JUNE-JULY 2015 From the Vicarage ‘Farewell’ Having travelled the 67 miles from Coverack near Helston to Polruan in 2005 to become your Priest-in-Charge, and now preparing to travel the 901 miles to Razac d’Eymet in France in order to begin a new chapter of my life as a retired priest, has made me think of the ‘journey’ that we all undertake in our Christian life; that of following Jesus in the way of the cross. Of course, the people we travel with and the places we journey through are extremely important, and when I arrived in the parishes of Lanteglos-by-Fowey and Lansallos almost 10 years ago, I had no idea how much the people and the place would shape my life and my ministry. More recently I have had the great pleasure of being appointed Priest-in-Charge of the Parish of Talland a very welcome addition to the parishes in our cluster. My time with you has been a time of growth. I arrived largely inexperienced and had plenty to learn, but working alongside Kathryn, Kevan and Paul our readers, our Local Worship Leaders Anne, Peter, Alan and Graham, our churchwardens, PCC officers and numerous other talented people has helped me to gain many of the skills that I needed to serve you as a parish priest. It has been fun too ~ parish life is certainly never boring! The church’s ministry is primarily about people and, it’s the people of parishes of Lanteglos-by- Fowey, Lansallos and Talland who’ve made my time here so enjoyable. I’ve valued the acceptance and warmth that I’ve received, and I’ve been enor- mously grateful for the openness and grace of those I’ve sought to minister to in God’s name. Rev’d Louise Courtney greets Bishop Tim Thornton at St Wyllow on 6th July 2009 I’ve appreciated also the support and sense of fun of people who have become very dear friends, and From the Editor I will never forget the love, prayers and practical support I’ve received from you all. It’s sometimes said that real ‘characters’ are a thing The time has come to say goodbye to our dear Louise, who has decided to retire of the past ~ not so. One of the things I’ve valued and move on to a new life in France. most about our churches here, Christ’s body on (Please see the flyer giving details of her farewell service on June 28th.) earth, is that they are full of characters, all of them made in God’s image with God-given gifts and At the same time we would like to welcome Rev’d Marilyn Elliot as our new abilities. Sometimes such characters can be Priest in Charge. Rev’d Marilyn has taken on the huge challenge of looking after difficult to understand, sometimes they are five parishes, so we wish her every success. Please see the revised Church Diary for July. delightful and full of grace, but all of them have influenced me and shown me something about the We would like to welcome all summer visitors to our beautiful area. Have fun! richness and diversity of the church. And so I say ‘farewell’ with a sense of great sadness at leaving, but more than anything else with a heart full of love and gratitude to the parishes of Lanteglos-by-Fowey, Lansallos and Talland, and all her people; you will always have a place in my heart and in my prayers. Now I travel on to France, In this issue which is not an end in itself but merely a part of my journey, living out my calling to serve God and his Help Jade achieve her Olympic dream p18 people, sustained and strengthened through his grace. May God bless you all. Eyes along the coast p24 With my love and prayers always, German invasion of Britain p2 CHURCH DIARY Rev'd Louise Courtney will be retiring Lansallos Parish News on Sunday June 28th. Her last service will by John Feesey, Honorary Treasurer St . Wyllow Lanteglos, St. Saviour Polruan, be at St. Wyllow at 11.00 on that day fol- This year marked the 70 th anniversary of St. Ildierna Lansallos, St. Tallanus lowed by a bring and share lunch at the end of the Second World War and Talland,St. John Bodinnick. St. Marnarch approx 12.00. All are welcome. there have been commemorations in Lanreath, St. Nun Pelynt. If you would like to donate to Rev'd Louise' various parts of the country. But was our JUNE leaving present, please send to Graham corner of Cornwall involved in this great Thursday 4 Tyson ( PCC Treasurer) at Folly Cottage conflict, or did the war largely bypass 10.00 St. Saviour Morning Prayer Polruan. Cheques should be made out to quiet Lansallos? Not so! Our farmers, Lanteglos-by-Fowey PCC (retirement helped by the Women's Land Army (of Sunday 7 First after Trinity fund) whom congregation member Mrs Alice 09.00 St. Ildierna Morning Prayer Talling was a notable member) toiled 11.00 St. Saviour Parish Eucharist CHRISTIAN AID WEEK CREAM TEA ceaselessly to produce food for the nation. 11.00 St. Tallanus Morning Prayer For various reasons it was not possible to Many local men also served in the Home 18.00 St. John Evening Prayer hold a fund-raising event for Christian Aid Guard, ready to defend against a Thursday 11 on either of the weekends of Christian Aid threatened invasion. But what is not so 10.00 St. Saviour Holy Communion Week as we usually do, so we decided on a well known is that a German invasion did Sunday 14 Trinity 2 ‘Cream Tea’ on the afternoon of Thursday actually take place – and it happened here! th 09.00 St. Tallanus Holy Communion 14 May. Despite being mid-week there The following (slightly abridged) letter 11.00 St. Wyllow Parish Eucharist was an encouraging turn out of locals and from a former German soldier of Nr 8 18.30 St. Ildierna Evening Prayer visitors and we raised £119.80 to add to Kommando Abwehrsmarine, Ernst W the House-to-House collection. Many Baurmann, was published in the Daily Thursday 18 thanks to all who came, or who contrib- Mirror on 29 th June 1984 and tells the 10.00 St. Saviour Holy Communion uted in other ways. We can certainly be story: Sunday 21 Trinity 3 sure that Christian Aid will make excel- lent use of all the money we [and everyone In September 1940, when I was twenty, I 09.00 St. Ildierna Morning Prayer was informed that I and my comrades were 11.00 St. Wyllow Morning Prayer else in the country] have raised this week. There are fewer and fewer of us distribut- to embark on an invasion of Britain, but 11.00 Big Green Songs of Praise our excitement at this awe-inspiring ing and collecting the Christian Aid Week Thursday 25 envelopes so if you could consider helping escapade and dreams of victory turned to 10.00 St. Saviour Holy Communion with this next year please contact Mary nightmares when we were told that a mere 235 men would take part. We knew that Sunday 28 Trinity 4 Goddard, Carol Gripton or me. Kathryn Hill our superiors were sending us to test the 11.00 BENEFICE EUCHARIST AND strength of the British adversary. BRING AND SHARE LUNCH . MESSY CHURCH A FAREWELL TO REV'D LOUISE We were within sight of the Cornish coast JULY Easter ‘Messy Church’ on Easter Monday when a Spitfire spotted our barges and attracted nearly 50 people ranging from banged away. Five hundred yards from the Thursday 2 two ‘littlies’ of ‘nearly three’ and ‘three- shore, Wellington bombers appeared and 10.00 St. Saviour Morning Prayer began to drop gasoline turning the sea into and-a-bit’ to two octogenarians! And they, Sunday 5 SEA SUNDAY and all those aged in between them, had a an inferno. My clothes were smouldering 09.30 St. Marnarch Holy Communion great time. There were various Easter- and I ran up the shore, rolled in the 09.00 St. Ildierna Morning Prayer themed crafts followed by an Easter-Egg shingle, and was captured. Only eight of us 10.40 Coal Wharf Blessing of the Sea Hunt a short service and a delicious tea. survived. We came ashore somewhere 11.00 St. Saviour Parish Eucharist Many thanks to all who brought food, between Polperro and Lanteglos-by- Fowey. 11.00 St. Tallanus Morning Prayer helped to set up and clear up and who In 1946 I returned to my home in Berlin, 17.00 St. Nun Songs of Praise helped at the various craft tables. Special but in 1955 returned to Britain and met thanks to Foye for playing the piano for us my wife, Theresa. We have two grown up Thursday 9 and to the youngsters who read an Easter children. 10.00 St. Saviour Morning Prayer poem as part of the service. Our church warden, Mr Brian Langdon, Sunday 12 Trinity 6 remembers standing on the cliffs near 10.00 St. Marnarch. Tea and Toast By the time you read this we will also Lansallos and seeing dozens of bodies 11.00 St. Nun. United Village Service have had our ‘Pentecost Praise Party’ on floating in the sea, lending credence to 11.00 St. Tallanus Morning Prayer Pentecost [Whit Sunday]. Pentecost is Ernst Baurmann's story. Our former tower 11.00 St. Wyllow Parish Eucharist often described as ‘the birthday of the captain, the late Mr Tom Talling, also used 18.30 St.