St Margaret's Church Topsham

Merry Christmas to everyone! We're looking forward to seeing you today at one of the many Christmas activities today and tomorrow (the actual Christmas Day) and wishing all of you a beautiful, happy day, however and with whomever you may spend it.

Christmas Services for Sunday 24th

Merry Christmas!

Everyone welcome in both St Luke and St Margaret's Church for the 11pm Midnight Mass on Sunday 24th of December.

Christmas Service. Sunday 24th, 6pm St Margaret's Church: Community Carols

Christmas Service. Crib/Carol Service on Sunday 24th, at 3pm at St Luke's Church

Reflect
Shepherds certainly were hard workers. Not only did they have to live alongside their anumals to take care of them, they also had a difficult and dangerous time out on the hillsides walking long distances and protecting the sheep from wild animals. Why do you think they were the first people to receive news that Jesus had been born? What do you think this says about God’s values? What sort of job might be an equivalent today? Police officers, refuse collectors, coastguards, anyone who has to work on Christmas Day? Think about people you know who do dangerous or difficult jobs and imagine them in the Christmas story.

Do
Make a card or write a note for someone you know who works really hard in any job and say “thank you” to them and show them they are valued.

Pray
Dear God, we pray for all those people who do difficult or dangerous jobs today. Thank you that you value them for who they are and what they do. Help us to do the same. Amen.

Reflect.
Make sure that you say thank you to anyone who serves you today. E.g., a supermarket checkout worker, a bus driver.

ADVANCE WARNING! PLEASE SAVE THE DATE! January 20th 2024, Matthew’s Hall. 7.30pm – 10.30pm

Topsham Two-Step with Mrs Midnight’s Ceilidh Band and Supercaller Pete Langley!

Come and bounce off your Christmas excesses!

A ceilidh folkdance to raise money for two local causes: expensive new maintenance costs for Topsham Swimming Pool’s plant room, and the renovations to St Margaret’s Church – the ‘Dream Big’ project to make the church into a space more suitable for community use. With local singers too, so you have time to catch your breath!

Monday the 11th at 10am we will have the amazing baby wisperer Karen from at Take 5 again!! An amazing bit of tips and tricks to manage the holiday period with your little one!

Family Friendly Holy Communion, Christmas Special.

Every 4th Sunday of the month, at St Margaret's Topsham, we have a family friendly service, where everyone is welcome, no matter how old or young, how much noise or quietness.

7pm Compline, zoom
8am BCP Holy Communion St Margaret‘s
10am Eucharist St Margaret‘s
10am Eucharist St Luke‘s

Saturday 24th

3pm Crib/carol service
St Luke’s
10am Family friendly Holy Communion, St Margaret’s
6pm Community Carols,
St Margaret’s
11pm Midnight Mass
St Margaret’s
11pm Midnight Mass
St Luke’s

Carols by Candlelight, 18th December, 7.30pm at St Margaret's
Directed by Tony Yates
Readings by Lily Neal
Organ & Piano: Matthew Wright, Dorothy & Tony Raven
Proceeds go to The Red Cross

Sunday 17th, Traditional Carol Service at St Margaret's Topsham.

This Sunday, 10th December at 3pm, there will be a Nativity Trail at the Forest School in Countess Wear.

Join us at our Advent Activties in the Topsham & Wear Mission Community

December 3rd 'Reflections on time in the Holy Land'. We have the opportunity to hear Anne Plested preach during the 10am service at St Margaret's, and then after coffee to hear more about her work supporting Bethlehem Bible College. Anne will be giving a talk with slides called Reflection on Time in the Holy Land, at 12noon. Please do bring your own lunch for the occasion. We have been supporting Anne for a number of years as she has served both in Bethlehem, and from within GB. I can't think of a more pressing time for us to hear directly from someone who has first hand knowledge of the situation on the ground in the Holy Land. Louise

Did you know St Margaret's Topsham is a registered Eco Church as well as a Fairtrade Church?
Amongst many other things, we have a little "eco-tip of the week" section in our Newsletter, providing tips and ideas to reduce our negative impact on the environment and accelerated climate change. This week's one is particularly poignant, as we all start the mad rush (unless you're of course super organised) trying to get stocking fillers, secret santa's and more, often useless, novelty presents. This year, let's keep our peace of mind and either donate to a charity or ask your special people what they would like or need (or which charity!)! Of course, you can always donate to at St Margaret's Church. No rush, no waste and no landfill but a lot of smiles around.
This is an opportunity to show our care for God’s creation, to reach out and connect with others in society and to show that change is possible, working together, little by little.

December 5th, 7.00pm (!!!) St Margaret’s. "CHRISTMAS SECRETS revealed in great Renaissance paintings". Entrance is free!

Robin Child is a highly experienced Director of Art who headed a large Art school at Marlborough College and lectured internationally on the language of art. He, at present, has a large research studio at Budleigh Salterton where students come from the Counties and Europe to deepen their understanding of the fascinating language all painters should know. One of the paintings he hopes to talk about is Botticelli's "Mystic Nativity".
He is coming to St Margaret’s to reveal the amazing secrets that the great Renaissance artists have included in their pictures of the Nativity."

There are so many different ways to pray. The important thing is to do just that.
Please consider a commitment to the week of guided prayer next Lent. This is a chance to deepen or establish your way of praying in the supportive presence of an experienced, trained and supervised prayer guide. It's a rare gift to be offered in our faith journey.
If there's one thing you resolve to do next year, this would be a good one.
https://media.acny.uk/media/venues/page/attachment/2023/11/leaflet_Guided_Prayer_Mission_Community.pdf

Don't forget! Tomorrow is Topsham's Big Christmas Lights Switch on and Love Topsham's Christmas Market at St Margaret's! Switch on is at 4.30pm. at Matthew's Hall, the Market starts at 5pm.

Hot of the Press - Follow the link to access our latest Newsletter.

https://mailchi.mp/89d4331172db/the-dream-big-project-newsletter-november

World Children’s Day is UNICEF’s annual day of action for children, by children, marking the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Children’s rights are human rights. But in too many places today, near and far, children’s rights are under attack.

At St Margaret's, we always make space space for children and young people and encourage them to raise their voices on the issues that matter to them. By prioritizing children's rights and participation, we can help to build a better future for all.

The 's Newsletter will come out this week!!! Get updates on the Project's progress, new and exciting events happening to fundraise ( 's Christmas Market this Friday!!) and of course, if you have a grant idea to support the fundraise efforts, do get in contact with Revd. Louise or the MC administrator!

Tomorrow, at 10 am., the Joint Service at St Margaret's will focus on Safeguarding. A huge amount of work has been done over the past years to ensure the Mission Community is not only compliant but forward thinking in how to protect children, young adults and vulnerable adults in our community, and strives to create a safer environment for everyone. Whilst we celebrate the heroes behind the scenes, like our leadership team Revds. Louise, Maggie and Peter, we acknowledge that things have gone wrong in the past and that survivors need to be center stage of our honours. Let's pray for the victims, the survivors and anyone who lived/lives with abuse.

If you feel vulnerable, trapped or threatened, please get in contact.

Both St Luke's and St Margaret's have a Safeguarding Policy and fully recognize and accept the House of Bishops’ Safeguarding Policy Statement “Making a Safer Church 2017”, as well as commit to complying with the current Church of England and Diocesan safeguarding policies and practice guidance. In so doing we will comply with the secular multi-agency safeguarding procedures relating to children and young people and adults experiencing or at risk of harm, abuse or neglect.

This means;

- Promoting a safer environment and culture;
- Safely recruiting and supporting all those with any responsibility related to children, young people and vulnerable adults within the Church;
- Responding promptly to every safeguarding concern or allegation;
- Caring pastorally for survivors of abuse and other affected persons;
- Caring pastorally for those who are the subject of concerns or allegations of abuse and other affected persons.
- Responding to those that may pose a present risk to others.

As such, all volunteers working with or in contact with children or vulnerable adults have gone through their basic awareness training, and those in close contact have gone through advanced and leadership training. The Mission Community has a social media and photo policy in place, alongside a clear reporting procedure, complaints and whistle blowing procedures and effective information sharing and record keeping. If you would like to access any of these policies or procedures, please get in contact with the Mission Community administrator via [email protected]. If you have any safeguarding concerns, please contact either Revd. Louise Grace or Katie Gray (see previous post)

If you have concerns, are worried or frightened or just want someone to talk to, we have people who will listen and believe what you have to say.

If you would like to contact someone within the leadership team, contact Revd Louise, Revd. Maggie or Revd. Peter.
Katie Gray is our Safeguarding Lead, and all queries will go through her.
If you would like to keep it low-key, there is our trusted church wardens to speak to: Caryll in St Luke's and Gill in St Margaret's.



@

4 days to go before ! God cares about protecting vulnerable people, and so do we. Share your snaps of the day using the hashtag and don’t forget to mention so they can see all of what we’ve been up to! (Please ensure you have permission to share.)
Link: thirtyoneeight.org/get-involved/safeguarding-sunday

There will be opportunity for pastoral support afterwards.

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Mission Topsham

December 5th, 7.00pm, St Margaret’s. "CHRISTMAS SECRETS revealed in great Renaissance paintings". Entrance is free!

Robin Child is a highly experienced Director of Art who headed a large Art school at Marlborough College and lectured internationally on the language of art. He, at present, has a large research studio at Budleigh Salterton where students come from the Counties and Europe to deepen their understanding of the fascinating language all painters should know. One of the paintings he hopes to talk about is Botticelli's "Mystic Nativity".
He is coming to St Margaret’s to reveal the amazing secrets that the great Renaissance artists have included in their pictures of the Nativity."

We remember with thanksgiving and sorrow
those whose lives,
in world wars and conflicts past and present,
have been given and taken away.

For civilian women, children and men
whose lives are disfigured by war or terror,
calling to mind in penitence the anger and
hatreds of humanity;
May God give peace
For peace-makers and peace-keepers, who
seek to keep this world secure and free;
May God give peace