ton - Bickington - Buckland ur b h s A - e b m o c e d i W - February 2017 e g d i r Church and Community Magazine of The Moorland Team Church and Community b H t s o o n l - e c u H b a c - y u e L n o d s - Moorland Parish Link P The Ministry Team Team Rector The Rectory, Cooperwood Close 01364 652968 Revd David Sherwood Ashburton TQ13 7JQ [email protected] Team Vicar The Vicarage 01364 621334 Revd Geoffrey Fenton Widecombe-in-the-Moor, TQ13 7TF [email protected] Team Vicar Vacancy Readers to the Team Marion Kaye 01364 643330 [email protected] Methodist Ministers Revd Kevin Hooke 01626 832369 Table of Contents The Ministry Team 2 The Parish Letter 3 Churchwardens 4 Moorland Team Officers 4 Holy Communion Mid Week & Home 5 Church Services for February 2017 6 Church Events 7 General Team News 8 Dates for the Diary 8 Community Events and Notices 9 Rainfall in December 2016 13 St Mary the Virgin, Holne 15 St Raphael, Huccaby 21 St John the Baptist, Leusdon 23 St Gabriel, Postbridge 25 St Pancras, Widecombe-in-the-Moor 33 Dunstone & Poundsgate Chapels 38 2 The Parish Letter From Geoffrey: Bishop Nick, our Suffragan Bishop is coming to visit us this month! We have three bishops in our Diocese. Bishop Robert, the Bishop of Exeter – the boss, and two Suffragan bishops – Bishop Nick (the Bishop of Plymouth) and Bishop Sarah (the Bishop of Crediton). The word Suffragan is derived from the Latin word Suffragium – which means “support” as in suffrage – the right to vote to support someone, or in this case, a supporting bishop. Bishop Robert shortly after his appointment set out his plan for the bishops to engage more with all the parishes across the Diocese, so the three bishops have divided up the Diocese between them, and every Deanery is having a three day visit from a bishop. For us, it’s our Bishop of Plymouth – Bishop Nick and he is coming this month from 10th to 12th February. He’s taking part in a wide range of activities across our Deanery, which covers Moretonhampstead, Bovey Tracey, Chudleigh, Ashburton and a lot of Dartmoor! His visit has two main themes – engaging with our local communities, and supporting the church members. The high-point of his visit is on the Sunday morning (12th) when he will be leading a combined communion service for the whole deanery in the largest church in the patch – Chudleigh. Everyone is invited, and to highlight the importance of this service, there will be no services in our benefice that day – the place to be is Chudleigh. Please ask your churchwardens if you would like a lift. The music will be great, and singers and instrumentalists are being invited to contribute. It will be a wonderful celebration, in particular when so many people are gathered together the atmosphere is very different. There will be an opportunity after the service to put any questions to the bishop. A smaller gathering at the Edgemoor Hotel on Saturday 11th at 9.30 is for Clergy, PCC members, Churchwardens, assistant Churchwardens and any other leaders, where the bishop will be giving a presentation on “Sharing the Vision”. I’d expect that from this there will come out much to be discussed at our Team Council and PCC meetings over the next months. contd: Page 5 3 Churchwardens St Mary the Virgin, Holne Any queries either to Gillian Parker (see below) or Marion Kaye (see Page 2 for details) St Raphael, Huccaby Gillian Parker Thimble Hall, Hexworthy, PL20 6SD 01364 631507 [email protected] St John the Baptist, Leusdon Geoff Bamsey 26 Old Manor Close, Holne Cross, TQ13 7JF 01364 652820 [email protected] Shan Palmes 3 Dunstone Cottages, Widecombe, TQ13 7TH 01364 621573 [email protected] St Gabriel, Postbridge Annie Smerdon The Stores, Postbridge, PL20 6TH 01822 880201 [email protected] Wendy Watson Middle Merripit Farm, Postbridge, PL20 6TJ 01822 880215 [email protected] St Pancras, Widecombe Michael Pascoe Wooder Bungalow, Widecombe, TQ13 7TR 01364 621333 [email protected] Penny Whale Wayside, Widecombe in the Moor, TQ13 7TA 01364 621411 [email protected] St Andrews, Ashburton William West Tawstock, Knowle Close, Ashburton TQ13 7RA 01364 652666 [email protected] Bill Shapley 18 Beverley Gardens, Ashburton, TQ13 7BL 01364 652263 [email protected] St Mary the Virgin, Bickington Peter Warren Rentor, Bickington 01626 821213 [email protected] St Peter, Buckland in the Moor Stephanie Palk Halsanger Manor 01364 652430 [email protected] Vida Pascoe 14 Balland Park, Ashburton 01364 653312 For all editorial information - copy date, my contact details etc. please see inside back cover. Moorland Team Officers Treasurer Francis Parffrey Hillcrest, Bowden Hill, Ashburton TQ13 7EA 01364 654067 [email protected] Secretary Gillian Parker Thimble Hall, Hexworthy, PL20 6SD 01364 631507 [email protected] Protection Officer Judy Southcombe [email protected] 4 And then there is one specific meeting just for Churchwardens and Deputy Churchwardens of the Ashburton and Moorland Benefice. It’s over lunch at the Edgemoor Hotel also on Saturday at 12.30. This is a rare opportunity for us to engage with our bishop and discuss issues of importance with him. Personally I’m looking forward to three other visits that the bishop is making and which I will be attending. He’s coming to tea at East Shallowford! This is the Christian Charity set up by Elizabeth Braund 40 years ago just outside Widecombe which owns and runs a farm for city children to visit. A group will be present from London, and the bishop will hear at first hand their enthusiasm for coming to the farm! Also with a focus on children, the bishop is visiting South Dartmoor Community College to meet the Head, the sixth form and the College Chaplains, of which I am one. My guess is the children will come with the toughest questions of all for the bishop! And then the third meeting I’m involved in is with the Dartmoor National Park, with a high-level meeting with the DNP and the National Trust about the Future of Dartmoor Communities with the theme “How Can the Churches Help” This visit is a unique opportunity for us all – do make the best use of it you can. With every blessing, Geoffrey PARISH OFFICE in Ashburton is open Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 10 - 11 am 01364 654280 email: [email protected] Holy Communion Midweek & At Home There is a service of Communion at home Holy Communion every Wednesday If you are unable to get to church because at 1030 of ill health or loss of mobility and would at St. Andrew’s Church like to receive communion at home please in Ashburton contact a member of the Ministry Team. You will be most welcome! (see p.2 for contact details) 5 Church Services for February 2017 February 5th 4th Sunday before Lent Green Isaiah 58: 1-9a ; Psalm 112: 1-9; ! Corinthians 2: 1-12; Matthew 5: 13-20 Widecombe 08.00 Holy Communion Bickington 09.00 Holy Communion Holne 10.30 Holy Communion Ashburton 10.30 Family Worship Widecombe 10.30 Family Worship Buckland 15.00 Evening Prayer Leusdon 16.00 Evening Prayer February 12th 3rd Sunday before Lent Green Chudleigh 10.30 Deanery Holy Communion with Bishop Nick McKinnel, Bishop of Plymouth All are welcome ! If you need/ can offer a lift please let to your Churchwardens know. February 19th 2nd Sunday before Lent Green Genesis 1: 1 - 2:3; Psalm 136; Romans 8: 18-25; Matthew 6: 25- end Huccaby 09.00 Holy Communiion Ashburton 10.30 Holy Communion Widecombe 10.30 Holy Communion Bickington 10.30 Family Worship Holne 10.30 Family Worship Buckland 15.00 Holy Communion Leusdon 12.00 Holy Communiion Postbridge 18.00 Evening Prayer February 26th Sunday next before Lent Green Exodus 24: 12-end; Psalm 2; 2 Peter 1: 16 - end; Matthew 17: 1-9 Bickington 10.30 Benefice Holy Communion LENT GROUPS FOR 2017 Ashburton and the Moorland Team are planning to have three groups: Ashburton - Monday mornings at 10.15am in the Church Hall starting 6th March Ashburton - An evening group (time and venue to be decided) Widecombe - An evening group at the Vicarage (day/time to be decided) BOOK it in your DIARY More details next month 6 Church Events Messy Church (All Age Worship) Thursday Feb 9th St Andrew’s Church Hall. We have had a wonderful week with our Messy Church families. On Sunday Zachary was christened and we had a wonderful service with our All Age Family worship. It was Epiphany last weekend so we looked at the story of the four Fun with singing, craft, kings. Geoff rey had us all booing Herod and cheering the three kings. Then he hot meal and friendship. asked us why a log of wood can be so valuable to some poor families just as a For families and everyone. bott le of water can also be priceless. Family Service Today we have had Messy Church and looked at Simeon and Anna’s testi mony St Andrew’s Church that Mary and Joseph’s baby was our Saviour and broadcast this to everyone. Feb 5th 10.30am We sang “Shine Jesus Shine” and “Go tell it on the Mountain” with Barbara’s Messy Church help, who also danced with our children. Sharing skills between diff erent Thursday Feb 9th 3.30pm generati ons on one table Kevin Hooke taught blanket sti tch and showed a few St Andrew’s Hall boys how to embroider bookmarks.