Hartland Coast Mission Community Benefice of Parkham, Alwington, Buckland Brewer, Hartland, Welcombe, Clovelly, Woolfardisworthy West, Bucks Mills and Lundy HARTBEAT Volume 5 Issue 1 February/March 2021 Inside this issue From the Team Rector pp. 2 & 3 From the Team Vicar pp. 3 & 4 Contact details pp. 5 & 6 Around the parishes pp. 7-14 Reconnecting with nature pp. 14 & 15 From the Parish Registers p. 16 Lectionary readings p. 19 February & March Services p. 20 Hartbeat 5-1 From Jane… Decided to keep Christmas lights up in the Rectory to help make us cheerful, especially when the rain lashes the window and the wind howls. A twinkle of lights around the nativity scene really brings a smile. I had the magi close and the shepherds scampering off with their ‘Good News’. But even I won’t leave them up after Candlemas on 2nd February. We remember Jesus being brought to the temple in Jerusalem and being dedicated to God, he is launched – the light escapes into all the world. Then it’s only a couple of weeks until Lent begins. The challenge this year is how to enjoy a stack of tossed pancakes with different toppings. They need company, more pancakes and more people! Following the Nativity Trail, someone suggested we had a Pancake Trail! Sounds like a great idea but I gave the challenge to come back when they’d work out how this can possibly be done. Imagine various points around your community where pancakes can be made. Do we have frying pans on Bunsen burners with quantities of batter to pour in? – No, that won’t do because of touching the jug of batter and the pan. Do we have a microwave and a stack of pre-made pancakes ready to put inside and heat before adding our topping? No, where to plug in and we can’t all touch the containers of toppings. Keeping everything safe is a real challenge and we’ve been learning a lot about hand cleanser and masks on the way. But not to be defeated, let me know if you can devise a way to share some pancakes!! We’ve spotted a lovely idea for Ash Wednesday of mixing ash with a gum and painting the shape of the cross on a pebble and placing these for you to pick up once they’ve dried. That’s a bit easier than managing batter and pancakes. But what about Lent, have we had enough serious reflection and melancholy? Perhaps a time to look wider around the world and be alongside those in far more precarious situations than we are. We could decide to investigate a few places and organisations that are working to bring assistance. The Pope, Archbishop of Canterbury and some other faith leaders are visiting Sudan to reach out and support peace and reconciliation. Just 2 Hartbeat 5-1 because we are physically restricted doesn’t mean we can’t enquire and discover new things. We are certainly not restricted in our spirits, every aspect of us needs nourishing and nurturing. I find songs and chants from Taize and Iona inspire. Easy to sing and repeat to comfort and support us spiritually. And no one can hear whether you are in tune. Or you may want to sing out an old favourite. Praising God and lifting our spirits – that’s a good combination. Kindle a flame To lighten the dark, And drive all fear away is a song from Iona and written by John Bell. https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=kindle+a+flame+to+lighten+the+dark&&view=detail&mid=57 072C3EBFDA8FFA763E57072C3EBFDA8FFA763E&&FORM=VDRVSR Jane From Madeline… CHRISTMAS WAS DIFFERENT – BUT CHRISTMAS WAS STILL CELEBRATED IN ALWINGTON, BUCKLAND BREWER AND PARKHAM! There was no Christingle service at Buckland Brewer, but Roger and Betty made sure that 84 Christingle bags were handed out to primary and older children (and even saved one for the vicar!). Parkham School last year had their very first Christingle service, and we hope to do that another year. But the Open the Book team clubbed together and bought the Bible Society’s ‘It Begins with Bethlehem’ booklet to hand out to each child in both Parkham and Buckland Brewer schools. They went with a prayer that for each child God would reveal his love to them. 3 Hartbeat 5-1 Parkham couldn’t do its usual ‘Nativity Live’ in Tony’s barn, so instead we had ‘Nativity Live Not Live’ which everyone can have a look at because it’s on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuMnCVl2Skgm6iWAGuaO6iQ/ (Mind you, I’m not sure about that vicar: she looked quite stern to me … !) In both Parkham and Buckland Brewer villages people decorated a Christmas window, thus lighting up the villages bringing light and joy to all. Alwington, Buckland Brewer and Parkham churches all held a ‘Christmas Service’ on Sunday 20 December (at different times, of course!). We were a goodly crowd at each service, and each church had been beautifully decorated so the Christmas atmosphere was evident as soon as people walked through the door. Obviously it was an alternative to the normal traditional carol service, but we had the elements although in a different way. The story of the nativity was told with different poems, a couple of Bible readings, and also through music. As we couldn’t sing, it gave the opportunity for the organists to play a medley of carols (or via CDs at Parkham) for each musical slot, thus meaning that we actually heard many more carols than we usually sing. When I was looking to see what carols would be suitable and where, I realised that usually at Carol Services we sing only a fraction of what’s on offer, and there are always those which you have to have. So it was a joy to choose and then listen to some different carols, one of which was ‘Mary Did you Know?’ to which I danced. And in each church a Christmas Communion was held either on Christmas Eve, Christmas morning or the day after Boxing Day. We truly celebrated ‘that God was man in Palestine and lives today in Bread and Wine’ (John Betjeman). Thank you to all the readers, the organists, and the CD operators – as well, of course, as all those who decorated the churches making them look so festive, and made sure they were, and are, Covid secure places to be. Wishing everyone a blessed, happy, healthy and peaceful New Year. Revd. Madeline 4 Hartbeat 5-1 Hartland Coast Mission Community Ministry Team ' 01237 Team Rector Revd. Jane Skinner 431622 [email protected] Team Vicar Revd. Madeline Bray 451445 [email protected] Associate Priest Revd. Jane Hayes 440161/07503 731465 Rural Dean Revd. Derek Arnold 721723 Reader Andrew Macwilliam 441524 Reader Eunice Dunn 451121 Reader Hilary Savage 452483 Reader Vera Tooke 441057 Parish Administrator Tricia Oakley (see note) Parish Office St. Nectan’s Church Rooms The Square HARTLAND EX39 6BL 01237 441142 [email protected] Office hours: Mon / Tues / Thurs / Fri mornings 10am to midday. Answerphone in operation. Please note that, for the time being, I am not keeping regular office hours, but working from home and only going in to deal with post and any printing which needs doing. I can check messages and answer emails from home as usual, so do keep in touch. Tricia website: hartlandcoastchurches.org Facebook: Hartland Coast Mission Community 5 Hartbeat 5-1 Ecumenical contacts Superintendent Methodist Minister Revd. Rob Blackhall 01805 628041 Local Methodist Minister Revd. Andrew Vidamour 01237 478453 Roman Catholic Priest Father Edward Anthony 01237 472519 [email protected] ***************************************************** Hartland Coast Mission Community CHURCHWARDENS Alwington James Clark 01237 451667 Barry Collacott 01237 478733 Bucks Mills Chris Braund 01237 478735 Robin Croslegh 01237 441605 Buckland Brewer David Blight 01237 451785 Roger Walter 01237 451132 Clovelly Sue Curtis 01237 431398 Chris West 01237 431668 Hartland Thirza Goaman 01237 441276 Kay Greenish 01237 441091 Lundy Richard Breese 01488 73149 Andrew Wilby 01295 768191 Parkham Keith Chambers 01237 451199 Welcombe Helen Bence 01288 331427 Sheila Wade 01288 331391 Woolsery Colin Pomeroy 01237 431201 6 AROUND THE PARISHES Alwington At Alwington we have been delighted to welcome people from St Andrew’s church has decorative Ford Methodist Chapel which bunting to block off pews not in currently remains closed. With the use. Members of the congregation requirements for blocking out pews put their creative skills together to there have been times when the make crocheted bunting much nicer church has felt quite full but with all than hazard tape! the measures put in place it also feels safe. We continue to hold services once a month but look forward to better times when we can mingle after the service. Alison Browning In case some of you missed it when it was included with the weekly Info sheet (and because it’s a lovely Whilst meeting up has been limited photo of a we managed to raise £33 with a lovely Christmas quiz created by Julie man!) here Harper. The questions ranged from is a photo identifying Carols from odd lines recording from the Carol, Carol names with the the vowels removed, famous people presentation made to John born on December 25th and Westaway to mark his 60 years’ Christmas literature. service to St. Andrew’s. 7 Hartbeat 5-1 Clovelly to be socially distanced and in family bubbles. A Clovelly donkey Not to be defeated by Covid19, we led by Bart Kelly was blessed and supplied villagers with ‘Christingle processed around the church to ‘’ kits’ to make at home.