Benefice Quiet Day  on Tuesday 27^th November 2018 at Buckfast Abbey, from 9.30 am to 5 pm

led by The Venerable John Reed

“Let me seek you in longing; long for you in seeking.

 let me find you in love and love you in finding” 

Anselm

This day provides time and space away from your daily surroundings and preoccupations. It is a time for God and you. So, I will aim to keep verbiage to a minimum and let music and silence become the better vehicles for the refreshment of your soul. Advent has been described as ‘the time for adults to prepare to let in the child’. Advent recalls God’s ‘adventure’ – the time leading up to his coming to us in The Word made Flesh, the child of Bethlehem, Jesus. I encourage you to take this time away before the start of Advent and look forward to sharing it with you.

Please sign up at the back of church if you would like to attend the Quiet Day, or let the Parish Office know (01822 616673). The cost of the day per person is £15 to include refreshments, but not lunch.  If you need help with transport, please let us know. We shall be based in the Dart View No. 1 meeting room in the Conference Centre at Buckfast Abbey.

Steven Martin.

Following the plan to do more fundraising there is to be an Auction of Gifts and Talents in the Town Hall on Friday 19 October at 7 pm. It is open to everyone. So far, there are many kind offers including a weekend for two in a local delightful holiday cottage, deliveries of logs, therapies, gardening, silver cleaning, wines, baking, pictures, etc. Tickets, £4, will soon be available to include a drink and a catalogue of bid items. This is to help raise funds for our Church. Drakes Auctions will officiate and value your gifts. If you have a gift to offer, a talent or professional service for an hour which can be auctioned, please get in touch with me on 610262, or leave a note at the Parish Office for me to contact you. Pat Warne

Building Work at Tavistock Catholic Church

Construction work is due to begin at the Catholic Church from September which means the building will be closed to the public from Monday to Friday each week. Following a request for help from Fr John, and having sought agreement from Bishop Robert, the PCC and I have agreed that Tavistock Parish Church may be used on a temporary basis to enable their midweek services to take place on a Monday, Tuesday and Thursday morning. Chris Hardwick

Harvest Festival

Following last year’s highly successful appeal, we will again be donating any produce to the Tavistock Food Bank. We would also like to support the Shekinah Mission with any financial donations.

Thank you once again for your support. Hilary Johnson

Historic Churches Ride & Stride Day Saturday 8 September

We will be serving coffee from 9.30 am – 11.30 am and cream teas from 1.30 pm – 3 pm (wedding at 12.30 pm). Messy Church will follow this.

There will also be a craft stall. Please come and support us. Craft Group

CDs and DVDs wanted for sale at our Friendly Friday coffee mornings. Please leave in the Parish Office. Thank you. Shirley Martin

Steven’s ordination to the priesthood will take place on Saturday, 24^th September at 4 pm in St Eustachius’s Church. All are welcome to this service and to the refreshments afterwards. Steven will be ordained alongside two other deacons from Plymouth: Leo and Carl. Please remember them, and Sue Tucker (to be made deacon on 11^th September), and all those to be ordained at this time, in your prayers. If you would like one of Steven’s ember cards, these will be available on Sundays in church. Ember cards are traditional prayer cards (of a size to fit between the pages of a bible or prayer book) to remind people to pray for those being ordained and those whom they serve.

The first time a newly ordained priest celebrates the Eucharist is a very special occasion as he begins his or her new ministry.  Steven will celebrate the Eucharist for the first time on Sunday, 25^th September at St Eustachius’s at 9.45 am, followed by refreshments.  All are encouraged to attend this service and other morning services within the benefice have been re-scheduled in order to enable all of those from across the three parishes to attend. Within this first Eucharist, Steven will also baptise his and Caroline’s son, Henry. At the end of the service, Steven will give First Blessings to any individuals who wish to receive one. This custom of First Blessings is an ancient tradition whereby the newly anointed hands of the priest (sanctified by the Holy Spirit through the bishop with the holy Oil of Chrism) are used to give God’s blessing for the first time.

It is customary for the new priest to celebrate two other ‘First Masses’, in thanksgiving and to mark this important transition in his ministry. These will take place on Monday, 26^th September at 10 am at St Michael de Rupe, Brent Tor, where Steven will offer a sung Eucharist (with incense), in thanksgiving for the unique witness and ministry of Mary, the Mother of God. This service will last no longer than an hour, and all are welcome to attend.

On Tuesday, 27^th September at 10 am at St Paul’s Gulworthy, Steven will offer a requiem in thanksgiving for his departed family, friends and benefactors. This service will last about 30 minutes. Again, all are welcome to attend.

PEOPLE in Tavistock Deanery are being invited to meet the Bishop of Exeter when he pays a three-day visit this month.

On Sunday, June 19, Bishop Robert will be at Tavistock Parish Centre to join an open discussion group with churchwardens, parochial church council members, school heads, foundation governors and youth leaders, who will explore ways of furthering their work.

The two-hour event will follow tea and cakes at 3.30pm and a short service of Compline will be held at St Eustachius Church at 6.30pm.

On both Monday 20^th and Tuesday 21^st, the Bishop will attend 8am Morning Prayer. On Monday he will meet with Chapter members at 9.30am in the Parish Centre, followed by a working lunch with farmers at New Court Farm, Lamerton.

Also on Monday, at 7pm, at St Paul’s Church Hall, Yelverton, Bishop Robert will attend an open event for people involved in evangelism, when refreshments will be followed by a discussion on sharing good practice in areas such as Messy Church, Open the Book and Church trails. The Bishop will also speak about the Church of England’s ‘Pilgrim Course’, of which he is co-author.

On Tuesday 21, at 11am, at Lamerton Village Hall, the Bishop will lead a two-hour workshop on ‘Growing in Prayer’, to which everyone is invited.  Then, at 4pm, at the Parish Centre, he will meet with TACT (Tavistock Area Christians Together), CATALYST, a group of local churches working with senior schools, and Street Pastors.

Tavistock Parish Church vicar, Christopher Hardwick, said the Bishop’s visit was part of the ‘Bishops in Mission’ initiative in the Diocese.

‘He will be staying in the Deanery during this time, getting to know us better, and helping us look at new ways of nurturing disciples, spreading the good news of the Gospel and serving the people of Devon with joy.’

If you are interested in attending an event contact the Parish Office on 01822 616673.

For catering at Yelverton, ring the Rev Nick Law on 01822 840229 or email him at: www.nicklaw2@tiscali.co.uk