Newsletter
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From THAT Foodbank.
Our thanks to all those who contributed to your Harvest Festival donation. We are most grateful for your support.
We had a busy summer providing lunch bags for children who usually received school dinners, in addition to our usual provision of food, hygiene and cleaning packs, gas & electricity top-ups and home start packs.
We rely on volunteers who donate their time freely and shops, organisations and individuals who donate items and money to enable us to help those in food poverty in the local area.
Should you know of anyone in your congregation or local area who needs a little support please do contact us with their details and we’ll be happy to help.
Safeguarding Training
On Wednesday 23rd October in the evening Rob and I held a training event at St Paul’s Church.
It was a very relaxed event. Sadly, only two people attended, but we worked through the Foundation Pathway and the participants found it a helpful way to complete it. Being able to discuss the scenarios together and enjoy a cup of tea, coffee and biscuits made it a pleasant and helpful event. We hope to see more people at the next one. So, if you are a PCC member, a group leader or a volunteer and need to complete your training you can do this online via the Diocese of Exeter website under Safeguarding or if you want a bit more support to complete it, contact Rob or myself. Our details are below.
Bernice Hitchcock
email bernicehitchcock@outlook.com
Rob Palmer email Robert.Palmer@stantec.com
News from PCC
The PCC met 2 weeks ago and after our opening worship when we looked at Article 10 of the 39 Articles on the freedom (or not) of the will, we had a presentation from Tim Wrigley who heads up the Teignbridge branch of Christians Against Poverty (CAP). Tim explained how CAP works nationally and locally and invited us to partner with them. This first part of the meeting also included the PCC from St Luke’s Milber. The PCC will discuss adding CAP as our 2nd mission partner at our November meeting.
As well as receiving reports from our Treasurer, Church Wardens, Rector and Safeguarding Lead, the PCC also:
- Received the resignation of Luke Wilson as PCC rep for Abbotsbury.
- Agreed the Christmas services for 2024.
- Accepted a quote for the refurbishment of the small kitchen at St Paul’s.
- Accepted quotes, subject to DAC approval of the work, for the removal of the old heating system at St Bart’s Ogwell and for the redecoration of the church.
- Accepted a quote, subject to DAC approval of the work, for the repair of a section of loose plaster at St Mary’s Wolborough.
- Accepted a quote for urgent repair to lead flashing over the porch at Abbotsbury Church.
- Approved our architect’s costs for redesigning the new kitchen area at All Saint’s Highweek after consultation with the Society for the Preservation of Ancient Buildings.
If you would like any more details, please speak to your church PCC reps or Church Wardens.
Our next meeting will take place on Monday 25th November at 7pm at St Paul’s Church.
Farewell to Ben and Family
By the time you read this, the Maynard family will have moved out of the vicarage at Ogwell and will be moving into the Rector’s house in Uffculme.
For information: Ben and Sarah’s new address is The Vicarage, Bridge Street, Uffculme, Cullompton, Devon. EX15 3AX.
Debate around Assisted Dying
You may have seen coverage of the upcoming debate in Parliament in the press. If you’d like to think more on the topic, can I suggest listening to this interview on the ethics and problems with assisted dying. You’ll find it here, Euthanasia + Assisted Dying: What Kind of Mercy is “Mercy Killing”? Prof. John Keown || THE WAY BACK (youtube.com) with plenty of other excellent interviews and content available on the main site: Videos Archive - Speak Life
The Christmas Journey 2024 - w/c 2 December at Abbotsbury Church
Now with 7 schools and around 170 children already booked in for the Christmas Journey, we now need to assemble our team of actors (reading simple scripts) and helpers (for the very simple art activities) To find out more, please come to our briefing and training session at Abbotsbury Church on Sunday 3rd November from 3pm-4pm.
Operation Christmas Child Church Collection Centre
Shoe boxes are now available from the church office and should soon be in every church. Why not take one and start collecting items to put in it. Collection isn’t until 11th - 17th November, so you have plenty of time.
Below are 2 videos to show you the wonderful impact that these show boxes have.
Operation Christmas Child Overview 2024 (youtube.com)
Operation Christmas Child: Alex's Story (youtube.com)
Dates for this year at St Paul’s Church:
We will have the church open to receive shoeboxes on:
Monday 11 November from 9-10am
Wednesday 13 November from 9-9.45am
Saturday 16 November from 9-11am
Sunday 17 November from 9-10.30am
Last year we managed to collect 230 shoeboxes to send off so we are hoping to do even better this year!
United Parish Service
We had a fabulous time last Sunday with around 120 people gathering at St Paul’s for our United Parish Service. We were also able to say a formal goodbye to Ben and his family and present them with a number of gifts including a substantial financial gift. We then enjoyed a lunch together with around 100 people staying for the food! A huge THANK YOU to all those who cooked, baked, bought, served, washed up and tidied away. You were all wonderful!
Harvest Services
October will see our Harvest services spread over the first three weeks of the month. On Sunday 6th October, there will be harvest thanksgivings at Abbotsbury, St Paul’s and St. Mary's. All Saints will celebrate harvest on Sunday 13th October, and St Bartholomew’s in Ogwell on Sunday 20th October. Once again, any produce brought along will be donated to the THAT food bank in Buckland. They would be particularly grateful for the following items
Rice Tinned fish (other than tuna) Sugar Jam
But donations of these items would also be gratefully received.
Cooking Oil Eggs Ketchup
Custard Pasta Sauce Mayonnaise
Tins of Sweetcorn Tins of Soup Women's Deodorant
Men's Deodorant Anti-Bacterial Spray/wipes Washing up Liquid
They can also use fresh fruit and veg provided that it will still be fresh after 2 or 3 days.
Adult Baptism
ADULT BAPTISM: We are planning to hold another service with adult baptism by immersion at Abbotsbury Church on Sunday on 3rd November. If you haven’t yet been baptised and would like to be baptised in this way, you’ll need to book on the Identity course above!
Parish Library
Through the Speaking Volumes programme, we were given a grant of £250 to spend on books for a Parish Library. Our Parish Lending Library is now up and running at Paul’s where it will be for the next 3 weeks. The selection includes some great autobiographies, and plenty more to help deepen our faith and equip us to share it well. We will set it up in each church for a month at a time. There will be a note book to write down the book you borrowed so we can keep track of who has what. The selection includes some great autobiographies, and plenty more to help deepen our faith and equip us to share it well. Thanks to Choice Words staff for supplying the books. Do take a look when it comes to your church!
First Saturday Outreach in Town
Fr Matthew and Dave are planning to do some outreach in town every first Saturday of the month, probably from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. or thereabouts. They are looking for volunteers to come and join them for an hour or so each time. Could that be you? If so, come and chat with Dave over the coming weeks.
Milk Bottle Tops
St. Luke’s are collecting for the Childrens’ Hospice South West. Please save your plastic tops (not cartons) and send them to the office or leave them in church to be brought to the office. Thank you.
BEWARE - SCAM!
Churches in Devon are being warned to be on the alert for an email scam in which fake emails are being sent out which look like they are from a bishop or the local vicar.
In fact they are a fraud, designed to trick recipients into doing the sender a 'favour' by buying online gift cards for them.
Some people have lost thousands of pounds before realising their bishop or vicar has not really emailed them and they have been conned.
Police Advice
Action Fraud, a national police scheme, offers the following advice about scam emails:
The first email typically reads something like “[name], are you free at the moment?” or it may be more detailed, such as “Do you have a moment I have a request I need you to handle discreetly. I am currently busy… so no calls just reply to my email.”
A reply then draws the recipient into a dialogue in which they are encouraged to buy vouchers, and ultimately send images of their serial and security numbers to the fraudster.
Please click here to read the full story and for detailed advice about spotting scam emails.
Stay Safe Online
Missed some church services?
Catch up on You Tube - same series in each church
Abbotsbury Church YOUTUBE
St Paul's Church YOUTUBE
Parish Office Hours.
Parish Office at St Paul's Church, Devon Square is open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday: 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. For all enquiries, please phone 01626 211346 or email office@newtonabbotparishes.co.uk
Mel Dunn, Benefice Administrator.
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