Prayers for Use During the Coronavirus Outbreak The Church of England has produced a pocket-sized booklet of prayers for personal or group use at this challenging time in our lives, when we are struggling to find words to express how we feel. The booklet also includes a simple form of prayer to say each morning and evening. If you would like a copy, please let Helen know asap and an order will be placed. News contributions If you have a poem, a recipe, an anecdote or anything else to share for the June newsletter, please send them to Helen.

Contacts

Priest-in-Charge The Revd Helen Blaine The Vicarage, Torrington Road, Winkleigh, EX19 8HR 01837 83710 revhelenblaine@outlook.com Normal day off - Friday or Saturday Resources for worship can be found on www.achurchnearyou.com (search for your church). Follow us on Facebook for updates, news and pictures - ‘Winkleigh Mission Community’ Church wardens Winkleigh Marjorie Bowers 01837 83585 Sylvia Smith 01837 83132 Ashreigney James Lewis 01769 520647 Broadwoodkelly Max Clover 01837 83929 Brushford Nigel Nightingale 01837 83288

News

May 2020 A note from the Vicarage

Since the start of the Coronavirus pandemic, the rainbow has become the symbol associated with it. Windows across the land are filled with many beautiful creations with accompanying messages of thanks and support for the NHS and key workers. There is something rather cheery about a rainbow, the burst of colour across the sky, dispelling the rain clouds and reminding us that the sun is there. The rainbow is of course a deeply biblical image, associated with probably one of the best known bible stories - Noah and the ark. A symbol of hope and of God’s covenant with all the earth. But the narrative of Noah wasn’t just about a great flood and a beautiful rainbow in the sky and it can teach us much at this time. Noah was faithful to God even when those around him were corrupt and violent, even when he must have been ridiculed for his building project! We need to remain faithful to God even when people question where God is in this current situation, even when death and disease leave us asking - why God?

The WinkleighMission Community

The building of the ark was no quick DIY job, read Genesis 6:11-22 to find the building instructions! Yet Noah did as God asked and persevered. He focussed on the task in hand and got on with the job. Life may feel frustrating right now, we wish we could see friends and family, go out and go to church. Yet we too also need to persevere, to focus on the task in hand, stay inside and stay safe. Finally, Noah had hope, hope that as he sent the dove out that dry land would eventually appear. We have hope too, we have the hope that this crisis will come to an end, hope that we will at the very least learn to live with its presence in the world. But we also have hope through Christ. God’s rainbow was a sign of his covenant with all people, Christ’s death and resurrection is the fulfilment of that promise once and for all. In Christ we have hope, the hope that one day death and pain will be no more and the hope of eternity. We are Easter people, let us proclaim that hope to the world. Helen A prayer for May Risen Christ, you fill your disciples with boldness and fresh hope: strengthen us to proclaim your risen life and fill us with your peace, to the glory of God the Father. Amen Pray during May for….

v Farmers and all who keep us fed.

v Local businesses at these uncertain times.

v Children and young people.

v Those displaced by war and famine.

v Our Mission Community.

Finance The coronavirus pandemic and subsequent lockdown has caused financial implications for many people, business and organisations. As churches we are not exempt from this impact. Much of our income comes from donations, with the majority being from the Sunday collection. Across the four churches of our Mission Community we have a fairly low percentage of people committing to giving regularly, the rest making donations when they attend church. We also rely on fundraising activities for some income which obviously cannot take place under the current restrictions. Despite the fact that our buildings are closed, the church is not. Helen is still working, still delivering Sunday services and still providing pastoral care. We still need to pay our electricity bills, insurance, maintain our churchyards and to make our Common Fund payments. Looking to the future we need to be ready and able to continue to be the Christian presence in our communities and to help people tell the story of their lives in the light of God’s story for the whole of the world. If we wish to have church buildings and the resources to continue our mission and ministry once this pandemic is over then we need to act now. Being part of a loving and living community of Christ’s followers does not mean a ‘pay on attendance’ membership fee but rather continual generous giving to help build the kingdom of God here and now. We give financially in response and gratitude to all that God gives us. Please take the time to prayerfully consider your giving, you may be able to increase it, give an extra or one off donation or commit to giving regularly. If you feel able to support your church please contact the appropriate person listed below:- All Saints, Winkleigh - Collin Gibson lamcrg@aol.com / 01837 680172 All Hallows, Broadwoodkelly - Alex Penny alex@croyde.co.uk / 01837 851586 St James, Ashreigney - Andrew Cracknell abrewers@btinternet.com / 01769 520750 St Mary the Virgin, Brushford - Nigel Nightingale nandjngale@hotmail.co.uk / 01837 83288

Online Services Sunday 9:30am - Morning Prayer at Home https://us04web.zoom.us/j/425738063 Tuesday 6:00pm - Prayer and Worship https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86377365482 Friday 7:30pm - Social event https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86915515501 N.B The Zoom Meeting ID is the same each week. Friday 8th May 2:30pm - VE Day Celebration https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89006025105 Thursday 21st May 10:30am - Ascension Day Service https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87550124150 Television and Radio services Songs of Praise Sundays at 1.15pm on BBC 1 Prayer for the Day daily at 5.43am on Radio 4 Sunday Worship Sundays at 8.10am on Radio 4 Daily Service Monday to Friday at 9.45am on Radio 4 Choral Evensong Wednesdays at 3.30pm, repeated Sundays at 3pm on BBC Radio 3 The Church of England has launched “Daily Hope’ this provides daily prayer and a weekly Sunday service via the telephone.

VE Day Celebrations This year marks the 75th Anniversary of VE Day. Obviously, these celebrations have been cancelled due to the current restrictions. The national organisers are encouraging people to join in with the ‘Nation’s Toast to the Heroes of WW2’ at 3pm on the 8th May. Winkleigh Mission Community will be holding a celebration via Zoom at 2:30pm to incorporate the toast, along with a time of sharing the memories of those who were there, poems, music and prayers. If you aren’t online, do join in with the toast at home with the refreshment of your choice. – “To those who gave so much, we thank you.” If you have any memories of that day, a suitable poem or piece of music and wish to share them, please contact Helen. They will feature in the June newsletter, so everyone can read them. Poem by Ann Holyoake, Brushford Going to Church is different just now There isn’t an altar before which to bow I don’t sit in a pew and feel I might freeze Or struggle to get up when I’ve knelt on my knees I sit in the comfort of my dining room And wait for an invite via something called Zoom I click on the link to see who is there And find Vicar Helen sat down in her chair My internet’s dodgy and sometimes goes down Will anyone notice I’m still in my ‘gown We have prayers and a reading and two hymns to sing And we ask God’s forgiveness for our continuing sin So modern theology has embraced new technology And we’re learning new skills as we worship Thus pathways to heaven you never would think Could be encouraged and opened by video link When Church again opens and I face there The Almighty A note to self says ‘just don’t go in your nightie!’

Foodbank At this time many more people are relying on foodbanks to help them. Donations to Okehampton Foodbank can left either in the box at the end of the Vicarage drive or in the porch if it is wet. Please only donate non-perishable items - no fruit, veg or bread. Celebrating Nurses by Ann Holyoake, Brushford During this global health crisis nurses feature daily in the news. Tuesday 12th May is International Nurses Day observed to mark the contributions nurses make to society. How fitting that the theme this year is “Nursing the World to Health”. The date this year celebrates the bicentenary of the birth of Florence Nightingale the founder of modern nursing. Miss Nightingale felt strongly that she was called from God to devote her life to the service of others and throughout her life found comfort in her religious beliefs. The field hospitals being set up to provide additional bed space at this time are termed “Nightingale Hospital” in her honour. Following her pioneering work in Turkey during the Crimea war where she became known as “The Lady with the Lamp” generous donations allowed Miss Nightingale to set up The Nightingale Training School at St. Thomas’ Hospital London in 1859. She was the first woman to receive the Order of Merit. Nurses were and still are called “Nightingales”. The present Bishop of London, Dame Sarah Mullally who was previously Bishop of Crediton is a “Nightingale” who later became the youngest Chief Nursing Officer at the Department of Health. The original design of the Nightingale badge is taken from the cross of the Knights Crusaders of St. John of Jerusalem (working today as St. John Ambulance) and is accompanied with a prayer: ‘Let us pray God, through Jesus Christ our Lord, that as we wear the sign of our redemption, so we may ever remember in our lives that its four arms symbolise the Christian virtues: Prudence, Temperance, Justice and Fortitude; that its points represent the eight Beatitudes which spring from the practice of these virtues; and that its whiteness is the emblem of that purity of life required in those who fight for the defence of the Christian faith and live for the service of the poor and suffering. Amen’