& Bridgetown Parish Magazine, Oct 2014 www.stmaryandstjohns.com

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Music at St Mary’s Parish Church, Totnes High Street

Sat 4 10:30-12:00 FOSM Coffee Concert Totnes Jazz Workshop Entry £5 Coffee & cakes available for sale Sat 11 10:30-12:00 FOSM Coffee Concert Sam Richards, piano recital & improvisations In aid of Amnesty International and the Friends of St Mary's Entry £5 Coffee & cakes available for sale

Sat 11 7:30pm Totnes Early Music Society With Steven Devine et. al. Including music by Handel, Vivaldi & Bach Tickets for non-members £12, students & under 18s £5

Sun 19 6.30pm Choral Evensong Details to be announced in Music Bulletin

Thurs 23 19:30-21:00 Classical Guitar concert (Alison Smith) Tickets £9 on the door.

At St John’s Church, Bridgetown, Totnes Fri 31 6p.m. – 11 p.m. Acoustic Haven concert

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Totnes & Bridgetown Parish Magazine, Oct 2014 www.stmaryandstjohns.com Changing Seasons In September, we have been What season are you experiencing in your life? Is a enjoying an “Indian Sum- relationship blossoming or dying? What season are mer,” the term used to de- you experiencing in your health? Are you working scribe a period of unseasona- for an organisation or institution that has died but bly warm weather in late hasn`t yet had the sense to lie down? Has some- September, October, or No- thing's time passed? Are you ready to move into vember. The expression was the next Season and to trust that only through end- first coined in America from ings can we experience new beginnings? What are the mid-19th century on- you struggling to let go of? What green shoots do wards but did not gain widespread currency in Brit- you hope for? ain until the 1950s. The term, may also refer to the weather patterns in the Indian Ocean, where ships' hulls were marked "I.S." to indicate the level at The Totnes Team is experiencing change, as Marisa which they should be loaded during that season. Cockfield moves to Dart Valley Mission Community to begin her curacy, Angela Sumner leaves the Tot- nes Team to continue her curacy closer to home, I love Autumn. Brambles bite but yield sweet black- Tony Gregg completes his Reader training, Julian & berries, spiky cases fall from horse-chestnut trees Jane are married and Archdeacon John retires. Our yielding polished conkers. The air is crisp & the warmest congratulations go to them all, as they trees are clothed in yellow, gold, and red robes. As each move into a new Season in their lives. September draws to a close, the evenings are be- coming cooler, the nights are drawing in and I know With every blessing, that it won`t be long before the trees shed their coats, leaving a carpet of leaves that crunch and Deborah Parsons rustle underfoot and the air will be scented with the aroma of log fires, the smoke indistinguishable from the grey cloud. Sunday 5th October 6.30pm St John’s It`s a reminder for me that time doesn`t stand still. Church, Bridgetown Henry Cloud once said, "Everything has seasons and we have to be able to recognise when something's time has passed and be able to move into the next SACRED SPACE season." I think there is deep wisdom in his words. Theme: Changing Seasons

A continuing initiative of St Mary’s and St John’s In “Sacred Space” at St John`s, Bridgetown on Octo- ber 5th from 6.30-7.30pm we shall be reflecting on churches, held bi-monthly – an opportunity for al- “Changing Seasons.” The Seasons have much to ternative and creative worship. teach us about birth, growth, decay and death, as Spring blooms into Summer, Summer fades into These Spaces may particularly suit anyone who Autumn and Autumn yields to Winter before the finds they do not relate to conventional, traditional whole process begins again. forms of worship but who is looking for different ways to encounter God and to respond to a sense “Changing Seasons” is a good metaphor for life, re- of the Holy. lationships, health, employment or unemployment. 3

It’s just a thought Love is not about dogmas or creeds, neither is it just an emotion or a feeling, it is the giving of ourselves It was a very hot day in Totnes and I was driving to others: my heart to your heart. Love may take time but hardly moving in the traffic. What worried me was and courage and faith and often taking a risk, but It will not the time but the temperature of my car engine. The be a sorry day if we ever forget the true meaning of that gauge was showing danger and as I didn’t want to go to precious word. heaven in a cloud of steam I pulled into China Blue for Rev’d Cliff Berdinner some respite care. In the end the car had to go into the garage. They fixed it and I paid up with a smile. But what really upset me was when the garage man told me the Moving On car wasn‘t worth very much because over the years it You will probably be familiar with the five little letters had lost its value. MOiMM: Moving On in Mission and Ministry. They’ve I suppose that most things loose their value over been around for 10 years or more now, and have been the years; they just wear out through sheer use. We shaping what we hope to do as the Church in – might think of our possessions in that way, especially as we live in a throw away world and nothing much is although we are not quite there yet. worth mending these days. Hasn’t MOiMM ‘Moved On’ by now? 10 years is an aw- fully long time to be banging on about moving on. But I am not thinking here of things that wear out In some ways things have moved a long way. Well over and lose their value, I am thinking of words, because half our parishes have moved some way towards being words wear out and lose their value too, although we part of a Mission Community. Lots of those have Mission often don’t notice. Perhaps more than any other word to Action Plans. have lost its true value is the word ‘love’. We dribble the word love all over everything like some modern artists Some have got a Local dribble paint all over a canvas. In today’s society the Ministry Team – and word love seems to be mostly about self interest: ‘I love in places which have this or I love that’. We talk about making love and falling all three of these in love. We listen to love songs and use the word love things, the Church is for affection, sex, attraction, desire, or as a term of en- growing! dearment. So that’s why someone called me their lover the other day? But some parishes Mostly our use of the word love is fairly accepta- still want to party like ble shorthand, we know what we are trying to say and its 1999 and aren’t most folk understand what we mean. But we need to ready to face up to remember that when, in religion, we talk about the the oppor- tunities ‘love’ of God we give the word its true value. For the that the 21st Centu- ‘love’ of God is all about the way in which God gave ry has brought us. freely of himself. He gave to us of his own very nature, for we read that, ‘God is love’. So for me the word love is The Mission Community Development Team is here for about giving, about the giving of ourselves, the opening help and advice, so that one day we really will all be of our heats to others. Moving On. They are here to help with vision, with Mis- sion Action Plans and with team work – which is not I remember one sunny Sunday morning at St. about a few people helping the Vicar out, but everyone John’s. I was moving around the circle giving each per- working together for the kingdom. son a communion wafer when I came to a man and his Andrew Godsall, Mission Community Development wife who simply crossed their hands and refused to re- Officer ceive. I shall always remember this because the man said, ‘I’m a papist’ and his wife nudged him in the ribs To contact the team: and said, ‘Shut up you’. I thought how sad that they felt Penny Doe [email protected] they could not give of themselves to us in love that morning, or let us share our love for them. Andrew Godsall [email protected] or Guy Chave-Cox [email protected]

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Justin Story- 11th Instalment This Devon exorcist listened to Justin's history, about the By Helga Watts accident, his being in my care after eleven years in hospi- Click here to read the story so far tal, his anger about his ruined life and the recent entirely different, frightening outbursts. Justin sat quietly, peace- fully, not interrupting. On our way to the exorcist I thought of the time I had been to see one for myself, in the late 70s, For many years, since my youth, I had been suffering, on and off, Then the exorcist made an incongruous suggestion. He from severe depression. I reached said to Justin, “When this urge to kill Hel- for every straw and had been to ga comes on, kneel down on the floor countless healers, both in Austria and visualise Christ is lying on the cross in my young days and in New Zea- before you. You are the Roman soldier land where we were living at the and you are hammering his nails in. time. At my mother's advice I Then lean back and ask for forgiveness.” agreed to go to an exorcist, a monk in a monastery near Bre- Before I could object, Justin got up and genz. I didn't hold out much hope said, “I'm not listening to this. Let's go.” as I had long lost my faith in God in We took our leave. I mulled this over on general and the Christian beliefs in our drive home and it became more and particular. When I was fourteen more ludicrous the more I thought about my family joined a fundamentalist it. When Justin is in such a state that he evangelical group; we had bible wants to kill me he does not want to kill study every week, but the teaching Christ, and no therapy should consist of of a God who would throw most Justin, last photo before and first photo such an action anyway. The only place of the humans he had created after his accident. for it would be in a Passion Play. So into an eternal, never-ending what now? I prayed very earnestly fire led to a nervous break- for God to protect us and for sever- down at seventeen and a al days all went well and I could three months' stay in the breathe again, holding my breath, mental hospital in Innsbruck. rather. Eventually I came to the con- clusion God did not exist; I couldn't possibly visualise It was now Easter Saturday and I Love, which He was supposed woke with a very strange feeling, a to be, to take that form. Nev- compulsion I had to go to Dartmeet ertheless I was somewhat in- to meet somebody who would trigued: maybe the monk make himself known to me. It was could even restore my faith? such a strong impulse that I did not He told me he could not sense stop to reason. I drove terribly fast any possession but performed and ended up with a burst tyre. It the rite, a kind of archaic lita- was just outside Ashburton, before ny, the only wording I remem- the bend where the lane leads to ber was about 'revoking the the Lavender House Hotel. I simply dragon'. left the car and we started walking. Justin must have been in a dazed state too for he did not argue and we made our way all the way to Dartmeet. Now in 1983 it was a different situation. I was a believer Under normal circumstances he would have balked and again, due to having studied myths and mythology, got much too tired. We just plodded on, mile after mile. learned about hyperbole and the pitfalls of language, translation and interpretation of the bible, and in 1980 I had had an experience which enabled me to believe Once there I saw an enormous crowd of holidaymakers th again: on my 40 birthday the whole room was filled as it was a gloriously sunny, mild day. with a Presence, a loving Presence which I could sense came from God. And since my husband's death in 1981 I (Continued on page 6) had been going to church again.

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(Continued from page 5) proaching, blue light on. Another following.

There was even a man directing the parking. I bought All I could think of was, “You are done for.” The car Justin a snack and then we sat down on the little green pulled up, a policeman got out and said, “We've got Jus- plot near the entrance, close to the clapper bridge, and tin in the other car. He is all right; he could not find you waited. For whom? I had no idea. Someone would and walked down to your car which has been taken to a come and start a conversation and it would go from garage. Your handbag with all your details was in it.” there. Time went by, no-one came. Except a police car, He sounded very kind, and all my fear just fell off me, by which time it was mid-afternoon, and a policeman and I suddenly realised that I had had a spell on me. We talked to the parking attendant. Justin had gone to the were safely deposited at home, and there I found a kiosk and I quickly slipped away and walked along the cryptic note: on Justin's Tintin book on outer space I had river. I had actually told the parking attendant that the drawn an arrow, upwards, and scribbled, 'gone there'. I police might come and ask after us, that I had done must have done that in a daze before setting off for the nothing wrong, just left the car on the road, and that I puzzling assignation. So the one I was meant to meet – could not talk to them at this time as I had to wait for was death! someone I could not risk missing. The reason he com- plied must have been that, strangely, I had addressed him as 'Simon...', to which he responded with, “How do For obvious reasons there are no photos illustrating the you know my name?” I didn't, it just tumbled out, happenings of these few days, so I've chosen a couple which, of course, reinforced my conviction something from his album. I also want to mention at this point that positive was indeed going to happen. the dramatic events to follow will have a wonderful res- olution, but maybe better not read about them late at night! I returned to my post and waited. But now I waited more for Justin than the mystery person. Where was Justin? Time went by and he didn't appear and I got [Continued next month] more and more worried. Slowly it dawned on me that something strange must have been happening to me.

The almost elated feeling of anticipation gave way to a Pray, act, give feeling of fear. What was I doing here? Where was Jus- The is tin? Was I going mad? I had failed Justin, he had been urging Christians in Dev- abducted, my whole life was a failure, I had no contact on to support those per- with God. It was all lost. I would probably be picked up secuted in Iraq and Syria and taken to a mental hospital and spend the rest of my through a campaign life there. launched on the website. The unfolding events are of It had gone cool, there was no-one around any more. I particular concern for our Diocese as we have a strong got up and started walking home, in the opposite direc- link with the bordering diocese of Cyprus and the Gulf tion of the abandoned car. I felt totally forlorn and the which includes St George’s Church in Baghdad. The fear had given way to a black, almost numb feeling of pray, act, give resources includes prayers, details of how resignation. Yes, it was all lost, and there was nothing I to contribute to Church-based emergency appeals and could do. an advocacy action to help keep this crisis before the eyes of the international community. At one point, not far from Coombestone Tor, I rested Visit www.tinyurl.com/cofe-iraq and turned round, and against the red of the setting sun and the already darkened valley I saw a police car ap- Ministry Matters If you would like to receive regular copies of A day workshop exploring Reader and Ordained Minis- the expanded colour edition of this magazine try is taking place on Saturday 1 November from 10am via email, please send a message to: to 3.30pm in St Luke’s Church, Buckfastleigh. To book a place and for more information contact the Vocations [email protected] Adviser Philip Sourbut on 01392 817296 or email phil- [email protected]

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Archdeacon retires house gasses are indeed produced by the West, but also increasingly by China as it industrializes. And the worst After nearly nine years as , the Ven effects of climate change are being experienced by poor retired on 30 September. nations such as Bangladesh, which is being flooded much He joins the Ven David Gunn-Johnson who recently re- more regularly, and Ethiopia, which is being decimated tired as , however both have by the relentless spread of desert. In Devon we remem- been invited by Bishop Robert to continue as Archdea- ber the devastation caused by the storms last winter but cons Emeritus and so will continue to have a presence that is nothing compared to what some parts of the among communities in Devon. world are experiencing. John says, “I want to express my gratitude for the oppor- Climate change not only threatens the planet: it also in- tunity of exercising this ministry which I didn’t expect. It creases the risk of global conflict. Climate change and is an honour to share in the lives of the people and cler- growing competition for scarce resources, we are told, gy as well as the life of the parishes.” are together likely to increase the incidence of humani- tarian crises and undermine international security. The John, who has been married to Janette, a nurse, for 45 areas most at risk – the Middle East, South Asia, and the years, was a chaplain in the Navy for 16 years and recalls Sahara belt – are already prone to instability. holding services in his cabin on HMS Fearless when the ship was engaged in exercises. John says his work as a But what does all this have to say to us as we gather this Navy chaplain has helped him to relate to everyone he month to hold our harvest festivals? meets in parish life: As Christians we believe that ‘the earth is the Lord’s and “As the role holds no rank, it makes it possible to relate everything that is in it’ (Psalm 24.1). We are to be stew- as an equal to everyone from the Admiral to the men ards of the planet, not exploiters. Exploitation steals working in the engine room,” he says. from future generations. One practical thing we can do is to engage with the environmental initiative “Being an Archdeacon is not something I ever thought I would do but I’m really glad I did it. It has been a pleas- of Shrinking the Footprint because in the end it is ure and enormous privilege. Like any post it has its as much about Jesus’ call to be peacemakers and things that make you feel this ministry is very worth- living justly as caring for the environment. while and sometimes there are things that drag you The poet Gerard Manley Hopkins lamented the way hu- down but I have especially enjoyed the pastoral side of mankind has disfigured the world. ‘All is seared with the role and working with churchwardens on re-ordering trade; bleared, smeared with toil; and wears man’s projects and with other advice, and helping PCCs to look smudge and shares man’s smell.’ And yet, he says, there at what they are doing and to look optimistically to the still ‘lives the dearest freshness deep down things’. The future. I can see a real enthusiasm for the gospel and earth has an amazing capacity to recover from our mis- people working very hard to show the love of God in takes and failures. This harvest, as we give thanks for their communities.” God’s abundant provision, it is vital that we never take that for granted. Both for the sake of the environment John and Janette are retiring to Honiton where John and for world peace it is important that we act now and plans to commit to some serious practice on his two- that we act together. manual and pedal digital organ as well as tending his new garden. +, Bishop of Exeter

The Earth is the Lord’s Wise words from our new Bishop, validating the message I have long tried to share: that climate change is real, man- President Museveni of Uganda described climate change made and a threat to the planet. For full coverage of the as an act of aggression by the rich against the poor. worldwide climate mobilisation— and much more— visit: http://350.org/ Tough talk. He is articulating a perception that climate change is a developed world problem for which the de- Also, it’s still not too late to invest in local Renewable Energy projects, including hydroelectric and rooftop solar. veloping world has to pay the price. Most of the green- Visit www.tresoc.co.uk or contact me. Julian Hall

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Word for Today Martin Harvey wishes to pass on special thanks to everyone involved in last weekend’s services at St It’s Time to Take Action Mary’s, not least the sidespersons, coordinated by John Hawkins. Martin writes: ‘The righteous are as bold as a lion.’ Many thanks for the extra work that both you in Proverbs 28:1 asking the sidespersons to volunteer and the huge John Ruskin said, ‘What we think, or what we amount of time and effort that the sidespersons know, or what we believe is, in the end, of little put into the weekend’s activities, which helped tre- consequence. The only consequence is what we mendously in ensuring that both events went so well. do.’ If you’re serious about succeeding at what you believe God called you to do, you must take This has been an extraordinary weekend with some three steps: 1) Do something! Sir Edmund Burke people appearing to be living in the church for most said, ‘Nobody made a greater mistake, than he of the weekend and everyone’s efforts have been who did nothing because he could do only a so much appreciated by all. little.’ Praying, planning and deliberating are all good, but there comes a point when you have to I believe it was a very successful weekend with the step out in faith and act. And if you’re naturally wedding being a very happy and wonderful occa- sedentary or easily discouraged, you’ll have to sion and the Archdeacon’s retirement service was I confront your fear and reluctance and take that thought quite superb. first step. Declaration of Independence signer Would you please pass on my thanks to everyone John Hancock said, ‘All worthwhile men have for their dedication and help. good thoughts, good ideas and good intentions, but precious few of them ever translate those in- [Sorry I was unable to be there owing to a nasty infec- to action.’ God promised to part the waters of the tion– JH] Jordan River so that His people could go through and enter the Promised Land. But the waters parted only after they stepped in (Joshua 3:11- 17). The same principle applies to you. In the be- THANK YOU SO MUCH! ginning you just need to get moving. Try different Dear Totnes team, I would like to thank you all for things. It’s easier to start doing something right if the cards and messages of support, and for those you’ve already started doing something. It’s easy of you who were at the Cathedral last week for the to steer a car when it’s moving forward, but al- Ordination service. Also very much for your gen- most impossible when it’s standing still. Dennis erous gift of a book token, which I shall spend Bakke, co-founder and former CEO of global ener- wisely! I have already bought a couple of books gy supplier AES Corporation, said, ‘We try a bunch recommended by David Rowe, the Warden at Lee of stuff… see what works…and call that our strat- Abbey, who led our retreat jointly with Prebendary egy.’ In other words, if you don’t know exactly Peter Rapsey, former DDO of Bath and Wells, now what to do, don’t let it keep you from doing living in Devon. something. It was a wonderful day, the culmination of a long UCB's Word for Today is a free publication available in journey of five years study and formation. I have both our churches and throughout the UK. learnt so much during my time with the Totnes Web www.ucb.co.uk team; thank you for letting me learn with you, and for your patience and good humour throughout. I will pray for all the Totnes parishes and their peo- ple as I now move on to the Dart Valley Mission SPRING PILGRIMAGE Community team. Jan has kindly invited me to con- Fr Brian Tubbs is leading a pilgrimage to Rome tinue singing with St. Mary's choir, so I will still be and Assisi from 20 to 27 April 2015, flying from around. Bristol. For more information, email father- Thank you! [email protected] or phone 01392 200506. Marisa

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EVENTS DIARY

St Mary’s: Sat 4 10:30-12:00 FOSM Coffee Concert Totnes Jazz Workshop Entry £5 c. 15.30 Dartington Trust outside church Sat 11 10:30-12:00 FOSM Coffee Concert Sam Richards, piano recital & improvisations Entry £5

7:30pm TEMS - Steven Devine et. al. Including Handel, Vivaldi & Bach Professional, affordable and local Tickets for non-members £12, students & under 18s £5 painting, tiling & decorating service. Internal or external painting & clearance work Thurs 23 19:30-21:00 Classical Guitar concert undertaken. Fully insured. (Alison Smith) Tickets £9 on the door.

Sun 19 6.30pm Choral Evensong

St Johns: Sun 5th 6.30pm Sacred Space Call for a free quote TOM GREEN 01803 732242 or 07875190302 Sat 11th 6.00pm Transition Town Totnes talk Pocket Neighbourhoods. Worship area Sat 18th 2.30 – 6 p.m for a 3.30 -5.30 pm. Messy Church session . Weds 22nd 7 p.m. Deanery Synod Friday 31st 6p.m. – 11 p.m. Acoustic Haven concert

TUESDAY HOUSE GROUPS

Tuesday Afternoon House Group meets again on 14th 01364 550303 October at 2pm at Greytones – Margaret Beckwith’s House. Further details Liz Waterson 849345. The evening group will meet as usual at 3 Sparrow Road, Totnes, next meeting 7.30pm Tue 14 Oct. Contact Carolyn Stilwell: 01803 863030

Table Talk. Every third Thursday of the month at The Sev- en Stars between 10 a.m. and 12 noon. Meet at the large table at the back , behind the bar, for coffee etc. Contact Anne Binns for more information on 01803 840146.

Sunday lunches. If you would like to have a roast lunch at the Albert Inn, Bridgetown, on the first Sunday of the month with members of St John’s and St Mary’s, please ring Anne Binns on 01803 840146 by the previous Thursday.

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Team Rector, The Reverend Julian C OuId, 01803 865615, The Reverend Debbie Parsons, Team Vicar. 01803 840113 The Reverend Angela Sumner, Assistant Curate, 01803 853959, Licensed Reader/Child Protection Officer Liz Waterson, 01803 849345, (Childline 0800 1111) The Reverend John Luscombe, 01803 864514, [email protected] Licensed Reader, Marisa Cockfield 01803 782994, Licensed Reader, Tony Gregg, 01803 813885,

Support Group: This group is open to anyone who is suffering from bereavement or any other kind of loss. For full details contact Rev'd Debbie Parsons on 01803 840113.

TIMES OF SUNDAY SERVICES TIMES OF WEEKDAY SERVICES—St Mary's, Totnes St Mary's Totnes

8.00 am .. Eucharist 7.45 am Tues, Wed, Thurs Early morning prayers 11.15 am .. Sung Eucharist 8.30 am Fri, Sat .. Morning Prayer 6.30 pm Alternate 1st Sunday Compline 10.30 am 2nd & 4th Wed .. Eucharist 6.30 pm 3rd Sunday Sung Evensong St John's, Bridgetown Major Saints' Days 9.30 am .. Family Communion 9.00 am at St Mary's Eucharist

Churchwardens Martin Harvey 01803 868336 [email protected] Julian Hall 01803 867537 [email protected]

Deputy Churchwarden

John Derbyshire 07932 019301 [email protected]

St Mary's Totnes David Shearer, Verger 01803 862252 [email protected]

Jan Dietz, Director of Music 01803 770515 [email protected] Jane Mountford, St Mary's Church bookings 01803 862499 [email protected] Jenny Griffin, Church Hall bookings 01803 865685 St John's, Bridgetown The Reverend John Luscombe Contact details at top of page Liz Chandler, Organist 01803 669199 Tony Stilwell, Bookings Sec 01803 863030 The Reverend. Cliff Berdinner 01803 840730 [email protected]

Brian Herrington, Weekly envelope and Gift Aid 01803 864804 [email protected] recorder Jane Mountford, weekly newsletter 01803 862499 [email protected]

Julian Hall, monthly magazine 01803 867537 [email protected]

Submissions for the next Newsletter by 20th of the previous month please.

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