October newsletter 2015.
The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness,
and self-control. (Gal 5:22-23). ‘Season of mist and mellow fruitfulness!’ ( John Keats).
Refugee and migrant crisis: many of you have responded in your local communities to the need for
aid for the current migrant situation. The Populus survey for the Charities Aid Foundation shows that more than six
million people – 12% of the population – have given money to a refugee charity appeal, 10% have donated food,
clothes or other goods, while a further 9% have either volunteered their time or backed social media campaigns
supporting refugees. Many churches are acting as collection points and the season of Harvest has allowed a focussed
response. Coffee mornings are being held in many places. The Diocese of Exeter has produced a list of such places
but it rapidly became clear as soon as it was published it was out of date. Social media has overtaken us on this one.
For those wanting to read ‘Calais and Beyond: Responding humanely to the migrant crisis can be found at:
http://bit.ly/ekmigrants. Vaughan Jones is a Church minister and former CEO for Praxis and now works with Ekklesia
thinktank. The World Council of Churches called on European governments to do more to accommodate refugees.
Two Churches Together Groups have appointed Communications/Publicity Officers to share the work of the group.
Tiverton and Newton Abbot have joined the list of those sending me information each month or so on what a local
group is getting up to. So welcome to Roy Webber as well as Bob and Jean Francis.
At CT Torquay’s AGM all the officers generously offered to stay on for another year and so form another springboard
for action in Torbay area.
Meanwhile Tavistock Area Christians Together Chair- David Palmer goes from strength to strength.
If you have an AGM coming up why not let me know about it please?
From Plymouth a welcome to new clergy in the area- Revd Dr Clive Burnard at Mutley Baptist Church and Rev
Vanessa Appleton at Hooe Baptist Church, Captain Suzanna Offor at Whitleigh Salvation Army; Rev Donna Leigh at
Crownhill, Compton and Colebrook Methodist Churches; Rev Geoff Hewitt at Derriford URC; Andy Bowden as
Chaplain to All Saints Academy, Plymouth; Chris Forster Transforming Plymouth Together. I am sure there will be
others so welcome to you all. The Roman Catholics have had a move around of clergy so welcome to Father
Jonathon Bielawski who moves to the Vicariate for Evangelism and David Wells who moves to the Catholic schools
Team.
Events
Engage 15 By the time you read this the early stages of the World Cup will be well under way. Who can tell if Japan
can better their performance against South Africa and rise to beat another prestigious team? Some schools in Devon
will have heard powerful testimonies from players in far flung places such as Fiji and Columbia. Perhaps you have
used the Table Talk app @iTunes https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/table-talk-for-rugby/id990968307?mt=8 when
meeting with teams and supporters?
Sunday 27th September the Salvation Army is involved with marking Anti Trafficking Sunday. They have produced
some good resources which can be found at: http://www.salvationarmy.org/ihq/news/inr290715
28th-30th September 2015 Please pray for CTE Forum ‘Called and gathered together’ at The Hayes, Swanwick
Derbyshire.
Wednesday 30th September at 7.30 pm The St Michael’s Lectures series begin again –‘ Crusade Spirituality: 10th
Century Radicalisation’ David Gunn-Johnson.
Friday 2nd October 10am – 3.30pm Responding to Debt CAP Church Partnership Day
Belmont Chapel, Western Way, Exeter EX1 2DB. With Torquay topping the national table for personal insolvencies
and every 20 minutes a house is repossessed this is a subject many are concerned about.
Monday 5th October 2015 7-9pm -Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide (SOBS) are offering an evening of ‘Support
for those bereaved by Suicide’ for all those who have been affected on at the Burton Art Gallery Bideford.
Monday October 5th 7pm - 9.30pm St Leonard's Church, Topsham Road, Exeter EX2 4NG Andy Dodwell tells of a
Clubhouse Sporting event organised by Christians in Sport and the churches in the Diocese of Exeter along with
other local churches across different denominations.
MY Hope Previews. Bruce Govett, coordinator for the South West is presenting the new DVD on
7th October 10.00-12.30 at St Andrew’s Minster in Plymouth and 8th October 10.00-12.30 at Grosvenor Church in
Barnstaple.
8th October Dementia Workshop Diocese of Exeter at Southernhay URC. Contact Sally Farrant
From Martyn Goss: Saturday 10th October at 7.30pm Belmont Chapel, Western Way, Exeter In collaboration with
the Diocese of Lichfield and Christian Aid, Operation Noah has been working with the renowned Riding Lights
Theatre Company to produce an environmentally-focussed drama . This production is called ‘Baked Alaska’! While
the company’s roots are in a Christian ethos, Riding Lights’ work is open to everyone.
Sunday 11th October at 3pm at The Avenue Church Newton Abbot there is a warm welcome to the Mayor’s Civic
Service.
19 th- 25th October is National Adoption Week. Families for Children Trust is a voluntary adoption agency based in
South West England. If you want any more information then visit their website: www.familiesforchildren.org.uk or
ring Katey McDonald on 01364 645480
21st October Wednesday @The Mint Exeter at 7.30pm Prof Michael Dumper talk ‘East Jerusalem, Capital of
Palestine.
Saturday 24th October 2015, 10.30am-4pm -Your Faith, Your Finance and the Common Good
A conference run by the Ecumenical Council for Corporate Responsibility at St Michael’s and All Angels Church,
Mount Dinham, Exeter.
Saturday 31st October CT in Barnstaple are running a family friendly run up to the Rugby World Cup Final. Children
will be sent home with a goodie sweetie bag as a response to a Christian emphasis for the evening.
Sunday 25th October 3pm at Holy Trinity Church Barnstaple host a Baby Remembrance service
3rd November Dementia Workshop Diocese of Exeter at Torquay Central. Contact Sally Farrant.
6th November at 6.30 pm Truro Baptist Church have asked us to advertise a Jackie Pullinger Youth Event at Truro
Methodist Church. Aged 22, in response to God’s call, Jackie Pullinger went from England to Hong Kong. She started
sharing the love of Jesus Christ with gangsters and the poor in the Kowloon Walled City, seeing them set free from
drug addiction and starting new lives.
Friday 13 November at the Palace Gate Centre, Exeter - a follow up to the Mental Health Roadshow.
Saturday 14th November 2015 Spiritual Companions Network in Devon annual conference from 10.30am - 3.15pm
at South Street Baptist Church, Exeter. It will be led by Liz Watson from the World Community for Christian
Meditation. Further details on our What’s On page.
On the same day Saturday 14th November Teignbridge Circuit have a Quiet Day ‘The waiting place of God’.
Wednesday 18th November Plymouth City Transformation Conference Contact Chris Clewer for more details or
speak to Chris Forster. [email protected]
Much later in the year and in to 2016.
The Ugly Duckling Company are again running their initiative for Christmas: "The Big Christmas Table Talk App Giveaway”. Find
out more www.table-talk.org.
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Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 18 -25 January 2016 https://ctbi.org.uk/week-of-prayer-for-christian-unity-2016/
material prepared by the Christians of Latvia, adapted by the Britain and Ireland writers group, based on 1 Peter 2:9-10 -an
encouragement to the newly baptised to live holy lives and to answer the calling shared by all the baptised to proclaim the
mighty acts of the Lord.
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Monday 22 February- Friday 26 February 2016 – Growing the church. See www.growingthechurch.org.