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November 2020

This month’s letter is from Reader Jan Lees

The harvest is in.  The clocks have gone back. The year is turning, drawing to a close.  Later this month the church year ends and we begin again with Advent. It’s a time to consider endings and to look towards new beginnings – whatever they may turn out to be. 

Doing things differently because of the strange times we’re living in has been a mixed thing, hasn’t it?  I rather enjoy the slower pace of my life at the moment – the going out less, but when I run into a friend I haven’t seen in a while I don’t enjoy keeping my distance. I look forward to the day when I’ll be able to give them a hug.

Advent is supposed to be a strange time, I think.  We’re supposed to watch and wait, to long for God to come to us, to hope for his coming.  But it’s hard to do that when we’re already thinking ourselves into Christmas.  We’re like time travellers with one foot in the departure lounge and one in arrivals…

This year will be different.  Quieter.  Make the most of it.  As we stand at the tail end of the church’s year do a little inventory.  There might be some things you should just let go.  Do that.  There will be some things you need to give thanks for.  Do that.  The year begins afresh any minute now.   And the new growth might be just like the old.  Or it might be something new and surprising.  God delights in surprising us, I think – delights in making all things new.  So we move on doing things differently – or maybe just doing different things.  Either way we’re not on our own.  God is with us every step of the way.  Enjoy the journey.

Jan Lees

Pastoral Reorganisation

The following announcement affecting Holyford Mission Community will be made in our churches:

“A Notice giving the objects of proposed pastoral reorganisation affecting this parish has or will be displayed near the main door and on the Church of England website. The Notice includes the last date by which representations regarding the proposed reorganisation may be made to the Church Commissioners.”

The notice reads as follows:

Mission and Pastoral Measure 2011

Draft Pastoral Scheme

The Exeter Diocesan Mission and Pastoral Committee has prepared a draft Pastoral Scheme for:

(i) the termination of the group ministry established for the three benefices of Honiton, Gittisham, Combe Raleigh, Monkton, Awliscombe and Buckerell; Offwell, Northleigh, Farway, Cotleigh and Widworthy; and Broadhembury, Dunkeswell, Luppitt, Plymtree, Sheldon, and Upottery;

(ii) the termination of the team ministry established for the benefice of Honiton, Gittisham, Combe Raleigh, Monkton, Awliscombe and Buckerell;

(iii) the dissolution of the three benefices of Honiton, Gittisham, Combe Raleigh, Monkton, Awliscombe and Buckerell; Colyton, Musbury, Southleigh and Branscombe; and Offwell, Northleigh, Farway, Cotleigh and Widworthy;

(iii) the creation of a new benefice of Honiton with Monkton, Awliscombe, Buckerell, Combe Raleigh, Cotleigh and Gittisham, the establishment of a team ministry for the new benefice, the cure of souls to be shared by a team rector and one team vicar, the appointment of the team rector and the selection of the team vicar;

(iv) the creation of a new benefice of Colyton, Branscombe, Musbury, Northleigh and Southleigh and the appointment of the first incumbent of the new benefice;

(v) the creation of a new benefice of Offwell, Farway and Widworthy

the housing arrangements for the three new benefices and their future patronage arrangements

in the diocese of Exeter.

The draft Scheme is on the Commissioners’ website www.churchofengland.org/consultation or you may obtain a copy from me.   Large print and/or audio copies are available on request.

  • Anyone may make representations for or against all or any part of the draft Scheme (please include the reasons for your views) preferably by email or by post to reach the Commissioners no later than midnight on Monday 7th December 2020.   Send your representation to rex.andrew@churchofengland.org or by a letter marked for the attention of Rex Andrew, Pastoral Division, Church Commissioners, Church House, Great Smith Street, LONDON SW1P 3AZ.
  • If they have not acknowledged receipt of your representation before this date, please ring 020 7898 1743 or e-mail them to ensure it has been received. For administrative purposes, a petition will be classed as a single representation and the Commissioners will only correspond with the sender of the petition, if known, or otherwise the first signatory for whom they can identify an address – “the primary petitioner”.
  • When making a representation, please indicate the nature of your interest in the proposals (e.g. parishioner, member of parochial church council, etc) and whether you would like an opportunity to speak to their Committee regarding your representation if the Commissioners decide a hearing should be held regarding the case.
  • If they receive representations against the draft Scheme, they will send them, and any representations supporting the draft Scheme, to the Bishop whose views will be sought.  Individual representors and the primary petitioner will then receive copies of the correspondence with the Bishop (including copies of all the representations) and will be told whether a hearing is to be held.  They and individual petitioners may comment further to the Commissioners.  Copies of all of the representations received and associated correspondence will normally be published on the Commissioners’ website if the matter needs to be considered by them.
  • If a hearing is held, anyone may attend the meeting of the Commissioners that considers the case and representors may have an opportunity to speak to their Committee. Otherwise, if a hearing is not to be held, the case will be considered in private and you will be informed accordingly.
  • When they acknowledge representations the Commissioners will let individual representors (and the primary petitioner) know the next few dates of their Committee’s meetings. They will confirm the actual date if a hearing is to be held nearer the time.
  • The Commissioners’ will decide if the draft Scheme should proceed when they consider all the representations on the basis of a paper prepared by the Commissioners’ staff and any points raised at the meeting.
  • The Commissioners will notify all representors of their decision and give a statement of the reasons for it.
  • If they so decide, any representor or petitioner against the draft Scheme may seek leave from the Privy Council to appeal against the decision.
  • Please see the Commissioners’ website www.churchofengland.org/consultation for further information about the procedure.

Revd Dr Adrian Hough
Secretary Exeter Diocesan Mission and Pastoral Committee

ah@exeter.anglican.org

Branscombe Patronal festival

The Dean of Exeter will be preaching at Evensong on Tuesday 3rd November at 6.30.

Remembrance Sunday

STOP PRESS

Due to the renewed lockdown we will not be able to hold the planned services. We will hold these short simple outdoor services at the war memorials:

10.50 Colyton

10.55 Branscombe

10.55 Musbury

We still have the telephone service at 2.30

The following church services have been CANCELLED:

8.00am            Eucharist BCP  Colyton

10.45am          Remembrance Service, Southleigh

10.50am          Remembrance Service*, Colyton *see below

10.55am          Remembrance Service, Musbury

10.55am          Remembrance Service, Branscombe

3.00pm            Messy Church, Colyton

3.30pm           Remembrance Service, Colyford

6.00pm           Evensong, Northleigh

Social distancing measures will be in place and you will need to wear a mask unless you have an exemption.

* Numbers at St Andrew’s Colyton will need to be limited, so we ask you to let us know you wish to come by emailing David Fouracre david@thetoolbox.org.uk by Saturday 31st October with your name, phone number, and the names of people in your household/bubble who wish to attend. If you are offered a place and then find you can’t come please let us know so we can offer the place to someone else.

There will also be a short Act of Remembrance at 10.55 on Wednesday 11th November at Colyton war memorial

Annual Memorial Services

Annual Memorial Services. This year there will be two services to remember our loved ones by name at All Souls. As in previous years there will be a reflective service on Sunday 1st November at 6.30pm. This year there will also be a Eucharist on Monday 2nd November at 10am. Given the covid restrictions both will be held in St Andrew’s Colyton to accommodate as many people as possible. If you would like to come please contact Emma Laughton. We will be reading the names of everyone for whom we held a funeral this year. If you would like to add any names, please contact Christine Sansom by Mon 26th October.

Ninebarrow virtual concert

Saturday 17 October 2020 at 7pm

from St Nicholas’ Church, Studland

The concert can be watched live or during the following week. We are delighted to announce that the popular folk duo Ninebarrow are going to trial a system with the Friends of St Andrew’s, where any sales that result from FoStA supporters’ participation in this virtual event will result in Ninebarrow contributing 30% of your ticket price to the Friends of St Andrew’s funds. FoStA welcomes this initiative and we hope you do too. Thank you Ninebarrow! The concert can be watched live or during the following week.

More details of the concert and how to book tickets can be found on:

https://www.ninebarrow.co.uk/fosta

Victoria’s Ordination

Saturday 26th September was a wonderful occasion in Exeter Cathedral as our well-loved Assistant Curate Rev’d Victoria Chester was ordained priest. She will continue to serve in our Holyford Mission Community. She is shown here with Rev’d John Lees, also one of our team, who is her training incumbent.