news and
we are all invited to support John at this event. Sadly I shall be travelling home from a day in London but I will be
with you in spirit.
Simon Herbert
St Petroc’s Inwardleigh
St Petroc's celebrated Lammas with an evening service conducted by Rev. Stephen
Cook. The organist was Mrs Margaret Weeks. Mr Jeremy Griggs presented his homebaked loaf representing the first fruits.
The service was followed by a delicious array of refreshments provided by the congregation: homemade elderflower champagne using Mrs Griggs's recipe which included a secret ingredient (beginning with a "v" and ending
with an "a"!) went down a treat.
The sight of a magnificent arching rainbow and the church bathed in late evening sunshine added a final flourish
to this joyful celebration.
Janet
We were so pleased to welcome our old friends Daniel and Laura Piddington back to St Petroc's for the blessing of
their marriage. Family and friends filled the church and it was a joy to celebrate with them. We offer them our congratulations and our love.
And so another Harvest has come and Advent approaches. Our thanks to our friends from the choir and congregation of All Saints who visited for the evening service, to the children who gathered potatoes from the churchyard
allotment as part of the harvest offering, and to all who helped make the supper on the Monday a success.
CAROLS FOR ALL
Starting at 7.30 p.m. on Friday 4th December and Friday 11th December at Fairplace in Okehampton, the Okehampton Choral Society will present “Carols for All”, its usual seasonal programme of Christmas music. There will be
carols old and new, including the familiar ones in which the audience will be invited to join.
All are welcome. Tickets at £5 will be available from Fairplace and from “Beanfeast” in the Victoria Arcade in Okehampton from Monday, 9th November. Come along and bring your friends!
7
St Mary the Blessed Virgin Exbourne
St Mary's Church have been lucky enough to have another Coffee Morning this month on
Tuesday 3rd November at Old Schools in Hatherleigh, these generate a good income for
the Church, and like most parishes we really need it, your support and donations would be
greatly appreciated.
On Sunday 8th November at 10.40 am we begin our Remembrance Service at the Methodist Chapel, do join us
there and then we will process to St Mary's to continue the Service of Remembrance.
Please do remember the annual Christmas Concert in the Village Hall on Friday 4th December, 7 pm. There are still
spaces for entertainers, dancing, singing, juggling, anything to entertain, do contact Lorraine please if you would
like to take part. It is a fun family evening leading us into the Christmas season.
This year St Mary's Church would like to hold a Christmas Tree Celebration, it would be lovely if all Organisations in
the Village could take part, and any individual's welcome to. Please do speak to Lorraine if you are interested. The
idea is to have as many Christmas Trees as possible in the Church, (fairly small ones) all decorated with your own
theme and LED battery lights, and have the Church open to Visitors and residents during the Festival week leading
up to the Carol Service.
Please keep Saturday 28th November free in the afternoon. St Mary's will be holding their Christmas Fair in the
Village Hall at 2.15pm. Donations of Draw Prizes, Cakes, Books, Plants etc., and help on the day will be very welcome. Cream Tea, Mince Pies and Tea and Coffee and a Fantastic Hamper Draw.
Lorraine Aagaard
St James Jacobstowe
Due to delays in the building project leaving us with no power in the vestry and rather
a lot of the floor in the church newly-tiled and not able to be walked on, we were sad
to have to cancel our mini-Harvest celebration. However, the floor is now finished
(and looks amazing) and we hope to have electricity and water by the beginning of
November. Then it’s down to the kindness of local friends and volunteers to clean,
paint and set everything to rights before our first service – Holy Communion at 9.30am on Sunday 22nd November. There will be an opportunity for everyone to come and see what has been done as we host the Advent Carol Service for our group of churches at 6.00pm on Sunday 29th November. Everyone is welcome!
Fundraising continues to cover the cost of a toilet in the churchyard. When that is in place, we hope that the
church and community will be able to use the building to a much greater extent.
We hope to hold a thanksgiving service for the completion of the project in the spring.
Ruth Hansford
Fairtrade
Dear Editor,
As a member of the Okehampton Fairtrade Group I was pleased to see your items
about Fairtrade issues in the October Northmoor News.
Sally Farrant from the Diocesan Team, whose brief is Social Responsibility, wants
Churches to engage with action in Fairtrade Fortnight 2016. Unfortunately the dates given for Fairtrade Fortnight 2016 were
incorrect, they were the provisional dates .
Actual confirmed dates are 29th Feb-13th March.
I thought it was important to point this out to avoid confusion.
I was pleased to see a Fair Deal for milk farmers highlighted too, the Fairtrade Group also work to support small local producers. I still find it hard to believe that a bottle of water can cost more that a bottle of milk!!
Cynthia Higbee
8
St German’s Germansweek
Do join us for our Remembrance Service - 2.30pm Sunday 8th November at the War Memorial.
The next fifth Sunday of the month united service, will be at Germansweek on 29th November at 11am, followed by refreshments - do come and join us, all welcome.
Advance Notice - On Saturday 12th December, we are having an Advent Lunch in the Germansweek Village Hall, at
12.15pm for 12.30 prompt. There will be cold turkey, ham, jackets/mash, salads, pickles, etc. followed by Christmas
pudding and other desserts, cheese & biscuits and tea/coffee. Bring your own wine, soft drinks will be available.
Tickets are on sale now (which are selling fast, so book early!) which will include a free raffle ticket and an extra
prize for the lucky lunch ticket holder - Adults £6, children 2-12 years £4.- Advance booking essential, call Sandy
Hopkins 01805 625357, Liz Cresswell 01837 871474 or Diana Manning 01566 780448.. Veggies can be catered for, if
you let us know in advance. All welcome - we look forward to seeing you.
Dates for our other events and services for December and January, will be in next month’s NMN.
Diana Manning
Churchwarden
St Thomas of Canterbury Northlew
Harvest services were well attended with the church looking lovely. We heard an inspiring
sermon from Andy Jarrold and everyone enjoyed singing the good old harvest hymns, accompanied by the band. Harvest supper was in church this year and went with a swing. A
profit of £444.51 was made. Many thanks to all who helped in any way.
Our September Ploughman’s lunch was postponed and will now be held on Saturday 14th
November in the Churchroom. Please see posters for details.
Our Remembrance service is on November 11th at 10.50am – There will be an act of remembrance at the War Memorial, with the school. Remembrance Sunday – Please see posters for times/details
From the Parish Records:
Sep 21st – Funeral service & burial of Rachel Ursula Karslake
Oct 13th – Funeral service & burial of Sheila Florence Voaden
Sep 27th – Holy Baptism of Isla Louise, daughter of Darrell & Kirsty, from Lower Melbury
It is with great sadness that we record the passing of two well- loved Northlew ladies Rachel had lived at Kesterfield
for many years and was well known for the beautiful dolls that she made and dressed in a fantastic fashion. She
owned the quite famous Doll Museum and exhibited her creations in many countries, particularly America. Very artistic and great fun, Rachel had suffered some years of health problems but always managed to be cheerful. May
she rest in peace, reunited with her husband, Mike.
Sheila was born at Iddesleigh, farming there with her parents until she married Bill in 1964. She was a very popular
and well known lady who loved the countryside and had interests in so many things: flower arranging, skittles, darts
and hockey. However, above all, came her family.
Sheila’s cake stalls at the Patronal Festival were legendary! She was a faithful friend to Northlew Church and it was
very sad when illness stopped her attending services. She had been ill for several years, looked after devotedly by
Bill and her carers. She bore her illness with great stoicism and will be very sadly missed by Bill, her son Mark & Emma and her three grandchildren as well as her wider family and friends. Rest in peace Sheila.
Pat Durston
9
St Bridget’s Bridestowe
This month has definitely had an autumnal feel, the heating is back on for services, the
feast of St. Michael and all Angels has passed and All Saints day approaches with haste.
We celebrated Harvest Thanksgiving and enjoyed a very entertaining evening at the harvest supper. Thanks to Jonathon Whitely et. al. for putting on an excellent menu of Jacket potatoes with a selection of fillings. James the auctioneer from Kivells was in splendid form. He managed to sell a
pineapple to my daughter for £10.50; she is an expert at extracting money from me so I felt James had achieved
nothing less than a miracle.
The school celebrated their Harvest in church with some lovely songs they had learned and wonderful poetry written by the children themselves.
The new children’s club is up and running on the fourth Sundays, they built a massive Noah’s Ark which was big
enough for all of them to sit in, well done Dave and Jan.
The prayer group has been up and running at Rowden’s Barn for a few weeks now. We are exploring different
forms of prayer and have had some good discussions about spirituality and personal faith applied to everyday life.
Try and get along if you can, contact Adrian for details.
Last Saturday saw the church full as people from across the country came to pay their respects at the Memorial service of the late Revd. David Jameson, who was vicar of this parish in 1991-1996. The service was conducted by Revd.
Stuart Wilson who was a colleague of David’s during his time here.
I managed to spend a couple of hours at Knole Farm to watch the cider making, great to see these traditions kept
going, how about a wassail Rob?
Adrian Brook
All Saints Okehampton
Thank you to those who supported the October Coffee Morning – we have two similar
events this month. The first is our Christmas Fayre on 7th November (yes we know it’s
early but come and grab those Christmas bargains!). The second is the following Saturday and is being run by our lovely flower arrangers aiming to raise funds to help make
the church look even more beautiful not just for festivals but throughout the year, so we
hope you will come and support both. A reminder that if you are able to contribute to our Christmas Hamper
Raffle, then the list of items required is at the back of church so please look out for it.
Harvest Supper was a very happy occasion with some home grown entertainment and good food. What more
could you want! As I write, the Quiz Night is yet to come and Annette is still busy finding all those puzzling questions that we know we should know the answer to but often don’t! If you haven’t got a team of six together, then
come anyway and teams will be made up on the night.
Although it still seems some way off, Christmas is definitely approaching –probably faster than we’d all like - and I
don’t think the Christmas music is yet appearing in the shops but no doubt it won’t be long. We will have our usual
complement of Christmas services to look forward and there is the Parish Lunch on 29th November with rumours
of turkey and Christmas pudding. There will be a sheet for you to sign at the back of church shortly and as always
the plea goes out for you not to leave it until the last minute to decide if you are coming so that we can plan the
catering accordingly.
Ann Pantrey
Note from the Editor
This is a reminder that next months’ (December) issue of the Northmoor News will also include January, as there
will be no separate edition. Make sure that any notices for January are sent in early enough to be included in next
month’s issue.
In the Northmoor News we are currently looking for more contributions from you, the reader. If you have anything that you think people might like to read please send it in, whether it be from poems, prayers, or a write up of
an event that has recently happened. Photos are always greatly appreciated. Please send anything into
[email protected]
Novemb
10
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
30
1st December
2nd December
3rd December
2
3
4
5
Bratton’s All Souls service 7pm
(see pg.15 for details)
Advent Soup lunch and fair,
Meeth Village hall, 12.30pm
9
Jelly Tots, Hatherleigh Methodist
chapel 2 –3pm (see noticeboard for
details)
Worship Without W
James Chapel 10am
Worship Without W
James Chapel 10am
Lydford leaf clearin
pg.13 for details)
10
11
Sourton WI with Aquarius Designs Jelly Tots, Hatherleigh Methodist
chapel 2 –3pm (see noticeboard for
Jewellery , Sourton hall, 2pm
details)
12
Bratton PCC meeting, School
Room, 7.30pm (see pg.15 for details)
16
17
18
19
Deanery Confirmation with Bishop Robert, Hatherleigh, 7.30pm
All Saints PCC mee
hall 7.30pm
MU meeting All Saints church
hall, 2pm
Jelly Tots, Hatherleigh Methodist
chapel 2 –3pm (see noticeboard for
details)
23
24
25
WI Resolutions meeting, Sourton Jelly Tots, Hatherleigh Methodist
hall
chapel 2 –3pm (see noticeboard for
details)
26
ber 2015
Words, St
Words, St
11
Fri
4th December
5th December
Exbourne Christmas Concert,
village hall, 7pm (see pg.7 for details)
Just Living at Okehampton Farmers Market
9am-1pm
6
Coffee Morning. All Saints Church Hall.
9.30-12noon
7
Just Living at Okehampton Farmers Market
9am-1pm
ng 9.30am (see
eting, church
Sat
Christmas Fayre. All Saints Church Hall.
9.30-3pm
n
i
13
Sun
1
All Soul’s Eve service Hatherleigh parish church 6pm (see
pg.13 for details)
United service of light for All
Saints’ Sunday, Ashbury parish
church, 6.30pm (see noticeboard
for details)
8
Remembrance Sunday (please
check the individual churches for
times of services)
BBC Rickshaw Challenge, St James Chapel Okehampton, 7pm (see pg.18 for details)
14
Men’s Group (Contact Steve Cook for details)
15
Cash for Khazi concert 7pm (see pg.6 for
details)
Coffee Morning., All Saints Flower Arrangers, All Saints Church Hall. 9.3012noon
Northlew Ploughman's lunch, church
room (see pg.8 for details)
Jammie Dodgers, Exbourne village hall, 10
-11am (see noticeboard for details)
20
Puzzle Tree Praise, All Saints Okehampton 2.00pm
21
22
28
29
Just Living Okehampton Farmers’ Market,
9am-1pm
Northlew Doodlebugs, Methodist chapel, 11am (see noticeboard
for details)
Celtic Holy Communion, St Mary
the Virgin Bratton Clovelly,
10.30am
27
Exbourne Christmas fair, village hall,
2.15pm (see pg.7 for details)
Advent Sunday
Okehampton Parish Lunch, All
Saints Church hall, 1pm
United Service, Germansweek,
11am (see pg.8 for details)
Jacobstowe Advent carol service, St James Jacobstowe, 6pm
(see pg.7 for details)
12
Small lorry available
Card payment now available
To advertise
in this magazine
please call
01837 55830
13
St Petroc’s Lydford
Travel is a wonderful thing, not only does it broaden the mind but also makes you look
again more appreciatively at what you have at home. We have a beautiful new granddaughter in a lovely rural area of Australia, just moving into summer at this time, everything is very spacious in the country towns and they get very excited about buildings that
date from 1830!! The Hunter Valley wine growing area is wide and open, wide road with the vineyards laid back on
either side, huge parking areas and everything on big scale which is actually very relaxing but the motoring distances are exhausting! You can find golden beaches that are almost empty, blue Pacific Ocean rolling in with white surf
- but there are sharks and stinging things ready to catch the unwary! The birds are wonderful - cockatoos and parrots flying in the wild and the emblematic kookaburra sitting around watching you, and, of course, wallabies in the
back garden! I know I couldn't cope with Hong Kong, the city of soaring apartment blocks and cathedrals of retail
therapy- shopping malls (why do they pronounce them 'mawls', anyone know?). Back home I found myself looking
at Tavistock with new eyes and I liked what I saw - home is best, without a doubt!
The new lighting in St. Petroc's is complete and just as we hoped it would be, Christmas will be a festival of light
this year!
We are doing a leaf clearance on 5th November from 9.30 am; it is hard work but does pay off.
Remembrance Day, 8th November, our service will start at 10.55am and after the service we will go to the War Memorial to lay the wreaths.
At our WI Autumn Council we had a talk by Esther Rantzen about Silver Line a charity which gives support to lonely
people, we were a bit complacent and thought that in villages people make sure that no one is lonely but by the
time you have this magazine I will have leaflets about Silver Line so if anyone is lonely or knows someone who
would welcome a friendly chat please phone me, 01822810697, I am very friendly and might be able to help.
Barbara Weeks
St John the Baptist Hatherleigh
We enjoyed giving thanks for God’s faithfulness, even when times are difficult in our
farming communities, at our two Harvest services. We were pleased to welcome Rev.
Stuart and Margaret Wilson for our evening celebrations on the Wednesday. We are
grateful to Stuart for preaching for his supper and to both of them for joining our celebrations. We also want to thank the flower ladies whose beautiful decorations in the
church glowed with the rich colours of autumn. The supper and auction after the service on Wednesday were thoroughly enjoyable with wonderful food, the warmth and enthusiasm of Andrew Varley acting again as our auctioneer, and a friendly, convivial atmosphere. Thank you to everyone who organised, set up, cooked, served,
washed up, gave donations, bought items, and came along to join in the occasion. We raised over £950 and are giving a £100 donation to the Farming Community Network as they support those in our farming communities who are
finding life and work challenging at this time.
At the time of writing we are still looking forward to our Bible Society weekend at the end of October where all
three churches worship, pray, study and fund-raise together to raise awareness and money for the work of the Bible Society, which seeks to make the Bible available and accessible to all people whatever their language, race or
situation.
On All Soul’s Eve (Sun. 1st Nov.), we will be holding a quiet, reflective service at 6.00pm at Hatherleigh Parish Church
for all those who have lost loved ones recently or in the past. Everyone is welcome.
At 7.30pm on Wednesday 18th November, we look forward to hosting the Okehampton Deanery Confirmation Service with Bishop Robert. It is an opportunity to come together and celebrate with those affirming their faith in God.
There will be refreshments in Old Schools after the service. Everyone is welcome!
Ruth Hansford
14
St Thomas a Becket Sourton
Unfortunately in September our monthly W.I meeting had to be postponed because of
illness. On 15th September Mr Christopher Chanter gave a most informative and interesting talk on caring for and restoring antique furniture. On 13th October Sylvia Crocker came
to demonstrate cookery and give advice on making dairy free cup-cakes, a gluten free
chocolate and courgette cake and pear and ginger puddings. We were able to enjoy eating samples of these recipes with our cup of tea. On 10th November at 2 pm in the Hall Shona Hall from Aquarius
Designs Jewellery will be joining us.
We would like to thank the ladies who made 223 cushions for us at the workshop in the Hall on 21st September. We
have enjoyed using them.
The Resolutions Meeting will be held in Sourton Hall on 24th November.
A most delicious harvest supper was provided on Monday 28th September 2015 to celebrate the Harvest Festival.
The beautifully decorated Church of St Thomas a Beckett was full for the pre supper service, harvest hymns were
sung and harvest gifts were blessed at the altar. The supper, which consisted of cold meats and salads, followed
by various puddings was enjoyed by all. James Morrison of Kivells kindly gave his services as auctioneer and auctioned off the produce which had been kindly donated by various businesses and individuals. James was most
amusing and caused a great deal of merriment amongst the bidders. He was ably helped by Tony Batten who each
year works hard to sell harvest tickets and collect gifts for the auction and raffle.
The PCC would also like to thank the Fox and Hounds for donating all of the salads and potatoes, and also a thank
you to everybody who kindly donated puddings and cakes for the meal, items for the raffle and also for the auction. Also thanks to all who helped with the laying up of the tables, selling the raffle tickets and the wine, and of
course the clearing up at the end of the evening.
In total £1,214 was raised for Church Funds – a very big thank you to all who helped us raise this. In addition we
were able to make donations to Christian Aid (to help farmers in Africa) and a donation to Farming Community Network in this country.
On 10th October the marriage blessing of Brett and Alana Long was a very happy occasion with a beautifully decorated church and many guests. Rev. Adrian Brook took the service and the family and friends went to the hall afterwards to continue their celebrations, enjoying a “cream teas” and a video of their wedding in California. We
wish Brett and Alana a long and happy married life together.
Rose Daspher
St Michael and All Angels Meeth
October has been a special month: our Patronal Service was very special - Archdeacon Douglas visited us for the first time and as well as preaching, he unveiled a beautiful model of
Meeth church. This had been lovingly made for us by Richard Proctor. It includes every detail
down to the hymns on the board and fully working lighting and the interior can be seen during
services or by appointment with the wardens. It is the most marvellous gift for which we are
extremely grateful and of which we are very proud.
We gave thanks for harvest at an evening service when we welcomed Bishop Richard Hawkins to preach and he and
his wife joined us for the supper afterwards. The church looked beautiful, the supper was plentiful and much enjoyed and
the auction afterwards was most successful. Highlights of the auction were two small wooden barrows: a wheelbarrow
and a Covent Garden barrow, kindly made especially by Brian Toop. These were keenly bid for and rightly so given the
craftsmanship and thought which had gone into them. Thanks to the generosity of all concerned, the wonderful net total
of £704 was raised.
On the following Tuesday we ran the coffee morning in Hatherleigh, when again we were wonderfully supported and
raised a further £277.
Meeth church is so very blessed in the support it receives both from those who come to services and events and especially from those who volunteer to help in many different ways: using their skills to make things, to cook, to serve, to set
up, tidy up and wash up. It is the willing volunteers who make everything possible and enjoyable and we are truly grateful to them all.
Future Dates: Wednesday 2nd December Advent Soup Lunch & Fair in Village hall from 12.30pm
Sunday 6th December 11 am Bishop Sarah Mullalley will preach the Samuel Jerman Memorial Sermon during the service which will be followed by lunch in the Village Hall - all welcome.
Ingrid Dodd
15
ROTAS
Inwardleigh
Flowers
November
1st Ethel
8th Nan
15th Nan
22nd Janet
29th Janet
Reader
November
1st Malcom
8th Jeremy
15th Ken
22nd Janet
29th James
Sourton
Flowers
November
1st Rose Dashper
8th Beth Houghton
15th Beth Houghton
22nd Janet Scutt
29th Janet Scutt
Sidesman
November
1st Roy
8th Pat
15th Sandra
22nd Janet
29th John
St Mary the Virgin Bratton Clovelly
The MacMillan Coffee Morning on 26th Sept in the School Room raised £588, thank you so
much to all who helped, cooked and especially attended for this splendid cause.
The Harvest Festival was a great success, the church looked wonderful and the lunch was
sumptuous. Thanks go to all those who decorated the church, moved the produce to the
Hall, provided and prepared the lunch, including laying up the day before, and serving on
the day. Especial thanks go to Richard Phillips for doing such a great job of auctioning the produce. We are so
grateful to all of you who bought items and the splendid sum of £869 clear was raised for the church.
Notices for November
Mon 2nd an All Souls Service in the church at 7.00pm, to remember all those who have died. If you have a relative
you would like remembered please come to the service as everyone is welcome, or if you can't attend let one of
the Church Wardens know in advance so they can be prayed for. Sun 8th is Remembrance Sunday and the service
will start at the War Memorial at 10.45am followed by the main service in church at 11.00am after the 2 minutes Silence. Mon 9th: PCC meeting 7.30pm in the School Room. Sun 29th is Advent Sunday and the start of the build-up to
Christmas.
December - Mon 7th December the Okehampton Choral Society will be holding a Concert at St Mary the Virgin
Church, Bratton Clovelly, in aid of church funds. The cost will be £5 per ticket and can be obtained from Mary Jordan (01837-871220) or Maureen Cooke (01837-871110). It will be 7.00pm for 7.30pm start.
Toni Kemeny
16
NOTICE
BOARD
JELLY TOTS RETURNS
Sourton Christingle Service
6th December
in Sourton Church
with the Treetops Nativity Play
at 4pm
You are warmly invited to the Jelly Tots Toddler
service
Hatherleigh Methodist Chapel
from Wednesday 4th Nov. for 4 weeks
(Nov. 4th, 11th, 18th & 25th)
Arrival from 2.00pm for playtime with service from 2.30-3.00pm
followed by refreshments. We will be using songs, stories and activities geared towards those under 5 to think about fire and light in our
lives.
Nov. 4th
Nov. 11th
Nov. 18th
Nov. 25th
You are invited to
Jammie Dodgers
our children’s group run by the
Church in Exbourne
Bonfires – Light in the Darkness
Carnival – Celebrating Light in Our Lives
Advent – Waiting for the Coming of the Light
Christingle – Jesus, the Light of the World
Come for one. Come for them all.
Everyone welcome!
th
Saturday 14 November 2015
In Sight of the Promised Land
10.00-11.00am
Exbourne Village Hall
followed by light refreshments
United Service of Light for
All Saints’ Sunday
Games and activities are geared towards Primary
School age children and younger. Parents are welcome to stay and we would ask that all under 5’s
are accompanied by a parent or carer.
Celebrate All Saints’ by candlelight
with Rev. Stuart Wilson
Then join us for our
6.30pm, Sunday 1st November
Ashbury Parish Church
Family Service
at St Mary’s Church
11.00am, Sunday 15th November 2015
Everyone is welcome!
EVERYONE IS WELCOME!
Join us for our
United Toy Service in the Methodist Chapel
11.00am, Sunday 22nd November 2015
Donations of toys to distribute to those who need them gratefully received.
EVERYONE IS WELCOME!!
Northlew Doodlebugs
Our churches’ Children’s Group will be meeting again this month.
Sleeping with Lions
Exploring how God protected Daniel in the lions’ den.
Come and turn yourself into a lion by making a mask!
Saturday 28th November 2015
10-11am, Church Room
followed by light refreshments
PLEASE NOTE CHANGE IN TIME AND VENUE
EVERYONE IS WELCOME!!
17
Towards a Better World:
A Commitment to Fairtrade and Local Produce
With the current state of world affairs, we sometimes wonder what we can do to make the world a better
place. The truth is that we can do a lot. The Church of England is not alone in encouraging people to buy
local and fairtrade products to enable producers to receive a fair price, so that they can maintain their
livelihood and care for themselves and their families. By doing so, we recognise the worth of each human
being and help to break the cycle of poverty.
Fairtrade products guarantee that the workers and producers, who often live and work in marginalised communities, receive a fair price for their products in the global market. The price includes a social
premium that is used to benefit the local community e.g. providing clean water, education, and health
care. The Diocese of Exeter and our local Okehampton Deanery are encouraging local churches to register
as Fairtrade churches with a commitment to using Fairtrade tea and coffee at all church meetings and
events, encouraging the use of other Fairtrade products (sugar, biscuits, communion wine, oil, fruit, cotton etc), and promoting compassion and justice in the way we live our daily lives.
In addition, they are encouraging churches to adopt the LEAF practice of using products that are
Locally-sourced, Environmentally-sustainable, Animal-friendly, and Fairtrade.
The parish churches of Meeth, Exbourne, Jacobstowe and Northlew have now registered as
Fairtrade churches, and Hatherleigh is in the process of doing so. As we use up current stocks of tea,
coffee, sugar, and communion wine, we will start using Fairtrade and local products where we can. We
are grateful for the many donations of such products that people give us and ask if you could help us in
our endeavours by considering donating Fairtrade or locally-sourced products in the future.
If any other organisations are using church buildings or halls for an event, there is no requirement
that they should use Fairtrade and local products, although it must be noted that Okehampton has now
been a Fairtrade Town for 5 years, so it is something that communities and individuals can commit to as
well.
If you would like any further details or have any further ideas on this issue, please contact Rev.
Ruth Hansford (Tel: 01837 810 314; Email: [email protected]).
The light of God’s love
In November we move into what I often think about as the ‘Remembrance Season’. It’s not just because of Remembrance Sunday and Armistice Day, but because of All Saints and All Souls, and the fact that there’s practically
a saint a day to remember: martyrs and mystics, theologians, social reformers and men and women who were
simply holy. This ‘great cloud of witnesses’ walks with us as we end the liturgical year and prepare ourselves again
to celebrate the birth of our Saviour, God with us, Christ our Lord.
The point of all these saints is not to make us feel inadequate, but to encourage us in our pilgrimage. We don’t
worship them, but see in their examples ways in which we can worship God with our lives as they did, ways in
which we can help to change and challenge the world in Christ’s name, ways in which we can show the world that
it need not be the way it is because God’s love in Christ has come to make all things new.
2015 draws to a close with more displaced people in our world than at any time since the end of the Second World
War: more migrants, more refugees, more people fleeing the violence of others, more people terrified for their
children, more people for whom the future holds little promise. As we move into the season of Advent, when we
hear again the stories of the liberation of God’s people from slavery and fear, and the promise of salvation and
abundant life with the birth of Jesus, let us commit ourselves anew to bringing the Good News of liberation from
sin and death and fear to our world in word and action today: there is nothing our world needs more at this time
of deep darkness for so many than the light of God’s love in Christ.
Jonathan Draper
18
The Sacraments
Absolution
'Almighty God, the Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ, who desireth not the death of a sinner
but rather that he may turn from his wickedness and live; hath given power and commandment to his ministers, to declare and pronounce
to his people, being penitent, the Absolution
and Remission of their sins: he pardoneth and
absolveth all them that truly repent and unfeignedly believe his holy gospel'.
To those brought up with regular services of
morning and evening Prayer Book services,
these words would be, not just familiar, but
etched into their memories. The words
'absolution' and 'absolve' are not publicly spoken elsewhere. So while the declaration of
God's forgiveness by the priest is known, the
understanding of it as the sacrament of absolution may not be fully realised.
The power to speak and grant God's forgiveness of sins is given to those consecrated as
priest and to them alone. The Risen Christ, appearing to his disciples for the first time said:
'Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone
his sins, they are forgiven, If you do not forgive
anyone them, they are not forgiven.' (John 20
vv 21-22) The church's understanding that the
consecration of bishops and all those consecrated by them goes back to and so links them all in
a sacred sense to the twelve disciples and to
Jesus, means they also have this commission
from Jesus.
This implies tremendous power - and responsibility: acting for God. However it has to be combined with all Jesus' words on judgement (eg
Matt 7 vv 1-2) love for one's enemies (eg Matt 6
vv 43 - 48) and, above all on his words about
forgiveness (eg Matt 18 vv 21 - 22).
The word 'absolution' implies that God's forgiveness is a complete setting free from sin. So
complete that the one absolved is free from
blame, guilt or any moral burden free from the
consequences or penalties otherwise due for
such a sin. The sin is wiped from the record.
Such forgiveness requires true and complete
repentance. If it cost the blood of Jesus, the life
of God with us on earth, we start to realise how
priceless and precious God's forgiveness is. It is
also a reminder that if God does absolve us
from a sin we truly repent of, we must accept it
and forgive ourselves so that we may set out
anew to live as he wishes us to. We must also
similarly forgive completely those who earnestly beg our forgiveness. It will then enable the
relief, peace and joy of absolution, the deep understanding of the extent of God's love, to
spread as we would wish it to.
Ingrid Dodd
BBC Rickshaw Challenge
The BBC One Show Rickshaw Challenge for 2015 will be in Okehampton at St James Chapel on Saturday 7th Nov,
having started at Land’s End the day before. The rickshaw, riders and Matt Baker should arrive at approximately
7pm on the Saturday evening. I am sure that Pudsey will make an appearance to. The following morning the rickshaw will depart at 7.30am and make its way to Taunton. It will then continue over the next week to Bristol, Winchester, Brighton, Chatham and will finally making its way to EastEnders queen Vic pub for the Live Children in
Need show 2015.
The official launch of the event was on the One Show around 14th October where the information about the route
and riders has been revealed.
We are keen to get as much attendance as possible from the people of Okehampton and are very much looking
forward to arriving in your lovely town.
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