St Luke St Gregory the Great St John the Baptist Newton Poppleford Harpford (BCP) Colaton Raleigh The Archbishops of Canterbury and York have called (Tuesday 17th March) for Church of England churches to put public worship on hold and become a “different sort of church” in the coming months to face the challenge of coronavirus. In a joint letter, Archbishops Justin Welby and John Sentamu said it was now necessary to put public services on hold until further notice. But they said that far from having to “shut up shop”, the Church of England must face the challenge by becoming a radically different kind of church rooted in prayer and serving others. The Archbishops expressed the desire that church buildings may, where practical, remain open as places of prayer for the community, observing social distancing recommendations. And they urged congregations to be in the forefront of providing practical care and support for the most poor and the most vulnerable during the crisis. “Being a part of the Church of England is going to look very different in the days ahead,” they wrote. “Our life is going to be less characterised by attendance at church on Sunday, and more characterised by the prayer and service we offer each day. We may not be able to pray with people in the ways that we are used to, but we can certainly pray for people. And we can certainly offer practical care and support. “Then by our service, and by our love, Jesus Christ will be made known, and the hope of the gospel – a hope that can counter fear and isolation - will spread across our land.” 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 Reverend Steve Weston, – 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. April 2020 Parish Magazine NP, H & CR adultery of the heart, and when we add in attitudes like envy and greed, most of us have to take a more sober view of ourselves—I know One thing we have all become very used to is I do. washing our hands. The whole nation has resounded with millions of people singing Just as with traces of a virus on our hands, this “Happy birthday to you” as they clean uncleanness cannot be seen. Without the themselves. We have the great advantage over knowledge and wisdom of others, we might be people who lived in centuries past; we know totally unaware of it. And yet, just like the that even though our hands look clean, they invisible uncleanness on our hands, this may be carrying microscopic germs invisible to uncleanness of the heart is real and needs to be the naked eye. If we did not have the dealt with. knowledge and wisdom of scientists, most of us The good news is that Jesus did not come just to would be completely unaware, as our forebears point out how “unclean” we are and leave us were, of the dangers of shaking hands with feeling disgusted about ourselves; he came to another person or even using the same door deal with the problem. handle. The vast majority of us do not really understand the science, but we take it on trust Christians remember and celebrate the death that we are not as clean as we might otherwise and resurrection of Jesus all year round. But we think. And having been made aware of our do so especially over the Easter weekend. uncleanness, we cleanse our hands, whilst When Jesus died on the cross, he shed his blood. dutifully singing “Happy birthday to you” for It is the blood of Jesus that cleanses us. the required twenty seconds. “How!?” you might ask. Good question. Blood is not the most obvious cleaning product! Our collective understanding of disease and its spread is far, far greater than those who lived a I do not know how this works. But the truth is, few hundred years ago, but ironically their I do not really know how alcoholic gel or awareness of another kind of uncleanness was antibacterial handwash works. It is a matter of far keener than ours. They understood, in a faith. Those of us—most of us—who are not way that most people today do not, that aspects scientists have to put our faith in people who of a person’s character and behaviour can make know and understand things that we do not. us unclean. We have to decide whether we trust what they are saying, and if we do, we live in faith—we Going back much further than just a few wash our hands. hundred years, we come to the time when Jesus lived on earth. From way back in the history of Jesus tells me that my heart needs cleansing and the Israelite people, their Scriptures (what that his blood shed on the cross is what I need. Christians now call ‘The Old Testament’) had I have to decide whether I trust what he says introduced the idea that people could be clean even though I do not understand it. I have or unclean. Jesus took this idea into his own decided to put my faith in him. teaching. He once said: Happy Easter! “What comes out of a person is what makes Mark them ‘unclean’. For from within, out of people’s hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and make a person ‘unclean’.” [Mark 7:20-23 NIV] You might look down this list and think to yourself, “Well, I am not doing too badly.” But when we remember that in the Sermon on the Mount Jesus likened angry, murderous thoughts to actual murder, and lustful thoughts to Parish Magazine NP, H & CR April 2020 Monday 9.00 am – 10.00 am Tea & Toast (term-time) St Luke’s Church 9.00 am – 3.00 pm Little Popples (Mon-Fri) School Lane 9.30 – 11.30 am Doctor’s Surgery (appntmts.) N. Pop Surgery 2.00pm Tennis Club Members NP Tennis Courts 6.00 – 8.00 pm Youth Club (term time) NP Pavilion 6.30 – 7.30 pm Zumba NP Village Hall Tuesday 10.00 am – 12.00 pm Tuesday Art Group NP Pavilion 1.30 pm Poppets Playgroup NP Pavilion 2.00 pm Arts and Crafts Group Col. Raleigh Hall The recommendations from 3.15 pm JIGSAW (term-time) St Luke’s Church the chief medical officer, the 6.30pm (beginners) Adult Tap Happy NP Pavilion government and the NHS are 7.30pm (improvers) Adult Tap Happy NP Pavilion changing by the day (if not 7.30 pm Bowling Club NP Village Hall by the hour). At the time of Wednesday going to press (18th March) 9.50 am Wednesday Wanderers Church Green the recommendation is for 10.00 am – 12 noon Bowling Club NP Village Hall everyone to avoid crowded 10.30 – 11.30am Dance Exercise/Keep Fit NP Pavilion places and vulnerable people 10.30 – 11.45am Hatha Yoga Hunger Hill Yurts should be largely shielded 7.00 pm Bridge Club NP Village Hall from social contact for at 7.00 pm Table Tennis Club NP Pavilion least 12 weeks Thursday Church services, prayer 2.00 – 4.30 pm American Square Dancing NP Village Hall meetings and home groups 7.00 pm Tennis Club NP Playing Field have been suspended, and 7.00 pm Whist Drive NP Village Hall the remainder of the Lent Friday course has been abandoned. 9.30 – 11.30 am Doctor’s Surgery (appntmts.) N. Pop Surgery 10.00am –12.00 American Square Dancing NP Village Hall Many of the regular groups Sunday have already told me that times vary Sunday Worship (details p 2) All three Churches they are in abeyance until at least the end of April. Please see facing page for other non-weekly activities The School summer term is vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv due to start on Tuesday 14th Welcome April and, as of now, the WE are pleased to welcome all intention is to open as new residents to the villages. We normal. wish you every happiness in your Newton Poppleford Village new homes. Useful general Hall and Colaton Raleigh information can be found at Village Hall will both be www.eastdevon.gov/welcome closed until the end of April, We hope the magazine will be of then subject to review – so I interest and the listing of events hope things will be clearer useful to you. for the May issue of the magazine If anyone should require a copy of the magazine, please feel free to If in doubt or to find out get in touch with Haylor Lass, more, get in touch with the Sunnyhill, Littledown Lane, contact person – listed on Newton Poppleford tel.568786 page 6 April 2020 Parish Magazine NP, H & CR DIARY for April I started compiling the usual list of 50+ events which were scheduled to run during the month, only to be overtaken by the coronavirus emergency with government, NHS and church official announcements followed by a plethora of phone calls advising me of cancellations and closures.