Newton Poppleford Harpford & Colaton Raleigh
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Newton Poppleford Harpford & Colaton Raleigh Historically used to make spindles to spin wool into thread. More recently for high quality artist's charcoal St Luke St Gregory the Great St John the Baptist Newton Poppleford Harpford (BCP) Colaton Raleigh "Normal" Sunday services are unlikely to be happening for some while yet. A Sunday service on 'Zoom' is held at 10.00am each Sunday mainly for the congregations of Mark's 'patch' – the parishes of Newton Poppleford, Harpford, Colaton Raleigh and Tipton St John with Venn Ottery – though anyone with internet access is welcome to join in. Email Mark Ward to receive the link to join in. Mark is following this each Sunday with a simple said service in St Luke's Church, Newton Poppleford at 11.00am. Of course, this will have to follow the safety rules – hand sanitising on entry and exit, social distancing and wearing of face covering. No singing is permitted, so it won't be 'returning to normal' At present, chairs are set out at 2 metre distancing, so there is only space for some 20 people (depending on how many come as couples or family groups). You'll be welcomed if you do come, but please obey any instructions from the steward, and don't be disappointed if there is not enough room to fit you in safely. Colaton Raleigh Church is open for private prayer a couple of mornings a week – Tuesdays from 10.00am to 1.00pm, and Fridays from 2.00pm to 5.00pm – please respect the safety and distancing rules. Team Rector – The Reverend Steve Weston retired in July as Rector for the Otter Vale Mission Community. A prayer for the appointment of a new Team Rector Father God, you know our needs before we ask. As we seek your will in all things, help us to discern our pathway towards growing closer to you. Help us as we look for a new Team Rector to lead and guide us on our journey. Guide those who may be seeking a new way for their future journey, one that may lead them towards us, so that we may join together in fellowship, faith and love; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. The Vicar is the Reverend Mark Ward on 01395 568390, [email protected] also at www.facebook.com/revmarkward. Please respect the Vicar's day off which is Tuesday. Rector for Otter Vale Mission Community is currently vacant, – contact parish office 01404 812062 St Luke St Gregory the Great St John the Baptist Church Contacts Newton Poppleford Harpford Colaton Raleigh Churchwardens Haylor Lass 568786 Brian Bartlett 568718 Nick Higgins 568074 Jaclynn Baker 576895 John Russell 579986 Alan Hulse 567064 Funerals Admin Sandra Duffin 567665 Hon. Secretary vacancy Jane Bartlett 568718 Susan Tyrrell 568166 Hon Treasurer John Slade 567152 Hendrik Vollers Brian Turnbull 567339 Capt. of Ringers Bob Pearce 568628 David Pester 446043 Safeguarding Jaclynn Baker 576895 Mark Ward 568390 Mark Ward 568390 Prayer Coordinator Audrey Callis 568742 Musical Director Flower team organiser Flower co-ordinator Ruth Lass 568786 Lorraine Frost 567521 Gill Townshend 567460 Holy Baptism, Holy Matrimony, Funerals, Sick Communions at all three Churches Please get in touch with one of the churchwardens who will liaise with the Team clergy. October 2020 Parish Magazine NP, H & CR governments have been slowly killing the industry for years. It is around this time of year that churches So let’s give a big shout-out “THANK YOU” to would have been holding harvest festivals. our farmers and everyone involved in the Traditionally, village churches have celebrated process that begins with a field waiting to be with a service of thanksgiving in church and a ploughed and ends with the bread in the shops. meal in a hall. None of that is possible at the And if you are someone who prays, please join moment of course, but the things that lie behind me in praying for our all who work the land a church harvest festival are still here. and produce our food. It seems to me that there are three reasons for Because farming is so important to the survival celebrating harvest: to praise God for his of human beings, it is a theme that appears goodness, to say ‘thank-you’ to our farmers and many times throughout the Bible. Adam and to remember that harvest is a picture of the Eve had to work the ground; Cain and Abel kingdom of heaven. were farmers, one arable, the other pastoral. The sight of crops swaying in a field is beautiful. After the flood, Noah planted a vineyard. For all our scientific understanding, there is still a Abraham and the patriarchs were sheep farmers. sense of wonder that a tiny seed can grow into And throughout the centuries when the Israelites a huge plant. For those of us who believe that lived in the promised land the main industry seeds, soil, sun and water were invented by was farming. God, harvest is a time to give thanks to him for So when Jesus came on the scene, he often used his goodness and provision. illustrations from farming in his parables. Some When the apostle Paul was trying to persuade of those are about the harvest. One particular people who believed in Zeus that they should story is about a farmer who sowed good seed in turn to the Lord God with a capital ‘G’, he his fields, only to have a rival come at night and described him as, “the living God, who made sow weeds on the same ground. People heaven and earth and everything in them.” sometimes refer to this story as ‘the wheat and tares’, and it is the theme of the famous And then he said: traditional harvest hymn, ‘Come ye thankful “He has shown kindness by giving you rain from people, come’. heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides In Jesus’ story the harvest is the time for you with plenty of food and fills your hearts separating the good from the bad, keeping the with joy.” [Acts 14:17 NIV] good crop and disposing of the rubbish. The That joy is the first reason for a harvest festival. world in which we live now has much that is But someone has to do the work. good, but as we are painfully aware, also much Whilst many people spent several months in that is bad. Harvest reminds us that it will not lockdown, and most people’s lives have not be this way for ever. One day God will renew returned to normal even now, the farmers have this broken world so that it will be wholly good been working as hard as ever. In the news we again. listen to debates about which parts of our Happy harvest! And thank you farmers, national life and economy should start-up and Mark which must stay locked-down. We have heard about schools and pubs and nail-bars and universities and offices and construction sites and so on and so on. And there are important questions about priorities. But one thing is clear: we need food. Farming is fundamental; we cannot decide to manage without it. And yet, many farmers have felt over the years that they and their work are not appreciated. Although feeding the population is arguably the highest priority of any government, many in our They knew it was left over from the Harvest Festival, own farming industry feel as if successive UK but not what it was, or where Parish Magazine NP, H & CR October 2020 The School is back and looking forward to half term starting with a non-pupil day on 23rd October. The Headteacher and staff have spent much time and effort making all sorts of arrangements to provide a safe and hygienic environment – and Season of mists and mellow continue to need the support of fruitfulness . pupils & parents to make it all work. The Tennis courts are now open subject to social distancing and not sharing equipment – see full report later in this issue. Young People's football training is back on the Playing Field on Saturday mornings. The Wednesday Wanderers are back – see report later in this issue. The Otter valley Association (OVA) has restarted countryside walks in a . enjoy the fruits as the nights limited way – only six people suitably distanced on any walk. See their draw in. website www.ova.org.uk for the latest details. The programme of talks for winter evenings is in abeyance. The Village Halls at Harpford, Newton Poppleford and Colaton Raleigh and the NP Playing Fields Pavilion remain closed. These halls are maintained by volunteers and the required deep cleaning between users less than 72hours apart make it impracticable to restore the wide range of village clubs and societies at present. Probus Club was looking to have monthly meetings for the rest of this year, Spring forward, but the rule-of-six, particularly for older people, has scrapped this idea . Fall back Most music and theatre performances, have already abandoned plans for the rest of this year and will review in January. Whether the village pantomimes will take place next February will await events, second waves, rule changes, etc over the next few months. News of a few events on the next page. The Parish Council has information on its website: www.newtonpopplefordpc.co.uk St Luke's Church has a new website: www.newtonpopplefordchurch.org.uk vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv ENDS Welcome . so don’t forget to put your WE are pleased to welcome all clocks back an hour early on th new residents to the villages.