GOOD NEWS FROM THE CHURCH OF DIOCESE OF AUGUST 2016 Robert spreads vision in Tavistock

HE BISHOP OF EXETER, , began a year of visits to parishes to talk about the new At a special service in Buckland Monachorum vision for the in he confirmed 17 people of all ages, in a Devon with three days in Tavistock. service where candidates profess their TBishop Robert met with people from across Christian faith. The service was “joyful and the town and rural community, sharing very moving” he said. conversations and listening to some of the Bishop Robert launched the new vision and problems people face. its three priorities to pray, grow and serve He visited New Court Farm in Lamerton, with joy this spring. He and the Bishop of where he met farmers, young and old, and Plymouth, Nick McKinnel and the Bishop of discussed milk costs, TB, rural sustainability, , are spending the year food security and much more. visiting parishes to talk with people about the He said: “The government think their first priorities to grow the Church in Devon, and to priority is to defend the nation but actually serve the community. it is to feed the nation. In terms of food Bishop Robert has produced a short film security, in the event of a crisis, we only have outlining the vision which can be seen on the six weeks of food stocks. That’s why the diocesan website www.exeter.anglican.org farming community is so important. Thank His stay in and around Tavistock had you for all you are doing for all of us in the been a “fantastic start to in Mission,” nation.” he added.

A FAIR AND LOCAL HARVEST

PACK OF IDEAS and useful links are available on the diocesan website: exeter.anglican.org/church-life/faith-action/food ...to help parishes focus on both supporting our local farmers and others who grow our food this Aharvest-time. Social Responsibility Officer Sally Farrant said: “Farmers and food growers face deeply challenging issues and we need to review how we produce, distribute and consume food. Harvest celebrations offer a perfect time to do this.” 1,500 young people at Upload HOSE AGED BETWEEN 11 and 21 who were at the biggest party of the year enjoyed Ta skate park, football cage, pamper zone, giant inflatables, as well as big screen gaming, live bands and much more. Organiser, diocesan youth church adviser Rev James Grier said: “I am really pleased with the event. Not only did the young people have a great time, but they of the young people and said: “It was brilliant to see came out buzzing about overwhelmed by the fact we so many young people in being in a church building had over 200 people from and around the cathedral. and wanting more events across the diocese helping Whether their ear drums are like this. I was humbled by to make this event happen.” still intact I couldn’t say, but the behaviour and attitude Bishop Robert who attended what a way to go deaf!”

▲ Over 1,500 young people attended Upload, held in to celebrate the Queen’s birthday and inspire young people to think about Christian faith.

QUEEN AWARDS BIRTHDAY MEDAL EVON WOMAN ANNE HAWKEN received the British Empire Medal in the Queen’s 90th birthday honours list for services to the community in Kennford. Anne, who has been a member of St Andrew’s Church since 1960 and a PCC member for 40 years, as well as a Dvery active member of the Mothers’ Union and much more said: “I was totally shocked and feel humbled and honoured. I have loved helping people along the way.” The prayer

support from everyone was

“ tangible and I had a feeling of being “ held in God’s care. It was my faith that got me through it.

God’s masterpiece

UZANNE DUGMORE’S world was Everyone was brilliant. It was my faith that turned upside down when she was got me through it.” diagnosed with a brain tumour Now, 16 years later, Suzanne is using and had to undergo major surgery. her experience to help others and is a role Suzanne is married to Diocesan model for a new south-west based charity SMission Enabler Barry Dugmore and it was promoting social inclusion and aiming to during his ordination training in the year change perceptions and stereotypes. The 2,000 that it was discovered that Suzanne charity site beautyunseen.org contains nine had a rare benign brain tumour. stories of role models who have overcome She said: “It was slow growing and had a variety of challenges including Suzanne. probably been getting larger for 10-15 years.” They will be telling their experiences through She underwent intensive, nine hour surgery creative arts at a live event in Bristol on 1 as it was attached to her brain stem. It left October. her permanently deaf in her left ear and Suzanne who has since rediscovered paralyzed on the left side of her face. It also art as therapy, now produces portraits, affected her eye which now has no tears and postcards and prints in her online shop. has a weight inserted in the eye lid so it will She said: “There is a message I send with close. all my pictures and that is ‘We are God’s Despite all of this Suzanne never lost her Masterpiece’ from Ephesians Chapter 2v10. faith in a loving God. She said: “The prayer It is a message that meant something to me support from everyone was tangible and whilst I was in recovery. We are all God’s I had a feeling of being held in God’s care. masterpiece.” HEN I FIRST visited Salisbury it was not the cathedral Wthat arrested my attention, but Elizabeth Frink’s statue ‘Woman Walking’ set on the cathedral green. Confident, graceful, womanly and enormously powerful she strides towards the cathedral, her face upturned to the sun. A similar thing happened to me in Florence. It wasn’t Michelangelo’s monumental statue of David, beautiful though it is, that moved me but his four unfinished statues in the Academia. Walking in God’s sunlight They are called ‘The Prisoners’ or ‘The Wrestlers’ if God is the sculptor and no longer imprisoned, but because the figures are only we his work of art. In fact in released to be ourselves. half-formed. Their bodies his letter to the Ephesians Sometimes our hearts can are still imprisoned in the Paul describes us as God’s feel calcified, cold as marble, marble. An arm emerges ‘handiwork’ (Eph.2.10 NIV). our minds and bodies good here, a leg there, a face only It is as if each of us come to as dead. But God calls us to partially carved peeps out of God’s bench rough-hewn and become who we are – his you from the side. is gradually fashioned by his own work of art. God yearns When asked about hand to a truer beauty. to set us free, so that like his work Michelangelo is Paul goes on to talk about the woman walking on the reported to have said that us growing up into a spiritual cathedral green in Salisbury, the sculpture already exists, maturity, people who will we stride into the sunlight trapped within the block be measured by nothing breathing the fresh air of of stone. It was his job to less than the ‘full stature God’s grace. release it by ‘taking away that of Christ’ (Eph. 4.13). All which is superfluous’. of us are on that journey. I have always found The process of maturing his words a powerful includes having that which commentary about the way is ‘superfluous’ in our lives THE RT REVD ROBERT God deals with us. It is as chipped away, so that we are ATWELL, BISHOP OF EXETER

Diocesan Communications Unit DIOCESE www.exeter.anglican.org OF EXETER twitter.com/cofedevon THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND facebook search IN DEVON