If you’re viewing this page on a phone or tablet, please turn to view in landscape mode, thank you. If you can’t see the list of services on the right hand side please use the connecting links or scroll down for these and other events and information.

New and events summary

Our new Oversight Minister, Revd. Jo Northey, has spent her first weeks travellnig around the benefice and attending services. We are delighted to welcome Revd. Jo and are looking forward to working with her.

We’re also pleased that Rev. Laura continues to be our curate!

No doubt changes will be coming in the near future as Revd. Jo gets to work – the first joint meeting will be held in the near future. In the meantime, please continue to contact your churchwardens for any matters (see panel at right) or use the general email stgermanspriory@gmail.com

Our Worship

Details of our regular Sunday worship can be found here.

(Photo by Joshua Eckstein on Unsplash)

Pub theology successfully returned to the pub, now meeting at the Halfway House, Polbathic. The meetings run from 7.30 – 9pm on the fourth Monday

• St Nics lunches Next event….October, date TBA

• Other events in the Benefice:
  • Harvest Tea at St Mary’s Sheviock, 5pm on Sunday 10th September
  • All age service of thanksgiving and blessing of our pets in Sheviock Churchyard, Sunday 1st October at 3pm
• Other events of interest:
  • Men’s Retreat Weekend at Buckfast Abbey with St Martin’s, Liskeard. Held between 22nd and 24th September.
  • Book of Revelation short course. Tuesdays 12th September to 28th November 9:30-1pm at St Matts Church, Plymouth, PL4 8HF
  • SAT-7 – Dare To Believe event – Saturday 14th October in Exeter
• Click here for details of the events briefly described above.

Next steps for On The Way

Deanery Synod – the next meeting will be on Thursday 28th September, 7pm for 7.30 at Bishop Cornish school. This follows a very pleasasnt and useful informal meeting organised by Revd. Lynn in July. Current Deanery Synod reps are invited to attend the September meeting where officers will be formalised together with updates for the On The Way Process and general Deanery matters.

Appointment of the new Rural Dean/Strategic Lead
Archdeacon Kelly has recently told us that Revd Michael Johnson, at present Vicar in the Team Ministry for the Benefice of Beaconsfield in the Diocese of Oxford, is to be the Rural Dean and Strategic Lead in East Wivelshire Deanery. The post is an integral part of the On The Way process, appointing a stipendiary minister with oversight of the whole Deanery. It is currently anticipated that Revd Michael will be licensed in January next year.

Christians Against Poverty (CAP)
Extending the reach of CAP is a critical part of the Deanery Plan, taking the church into the community and providing concrete help to those in need.

The process is advancing as previously reported. Melissa has been appointed as a Debt Coach for CAP for the PL10 and PL11 areas and is very busy in her training at present. Melissa will provide updates as appropriate describing her role in CAP, which will be circulated separately from this newsletter and her third update has been distributed. Please have a look at this and think about how you might be involved.

The Diocese has just approved a 10 year plan that links the Deanery On The Way plans with Diocesan plans. You can read this by clicking this link: https://trurodiocese.org.uk/2023/05/diocesan-ten-year-plan-approved/

The Deanery Website will continue to carry the latest news for On The Way. Here’s the link to the website:

https://sites.google.com/view/east-wivelshire-deanery/on-the-way

Ukraine

We continue to pray for the people of Ukraine, and also for those in Russia at this critical time. Let’s also remember the countless other people in Yemen, Syria and so many other countries in our troubled world.

Click here for a letter from our Archbishops.

Click here for a form of prayer from the 24-7 Prayer group (Lectio 365)

Safeguarding Update for PCCs

All PCC members are required to complete the Basic Awareness Course every three years, the link for the course is here: https://safeguardingtraining.cofeportal.org

Churchwardens must also complete the Leadership level every three years, please do check if you are in date, courses can be booked here: https://trurodiocese.org.uk/resources/safeguarding/training-safeguarding/leadership-training/

DBS checks are now valid for three years, while each Parish Safeguarding Officer (PSO) will keep an eye on this please do check your own certificate and ask the PSO for help to renew it if it was issued prior to 2019.

PCCs will also need to check they are compliant with the new Safer Recruitment procedures. https://www.churchofengland.org/sites/default/files/2019-10/ParishSafeGuardingHandBookAugust2019Web.pdf

Home/Small Groups

Home Groups will be launching in the Benefice this September.  Those of you who have previously been involved in such groups will know that Home Groups are an important part of nurturing a church community, they keep the fire of faith burning between Sundays and therefore raise the spiritual temperature that we start from on a Sunday – we’ve already seen this effect through the weekday Zoom services.

The groups will meet weekly at a time to suit the group members and each group would have 6-8 people. The groups can use the time to discuss that week’s sermon, for prayer and fellowship.

Home Groups need a leader and a host, this may be the same person or it may be two people who pair up to run a Home Group.  Hospitality (Gospeltality!) is a key part of this; however it doesn’t need to take place in someone’s home.  Zoom could also be used to help accessibility for a group – although that does make offering coffee and cake slightly harder!

Thank you to those who have responded, we do have space for more groups though.  Once our leaders are in place, we will be looking for group members.  If leading is not for you, at this moment, do keep an eye out for information on how to join a group.

Newsletter

Our newsletter has been replaced by a diary of weeklyish events, which will be reflected here. If you’re not on the mailing list please email stgermanspriory@gmail.com with your details.

• Covid restrictions – we are currently reviewing our policies in the light of the forthcoming removal of restrictions.  We remain mindful of the government emphasis on all of us taking care of our own well being and safety. Our policies are designed to respect those in our congregations who are more vulnerable, and those who wish to continue with the restrictions. Mindful of the anxieties from our congregation and visitors, the churches have a responsibility to support public health. We will therefore continue to strongly encourage all our visitors to sanitise hands and practice social distancing where appropriate. Wearing of masks is optional.
  • Our worship patterns will remain the same.
  • Holy Communion will continue to be in one kind (the bread) only.
  • All our churches are open to visitors as places of interest, prayer and reflection.
  • We will continue to monitor and evaluate the situation and may change our advice as deemed necessary.

Online options

There are many options for worship and prayer online….

Or you could still listen to one of the many radio options – Radio 4, Radio Cornwall offer services on a Sunday around 8am.

Or you could look at: Church of England website that now has more services to join – or at many churches and cathedrals up and down the country who have other offerings

A very good resource is https://www.churchofengland.org/more/media-centre/church-online

Browse a whole range of prayers you can choose from to read – or listen to:

Or using your computer, tablet or phone (as you prefer) and from your web browser access morning and evening prayer using this link:

Click here and choose what you need.

To read or hear the prayer for today, click on this link: http://cofe.io/TodaysPrayer

Browse around the various pages and you’re sure to find something that interests you.

Alternatively download an App for your tablet or phone. Church House Publishing or provide a number of these Apps and these can be downloaded from https://www.chpublishing.co.uk/apps/daily-prayer

Click here to go back to top

~   News and Events in the Parish   ~

St Nic’s Lunches

Next lunch will be in October.

TBA….

Contact Rosemary (stggp.churchwarden1@gmail.com) or Paul (stggp.churchwarden2@gmail.com)
to book a space

As always, no charge, but donations welcome.

Pub Theology

Meet at the Halfway House, Polbathic, 4th Monday of the month, 7.30-9.00pm.

Next meeting in September

A chance to discuss ideas and thoughts about all matter of things theological.

After a short introduction of 5 minutes (or more), the conversation is open.

Provisional autumn programme:

For enquiries or suggestions, ring Richard Laugharne (01503-230333) or email on richard.laugharne@nhs.net

All welcome! Click here to go back to top.

2023 Events at St Germans Priory Church

Friday 29th September: Evensong with the Bishop of St Germans and the Roman Catholic Bishop of St Germans

Bell ringing practice every Thursday evening

Events in the Benefice

A Service of Harvest Thanksgiving at St. Mary’s, Sheviock.

The service will be followed by a traditional Harvest Tea.

Please bring a harvest donation of food stuffs suitable for the Foodbank – see list at left

ALL CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL!
A short all-age service of
Thanksgiving and Blessing
for our Pets in
Sheviock Churchyard
(or inside if wet)

3pm on Sunday 1st. October
Followed by tea and pet refreshments.

Other Events of Interest

Men’s Retreat Weekend at Buckfast Abbey with St Martin’s, Liskeard

SAT-7 – Dare To Believe event – Saturday 14th October in Exeter

If you’d like to go along talk to Matt Frost or register online at
Register

Parish Contacts

Oversight minister: Revd. Jo Northey is our new oversight Minister. For the time being The main point of contact for all matters are the parish wardens. For weddings, funerals, baptisms and church services please make contact using the list below.

The general email for the parish is stgermanspriory@gmail.com

Curate: Rev. Laura Bushell-Hawke

Parish Wardens: Paul Gribble (stggp.churchwarden2@gmail.com) and Rosemary Stevenson (stggp.churchwarden1@gmail.com)

Readers/Licensed Lay Ministers: Richard Laugharne, Margaret Sylvester-Thorne, David Watters, Matt Frost

For weddings, baptisms, funerals and church services:  David Watters and Margaret Sylvester-Thorne

Children’s work:Evelyn Reed, David Watters, Margaret Sylvester-Thorne, Rev Laura Bushell-Hawke

Messy Church: Evelyn Reed

For buildings and general parish enquiries: the Parish Wardens:   Paul Gribble and Rosemary Stevenson

For Safeguarding:  David Watters

Pastoral Visitors Team:  Vacant

Parish Giving Scheme:  Paul Gribble

Finances: the Treasurer, Paul Gribble

Electoral Roll: Rosemary Stevenson

Enquiries about individual churches:

Downderry:  Andrew Pidgen

Hessenford: Margaret Sylvester-Thorne or Fiona Bristow

St Germans: Richard Laugharne

Tideford: Evelyn Reed

Deanery Synod Reps:  Richard Laugharne and Paul Gribble

Cashiers: Paul Gribble – St Germans; Tim Pullin – Downderry; Hugh Parker – Tideford and Fiona Bristow – Hessenford.

Additional PCC Members from May 2023

Tim Pullin, Tilly Thompson, Yvonne Byles, Hugh Parker, Dawn Couling, Fiona Bristow, and Bill Woods.

Hire and other info on St Germans Priory Church for events:

The St Germans Priory Trust:   www.stgermanspriory.info

Hire of the Church Hall in Hessenford:  http://www.hessenford.net

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