GOOD NEWS FROM THE | JULY 2019 RUNNING JOHN BELL AT THE RACE HOLY GROUND The Right Revd Nick Iona musician to be special McKinnel reflects on guest at Cathedral service... the number of sport and he has planned the analogies in the New music for the Eucharist Testament

Diocese joins the whole world to feel power of prayer THY KINGDOM COME

rayer has been centre stage across thanks to dozens of Thy Kingdom Come events across the Pcounty. The global prayer initiative Thy Kingdom was launched by the of Come prayer events spanned with outdoor prayers the whole around a fire pit at Lee Abbey in Diocese Credit: Love South West North Devon. Other events included a treasure hunt, prayer walks, community prayer benches, hill climbs, creative prayer stations, Love SouthWest at Plymouth Pavillions and a Pentecost celebration at . Credit: Huw Riden Visit www.facebook.com/CofEDevon

EXETER.ANGLICAN.ORG @CofEDevon Diocese of Exeter cofedevon BISHOP FINDS D-DAY EVENTS ‘VERY MOVING’ THE Bishop of Plymouth, The Rt Revd Nick McKinnel, has described events to mark the 75th anniversary of D-Day in Normandy as “immensely PILGRIMAGE FOR impressive” and “very moving”. ST BONIFACE The Bishop was in Normandy to take part in a Royal British An ecumenical pilgrimage and Legion remembrance service at services took place in Crediton Bayeux Cathedral, a wreath The Bishop said: “It was to celebrate Devon’s new patron laying at the British cemetery immensely impressive to see the saint, St Boniface. there and a peace symposium in veterans, all in their nineties, The , the Caen, which was almost laying their wreaths at the Rt Revd , and destroyed during Operation cemetery; it was very moving.” the Roman Catholic Bishop of Overlord in 1944. Plymouth, the Rt Revd Mark The Diocese of Exeter is Bishop Nick is pictured with O’Toole, led the day which twinned with the Diocese of Vatican representative Cardinal included Sung Evensong, a Bayeux Lisieux. Ouellet. procession to the statue of St Boniface, a procession to the National Shrine of St Boniface IT’S GOODBYE TO BARRY, HELLO TO CLARE and ended with Solemn Benediction. The Diocese of Exeter’s Mission Enabler has a pivotal new role as Archdeacon Missioner in the Diocese of . The Revd said he was really excited as he has a BISHOP MARTIN TO ‘real passion for releasing the gifts of the whole body of Christ.’ LEAD PILGRIMAGE Meanwhile, Clare Cooke has just started work as Mission Advisor for Early Years (0-5). Clare, who was a teacher, will be helping There is still time to sign up churches to reach out to families with young children. for a pilgrimage to Sicily led by Bishop Martin Shaw. It will take place from JOHN BELL TO BE ‘HOLY GROUND’ GUEST September 10 to 21st and will include guided tours of Catania, The preacher, hymnwriter, composer, lecturer and broadcaster, John Siracusa, Palermo, Monreale and Bell, is the special guest at July’s Holy Ground at Exeter Cathedral. Cefalu. There will also be a visit An ordained minister of the Church of Scotland, John is part of the to Marsala vineyard for a tour Iona Community, an ecumenical Christian community of women and and tasting. men who seek to live out the Gospel in a way that is radical, inclusive The cost is £1,699 with return and relevant to life in the 21st century. flights from Bristol to Catania. He will invite the congregation to participate and sing songs that carry themes of justice, and he has For more information, planned the music for the Eucharist. contact Pax Travel on The service is on July 21 at 7pm in the cathedral. 0207 485 3003 or [email protected]

EXETER.ANGLICAN.ORG Serving with joy… REVD ROSIE AUSTIN

With Rural Mission Sunday on July 14, we talk to the Revd Rosie Austin, Team to Shirwell Mission Community on the edge of Exmoor. Rosie, who was ordained in 2011, is also Rural Dean to Shirwell Deanery.

Was your Christian faith kindled from birth by unaffordable housing, low pay, and the struggle to church-going parents or was it more of a Damascus keep and maintain community facilities ... to name road experience? just a few. I was raised in a Christian family, attending a Often the church is the only community building small Methodist church and then a large suburban left for miles around. Mission (for me) is about Anglican church where I found faith for myself. Faith living out God’s good news for all people and in for me continues to come in sudden bursts and his strength alone - and that’s the same wherever with gradual realisations. God has placed his people and whatever size of congregation gathers. When did you first feel called to ordination? I began my working life as a teacher, then felt God’s What / who sustains you in your ministry? call to move with our growing family to St. George’s Joy and obedience (Psalm 51:12, ‘Restore to me House (Christian Outdoor Centre) in North Devon. the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing After eight years, I became a community carer and spirit, to sustain me’). Joy in unexpected moments an NHS trainer, thinking God was calling me to of seeing God at work – and obedience, keeping midwifery. I spoke at a large memorial service for going when times are hard. my mother in 2006, and someone said, “I think you should consider your role in the church.” Simple What do you think is the most important aspect of words rang deep, confirmed with another vicar being a priest? describing his role as a ‘spiritual midwife’. Standing back rather than stepping forward. This is often tricky in church and community culture What do you find are the biggest challenges of rural where a priest is seen as a figurehead/opener of ministry? village fetes. But if I have done my job well, then it It’s easy to be nostalgic about country life. Yes, we is by encouraging the church in our communities live in a beautiful place, but there are some tough to be church in the places where God calls, with challenges being faced by people; uncertainty over confidence to articulate faith and courage to be the future for farmers, isolation, poor transport, present in places of need.

@CofEDevon Diocese of Exeter cofedevon TEAM WORK: HOW SPORT RIDEN HUW REVD PHOTOS: HELPS US LIVE OUT THE GOSPEL

The Right Revd Members of the re-established Nick McKinnel Exeter Diocesan Cricket Team Bishop of Plymouth

That’s true not only for the obvious team sports. t is promising to be a great summer of sport: These days every professional golfer or cyclist has Wimbledon this month, an Ashes series in August, a team behind them. the Rugby World Cup in September hopefully As we know from church life, we are ‘better with a sprinkling of Chiefs’ players in the squad, together’, called into the body of Christ, to work for the prospect of Plymouth Argyle and Exeter City the cause of God’s kingdom. Ibattling out in League Two later in the year. Even the Sport requires order, rules and parameters Diocesan cricket team revived its fortunes in a modest within which a game can be played. These might way! be white lines on a tennis court or long hallowed The glory of sport, whether we watch or play, is codes of conduct. pitting skill against skill, strength against strength. It is not acceptable that anything goes, that It tests character, brings glory, makes heroes and everyone’s view point is equally valid or that rules offers hope – think of the English teams trailing can be made up as we go along. Sport like life is in the Champions League semi-finals or of Tiger ordered within a framework within which creativity Woods winning the Masters at Augusta. and endeavour can flourish. For the Apostle Paul, sport was a favourite picture As we sit in front of the telly eating strawberries of following Christ. He writes of running, boxing, and watching Wimbledon, we might just consider rowing, competing in a race. He uses phrases what sport tells us about ourselves and society, so such as ‘pressing on towards the goal’ or that we might better fight the good fight, finish the ‘winning the crown of righteousness’, of the race and keep the faith. discipline of the athlete, the glory of competing and an honesty of life (‘no athlete is crowned The Diocese of Exeter clergy cricket team without competing according to the rules’) in order celebrated its first win in FOUR YEARS when to give apt illustrations for the well lived Christian it beat the by 99 runs. faith. Team member, the Rt Revd Mark Rylands Then there is the team dimension, working said: “Jesus is Good News and so is this!” together with different gifts for a greater cause.

EXETER.ANGLICAN.ORG @CofEDevon Diocese of Exeter cofedevon