THE HARVEST OF HOPE GOOD NEWS FROM THE DIOCESE OF EXETER | September 2018 SPOTLIGHT The Revd Preb Nick Shutt Acting Archdeacon of Plymouth LIGHT UP LIVES ON THE NEXT WITH CHRISTIAN BISHOP OF AID ello, I’m Nick Shutt, acting Archdeacon of network of parish churches faithfully serving the people CREDITON Plymouth. I’m pleased to be able to share of Devon with joy. the good news with you this month. As So, in my view, rumours of the death of the church are Church Commissioners support diocesan bid to make vibrant new Christian communities August gives way to September we are all much exaggerated and we have plenty of reasons for on the lookout for that Indian Summer – hope. The Transforming Plymouth Together network is Hthe hope that we can winkle out a few more days of delivering some great work. Over the summer, churches sunshine before autumn really hits us. As the harvest across Plymouth have helped feed 5000 children who CHURCH PLANTS IN PLYMOUTH is being gathered in, we notice the evenings drawing might otherwise have gone hungry. in as the summer influx of holidaymakers gradually The challenges we face as a church are real; I don’t declines. Our arterial roads are less crowded with cars want to underplay them, but I believe we have many SCOOP £2.24 MILLION FUNDING and caravans and as the holidaymakers make their way reasons to be thankful to God, so let’s continue to get THE Church of England has be served by a home from our county, we hope they will take with on the front foot for mission: announced a major multi-million priest and youth them fantastic memories of a great time sampling the Jesus told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the pound project to create new, workers. There will delights of Devon – our Moors and tors, our beaches, workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, vibrant church communities in three be a keen focus our market towns and cities – and our churches. to send out workers into his harvest field.” Plymouth estates. on working with Harvest marks the culmination of The Church Commissioners have families, children the growing season; it brings with agreed to a funding bid by the and young people it a sense of completeness – or as Diocese of Exeter and will contribute in new and Keats put it: a season of “mellow 75% of the total £2.24 million. The creative ways. fruitfulness”. money will come over five years and There will Yet September also marks new will mainly be used to fund people also be a strong beginnings as children and young to work in the local communities. emphasis on people return to schools, colleges The Diocese will co-ordinate the working with the and universities. balance of the funding and has award-winning debt management is that over six years this investment In Plymouth we are looking for already invested in managing the charity, Christians Against Poverty will result in up to nine new churches a harvest as we plant new church project to get it to this stage. (CAP). In each of the three parishes in and around Plymouth. congregations in the developing new The initial phase will see new there will be a part-time CAP debt The Bishop of Plymouth, the town of Sherford and in some of our church communities planted in management coach, a Job Club Rt Revd Nick McKinnel, said: “I parishes within the City of Plymouth three Plymouth estates: Whitleigh, and the CAP Money Course, to help am delighted that the Church itself. We have a resource church at St Ernesettle, and North Prospect. They people learn how to budget and Commissioners have seen the merits Matthias catering for our burgeoning will use existing church buildings, plan their finances. of the project and am grateful for this student population. We also have a but will seek to establish vibrant Each of the newly planted churches significant investment in Plymouth. and contemporary worshipping will be expected to become self- It is exciting to hear after much communities in these areas where sustaining within the five-year planning that the project has the go- more traditional congregations have funding period, and will also be ahead and we are going to be able EXETER.ANGLICAN.ORG sadly dwindled over recent decades. expected to resource further plants to engage with these communities Each new church community will in three and five years’ time. The hope in a new and exciting way.” @CofEDevon Diocese of Exeter cofedevon EXETER.ANGLICAN.ORG @CofEDevon Diocese of Exeter cofedevon This month, we chat to the next Bishop LIGHT UP LIVES WITH of Crediton, the Venerable Jackie Searle. The current Archdeacon of Gloucester CHRISTIAN AID will be consecrated on September 27 in This year’s Christian Aid Harvest Appeal is ring-fenced Southwark Cathedral and her welcome to a specific programme - helping to empower rural service will be in Exeter Cathedral at 4pm women through access to sustainable energy. Solar panels are transforming lives in Ethopia, enabling on October 14. She originally trained as a women to run shops and enjoy a new degree of control primary school teacher and was among over their lives. Solar lamps in the home mean children the first women to be ordained priest can complete homework after dark and are not reliant on smoky fires to provide light. Freeing women from when she was a curate in London. collecting firewood for light also not only protects them from the threat of attack but helps to limit deforestation in the area as well. Spotlight on the next This year, your gift goes even further. Every £1 you give Studying by the light of a solar lamp. will be worth £5, thanks to funding from the European Union. That is five times the number of lives you can For more information, visit the website at www. transform this year. christianaid.org.uk Bishop of Crediton How did you come to faith? me to say prayer, Bible, the Eucharist, worship, study, EXCITING TIMES FOR SHERFORD CHURCH PLANT I grew up in a Christian home and always had a sense of church - all are essential for ministry, and in truth for all God being around. I remember kneeling by my bed when of us as ways of growing in relationship with God. I am It’s all new beginnings for the village of Sherford as a growing the Kingdom in this lovely part of Devon. I was quite young, 5 or 6 years old, and inviting Jesus into sustained (and at times kept going) by having colleagues new church is launched in a new primary school this “Our hope is that between the 12 of us and a handful my life. I don’t think you are ever too young or too old to and friends who are real, honest and encouraging. September. of interested people from the community, we will have do this, and I can honestly say that through the ups and A small group of people from the local church in 20 - 30 on a Sunday morning, and perhaps more for the downs of life he has never left. However our faith journey When / where do you feel at your most spiritual? Elburton have decided to plant a new church and the launch which is at 10am on September 16 at Sherford starts, it is a continual, daily turning towards God; it is the Those times when suddenly conscious of God’s presence - first service will be on September 16. Vale Primary School.” pilgrimage of a life time. a moment of laughter with a friend, walking in a beautiful The Revd Tom Brassil, the minister for Sherford, said: * See back page comment place, in an ancient church. I have “This is a really exciting venture for us in our work of “Our hope is that between the 12 of us and a handful of When did you first feel called to ordination? “However our faith a prayer corner in my study - it is In my teens and early twenties I had wondered important to me to have a place OPEN UP YOUR CHURCHES! whether God might call me to some kind of journey starts, it is to be still and to consciously enter full time ministry, but this was alongside a prayer even though I pray on the Congregations across the county are being invited If you would like more information about the day or a continual, daily strong sense of vocation to teaching. I was go and know that God is with us all to throw open their church doors to raise money and to download a participation form, visit the website www. teaching in London and my church was full turning towards the time. promote their beautiful buildings. devonhistoricchurchestrust.co.uk of people my age, and with a history as a Devon Historic Churches Trust (DHCT) is holding its God; it is the ‘sending church’ - nurturing vocations of all What plans do you have for your annual fundraising day, incorporating the national kinds. I had a growing sense that God might pilgrimage of a new role as Bishop of Crediton? Ride+Stride event, on September 8, a day to promote be calling me to ordination, which at that time Initially, getting to know people church buildings, raise funds and support communities. lifetime.” for women was as a deacon. If anyone reading and places, understanding more of Judith Kauntze, DHCT county organiser, said: “The this is wondering whether God is calling them the county and Diocese, finding out event is a great way to celebrate our glorious Christian - to any kind of ministry – please listen to that sense and what is going well and maybe where things are not going architectural heritage.