Exe Valley Mission Community

News:

Calverleigh January 2017 Round Up

Happy New Year to all and a very warm welcome to our long awaited new Rector, Steph Jeffs. We sincerely hope that you will be very happy with us in the Exe Valley.

Back on 19 November, we held our annual Autumn Fayre which saw the hall full of produce, cakes, crafts and books as well as all the usual competitions. A good selection of delicious foods was on offer provided by the hard working kitchen helpers. The support shown by so many familiar faces was greatly appreciated helping us to raise an incredible £920.21 towards church funds.

On 1 December our church hosted the Tiverton District Girlguiding Christingle Service.  The church was packed with Rainbows, Brownies, Guides and their families with standing room only. Rev’d Steph Jeffs led the service where many girls took part with readings, poems and hand chimes. Thanks to all who were involved.

An informal get-together was held in church on Sunday 4 December (a cold and frosty morning) with 15 people meeting for coffee, cake and chat. This was a lovely time of fellowship with Christmas music gently playing.

Nikki Burton led our own Christingle Service on 11 December. The service began with the lighting of the Christingle candle which was carried out by Jessica Luffman. In her talk Nik encouraged the congregation to assemble their own Christingles, which was carried out with much merriment and giggling from members who seemed to enjoy this activity – though some sweets disappeared before they reached the cocktail sticks! We would like to thank Doreen Venn who once again very kindly donated the Christingles.

December 18 saw the church packed for our Carol Service led by Rev’d Jane Wilson. The first carol began with a duet by Nik and Dave Burton singing the first verse of “Once in Royal David’s City”. This was followed by lessons and carols, with a number of children coming forward to sing “Away in a Manger”, which they did very well. There must have been some very proud parents and grandparents around the church. After the service a time of fellowship took place with mulled wine and mince pies being served. Our thanks go to all those who beautifully decorated the church and to all who took part in the service or helped with refreshments.

The Loxbeare and Calverleigh Carol Singers did the rounds over three nights (19, 21 & 23 Dec) with most houses covered. Our thanks go to all who joined together to sing (especially Ron Tidball for arranging it and keeping us all in check) and to the people who gave so generously to raise the sum of £808 for Cancer Research and Open Door. Thanks also go to the kind hosts who provided supper on each of the nights which after a lot of singing was truly appreciated.

Anna Hansford (Reader) led our Christmas Day service of Holy Communion by Extension. Many of the congregation were invited to play musical instruments during the playing of the last hymn “Hark the Herald Angels sing” and what a good impromptu and enthusiastic orchestra they turned out to be!

Rev’d Steph Jeffs led our Holy Communion service on 8 January, her first with us as our new Rector. She was welcomed on behalf of all the congregation by Jackie Herniman, who was our Parish Representative during the vacancy. 

A Service of Celebration and Thanksgiving was held on 15 December, for the life of Charles Heathcoat-Amory, who in his younger life lived at Calverleigh Court. Rev’d Colin Fox (The Hon. Chaplain to the Rifles) conducted the service to a church filled to capacity and also relayed to a full marquee on the village green. Family members and friends of Charles took part throughout the service, which he himself had prepared with great thought. Everyone who attended left the service with a real sense of the man he was.

It was with great sadness that we heard of the passing of Doreen Chaplin (Nee Cleeve), who used to live at Frogwell many years ago, before moving to Tiverton; Colin Green, a friend to many around the parish and also Mike Boynton, churchwarden and worship leader at Oakford church. Our thoughts and prayers are with all their family and friends at this very sad time and to anyone who is mourning the loss of a loved one.

Our thoughts and prayers are also with all those around the parish who have been unwell recently or for those who are waiting for, or recovering from, treatment. We hope that you will all be feeling much better soon.

We have received a letter from CHAT to say a huge thank you to all those who donated items from biscuits to toothbrushes to the Christmas Tree collection. A car-boot full of goodies and essentials were delivered to the CHAT office in Tiverton at the beginning of January. The letter is displayed in church if you would like to read it.

Congratulations to Natasha Goldsworthy and Marc Gerolimatos who got engaged on New Years Eve. We wish you every happiness together.

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