News from our Parish
As I write this on 2nd January I want to wish all readers a very Happy and Blessed New Year. Just sorry it will be a bit belated when you read it!
Well, didn’t we close 2019 with a “BANG”! Being unavoidably absent I still heard what a fantastic time was had in Church, with the congregation overflowing at the Carol Service and, overall the services, well over 600! The many faces who we don’t often see were really welcome by the regular family of worshipers; if just a few of those found enough inspiration from the Christmas Story to encourage them to return to Christian worship on a more regular basis, they can be assured of a warm welcome back.
We have plenty of facilities for Children during the Church services, so do bring them along too! And don’t forget the well-loved Church Family Breakfasts, a wholly different form of worship for young and not-so-young alike, on the second Sunday in each month, most often at the School but twice a year in the Church.
There were so many things happening outside Church, too; for instance the wonderful Christmas lunch party that Erica Loram put on, to share her own family Christmas with people who would otherwise have been alone. What an inspired interpretation of the Christmas Story! Perhaps something to encourage all of us to bring lonely outsiders into our daily lives in the Name of Christ.
The New Year looks to be bringing a close some uncertainties, even if flagging up some new ones, but perhaps we will all have more confidence to get on with our lives after three years of stagnation. Whether we like it or not, at least we now know who will be governing the country for the next 5 years and we must just knuckle down and get on with it. As Christians we have a duty to lead our fellow citizens in acceptance of the present situation and to avoid harking back to what we might have preferred.
As Rev. Mark said in his Advent sermon, Jesus’ ministry was not a ministry of judgment and retribution; it was a ministry of healing and reconciliation. As we work our way through the coming weeks and months we must all hold this important message in our hearts and show it in our deeds.
As I write, our local current co-operative endeavour is the ongoing Churchyard Bio-Diversity Project. There are many conflicting interests, as will have been seen last year on the Chagford Hub. Although the final decisions are legally in the hands of the Rector and Wardens, all these potential conflicts need to be reconciled by discussion and consultation. In this we are fortunate in having, not only the professional expertise of our appointed consultant Nick Allison, but an army of skilled and passionate volunteers who are most welcome for their enthusiasm and energy in helping to make things actually happen!
Hopefully, by the time we go to press, a revised Management Plan for 2020 will have been agreed and available for people to look at (and, if you wish, commented on; everyone’s opinion is valued by the team). We are also grateful to Chris Cork and his team for the care and personal interest he takes in his church yard maintenance work through the year.
Blessings to all!
Timothy Garratt (Churchwarden)