ST GERRANS AND ST PHILLEIGH CALENDAR

March 2017

YOU MAY WISH TO CONTACT

PRIEST IN CHARGE JILL EDWARDS 01872 580117 Email jill@jilledwards.com ST GERRANS Churchwarden Anne Wesley 01872 580043 Churchwarden Kevin Pratt 01872 580251 Pew News/Calendar Sue Cunningham email office@gerransandphilleighchurches.org Facebook: www.facebook.com/st.gerrans ST PHILLEIGH Churchwarden Jim Pascoe 01872 580313 Churchwarden Kay Robinson 01872 581877 www.gerransandphilleighchurches.org

Fairtrade Supper Serving Fairtrade

and local food

6pm

Saturday

March 11th

Trelowen,

Rosevine

Please book your place at the table by phoning Margaret Davis on 01872 580714, or email Kay Robinson Kayrobinson1951@gmail.com.

All donations from the evening will go to Traidcraft Exchange, the fundraising arm of Traidcraft, our main supplier.

The meal will be suitable for vegetarians. If you have other dietary requirements please say when you book.

(Soft drinks will be served but you are welcome to bring something stronger!)

A letter from Bishop Tim

Dear Brothers and Sisters IN2 the Bible 2017 LENT CHALLENGE You may remember that in 2016 we set you a challenge to speak out, to share your faith stories with others. In 2017 we want to build on that as we journey IN as part of our Way of Life.

One of the great prayers of the Church of England notes that God “caused holy Scripture to be written for our learning”, and asks God to help us to “hear, read, mark, learn and inwardly digest” them. The prayer asks this so that through patience, and the comfort of the word, we might embrace and hold fast to the hope of everlasting life. That prayer was written by an archbishop four hundred years ago, but it is our prayer today, and is the heart of our challenge to you this Lent. Simply put, we are encouraging you and challenging you to see that reading the Bible is a familiar and everyday part of our Christian journey together. That word “together” is important, discipleship is a journey taken in company, so the challenge is to read the Bible together, with another person or two this Lent. To read, mark, learn and maybe even inwardly digest Scripture together. If we were asking you to have a cup of tea with someone this Lent, or even a meal, that would be an easy challenge, this is a challenge to share the feast of scripture with another person and for this to start becoming a normal part of our journey together. Just as the inward digesting of a shared meal takes place with conversation as well as calories, so we want to

encourage conversation about the Bible. A conversation that includes questions like what does this mean to me? How does God speak in this passage? How am I comforted or dis-comforted? Where is the everlasting hope? To support you in your challenge, we have put together a booklet with six Bible passages to get you started. These booklets are available from Church House and on the diocesan website. For those of you active on Social Media, share a photo of you delving In2the Bible on Facebook. For those who want to do more and explore the Bible in more depth beyond this challenge we have further resources and material available on our website. www.trurodiocese.org.uk/in2thebible And for a Simple Guide to the Bible just search for “simple guide” from the website. With Every blessing,

1st March 7pm

Holy Communion

with the

imposition of

Ashes

St Gerrans

Church

Lent 2017. Reflections for Lent Tuesdays 14th, 21st, 28th March and 4th April.

7pm Trelowen, Rosevine.

(Supper 6pm)

Lead us not into temptation.

March 14th

Have you ever thought about turning stones into bread, throwing yourself off the top of a high building or doing a deal with satan so you could rule the world? Thought not! So what contemporary lessons for life can we learn from the temptations that faced Jesus in the wilderness? (Jill)

Journey Through Jerusalem.

March 21st

In this session we will follow Jesus’ journey in the gospel to his passion through maps, photos and scripture. We will sit amongst the olive groves at Gethsemane, climb the steps to the old barracks at Caiaphas’s house where a secret midnight trial was hastily convened, ponder at the stages of the cross along the Via Dolorosa and contemplate images of Golgotha and the nearby garden where pilgrims gather today to celebrate the empty tomb. Join us on this visual encounter of the places that Jesus knew so well and share as we retrace his footsteps to the cross. (Haley)

Trial and error.

March 28th

There is much confusion over who found Jesus guilty enough to condemn him to death. Together we will consider the motives, the fears and the political reasoning behind those involved in the trial of Jesus. Was this the biggest injustice of all time? Did they know what they were doing? Who decided to crucify Him? A murder mystery or God’s plan...(Andy)

Cross purposes

April 4th

Why did Jesus die on the cross? Couldn’t there have been another way to save the world? Together we’ll explore the purposes of God that were fulfilled by Jesus’ death and resurrection.

Each session will stand alone so please come to as many or as few as you are able. Everyone is welcome.

If you would like supper, please phone or email Jill. 01872 580117. jill@jilledwards.com

Lent Course at St Mawes. Receiving Christ in 5 different ways.

Thursday mornings (starting 2ndMarch) at 11am followed by a soup lunch. Please book*

Quiet Day at St Just.

Monday March 20th 10-4pm

Pease book* *office@stjustandstmawes.org.uk 01326 270248

At St Philleigh we are supporting WATERAID this Lent. Wateraid is a global charity whose vision is for a world where everyone has safe water, sanitation and hygiene. 663 million people live without safe water. 2.4 billion (1 in 3 of the world’s population) don’t have access to

adequate sanitation. 315,000 children under 5 die every year from diarrhoeal diseases caused by dirty water and poor sanitation. That’s 900 children a day. £2 will buy a water system toolkit in Timor-Leste £5 will buy a tube well in Nepal. £10 will pay for a mason to construct a family toilet in Nigeria. Philleigh parishioners are being invited to collect their small loose change during Lent and bring it to put in the collecting jar which is out in church during Sunday services. If you’re unable to bring your loose change along to the service, please give it to someone else to bring for you. (Jill will be happy to deliver donations from Gerrans.) As Julian, Philleigh church treasurer, pointed out, the jar is big enough to take large loose change and notes as well...... For more information log on to www.wateraid.org

The Bible Study group

continue reading Paul`s letter to the Ephesians. The next meeting will be on Wednesday 8th March

at 2.15pm at Little Compton, Philleigh. Everyone welcome

Open for Prayer

The next Benefice Prayer Group is on Tuesday March 14th 2-3pm at St Gerrans

Join with others to pray for our community, our nation and the world.

Please leave prayer requests in the books at the back of both our churches.

If you would like prayer for healing or confidential prayer, please contact Jill.

Holy Communion at home

If you know anyone who is sick or house bound

who would like to receive Holy Communion or

prayer at home please contact Jill.

R.I.P

We offer our condolences to the family and friends of Anne Key who died in February. Anne lived in Gerrans and ran the guest house (Gerrans Bay) for many years until her retirement. We

keep Anne’s family and friends in our prayers.

Burial of ashes. We shall bury Marion Shipley’s ashes at a service in St Philleigh churchyard on March 17th at 12 noon.

17th March is Marion’s birthday.

WOMEN’S WORLD DAY OF PRAYER (INTERNATIONAL AND INTERDENOMINATIONAL)

Am I Being Unfair to You? On Friday 3rd March over 5,000 services will be held in the British Isles on the theme of ‘Am I Being Unfair to You?’ The Christian women of the Philippines wrote the service and it has been translated into 1,000 different languages and dialects, to be used, throughout the whole world, on Friday 3rd March, starting at sunrise over the island of Samoa and continuing until sunset off the coast of American Samoa. In 2013, Typhoon Haiyan – named locally as ‘Yolanda’ – struck the Philippine islands in the western Pacific Ocean. This is mentioned in the service but you will also hear the stories of a girl, a mother and an older woman, recounting their situations and their hopes and fears. The service focuses on the Bible story of the workers in the vineyard: Matthew 20 v 1-16. There is a reflection on the artwork designed by Rowena ‘Apol’ Laxamana-Sta.Rosa. It is very thought provoking and illustrates contrasting scenes.

Women's World Day of Prayer Service St Gerrans

Friday March 3rd at 2pm. Everybody welcome.

(The service is for women and men)

One part of the service involves taking rice to the altar table. Fairtrade rice will be available to purchase at the service. It will be donated to Truro Foodbank after it has been offered.

Anglicans across Cornwall are asked to commit to helping the environment by taking 10 green pledges over the year.

The call is being led by Bishop Tim and Archdeacon Bill. Bishop Tim said: “Think Global, Act Local is a motto of the environmental movement and it’s not a

bad one for us too. Bishop Tim and Archdeacon Bill last year both took the pledges themselves.

Archdeacon Bill said: “Climate change may seem like one of those huge realities that we can do nothing about. But I am persuaded that even my little efforts can make a difference. I realise that if everyone lives as I do we would need 3 earths to sustain us.”

Here are the 10 pledges.

1. I pledge to switch to green energy. 2. I pledge to buy local seasonal produce as much as

possible – starting with at least 2 meals a week; 3. I pledge to educate myself about the science and impacts

of climate change. 4. I pledge to contact my MP and my friends and ask them to

make these pledges too; 5. I pledge to walk, cycle, use public transport or register

with www.carsharecornwall.com 08700 111199 to travel to work or regular journey at least once a week;

6. I pledge to work out my own carbon footprint using one of the many easy to use carbon calculators eg, http://footprint.wwf.org.uk\ ;

7. I pledge to do a ‘home energy check’ to save energy in my home. (Energy Saving Trust on 0800 512 012);

8. I pledge to turn my thermostat down or use a thermometer to reach the lowest comfortable temperature.

9. I pledge to reduce my holiday air miles by 50%; 10.I pledge to research driving in a greener way.

If you would like to receive this calendar electronically please email office@gerransandphilleighchurches.org

Help us to keep our countryside beautiful...

a plea from the National Farmers’ Union.

The British countryside is beautiful at this time of year – with clear, crisp days offering walkers stunning views across farm land.

Sadly, this image of an iconic wonderland is all too often shattered by illegal fly tipping, blighting the landscape and impacting on farmers, who have to spend time and money to get rubbish removed.

Shockingly, two thirds of all farms are affected, with 900,000 incidents of fly-tipping across England last year – a five per cent increase from 2015.

Rubbish is dangerous to human health, harmful to wildlife and livestock, and in some cases, pollutes watercourses and contaminates land.

More needs to be done to protect the countryside. Whilst farmers and landowners do all they can, it seems that fly-tippers are intent on breaking the law, and think nothing of cutting padlocks, breaking gates and smashing cameras.

To help raise awareness of the issue, the NFU joined forces with Keep Britain Tidy earlier this month by taking part in the campaign’s annual conference, calling for improved partnership working on prevention, clean up and prosecution.

If you notice illegal fly-tipping, please help by:

Reporting cases to your local authority. The more quickly cases are reported, the better the chance of catching the culprits

Calling the police using the non-emergency number, 101 For large scale or hazardous fly-tipped waste, contacting

the Environment Agency on 0800 807060.

Need help to dispose of unwanted waste? Here are some top tips:

Give away what you don’t need through Freecycle www.freecycle.org

Donate unwanted goods to charity or local community furniture projects. Some will even offer a collection service

Take it to your local household waste recycling centre – visit your local authority’s website for details

Arrange for your council to collect large items from your house. If you use a private provider, make sure they are a registered waste carrier. Ask for their waste carrier number and a receipt which includes a business address – then phone 03708 506506 to check their status.

Collection Corner.

We continue to collect all sorts of things in both our churches, things that might otherwise be wasted or thrown away.

We collect spectacles that go to Africa.

Stamps for Cornwall Association for blind people.

Postcards for the Mission Aviation Fellowship.

Drink can ring pulls (only please, no other ring pulls) for the Purple Community Fund in the Philippines.

BEACH CLEAN Porthcurnick Beach Monday 6th March 10am

Another full load on its way to help refugees. Many thanks to everyone who supported the recent collection for refugees held at St Philleigh. People’s generosity continues to be overwhelming. For our next collection dates

please check our website (www.gerransandphilleighchurches.org) and look on our notice-boards. If you have any goods for the refugees that you need to pass on urgently, please contact David Spreadborough 01872 580527.The organisation we work with in Wadebridge is currently in need of a warehouse to store the goods.

'Thy Kingdom Come' Prayer School

THE PROBUS TEAM

On Saturday 4th March 9.45-3.30 at Probus Church, there will be a Prayer Day as part of the Archbishop’s 'Thy Kingdom Come' initiative.

Please take a packed lunch. Drinks and biscuits will be provided.

Workshops include

Daily Prayer, Prayer for help, Belonging to a Prayer Group, Prayer for healing, What stops us from praying?

Café Roseland Open Wednesdays 2-4pm

8th and 22nd March Portscatho Memorial Hall.

Refreshments, craft and company Everyone welcome

THE CALLING - INFORMAL CLUSTER WORSHIP ON THE ROSELAND.

The Calling, a fresh expression of worship, is an opportunity to get

together and worship in an informal, contemporary style. Sunday March 5th at St Cuby and Sun 19th March at St Just at 6pm.

Annual Parochial Church Meetings The Annual meetings of both our churches will be held in April.

If you would like to be able to vote at the meetings you will need to be on the Electoral Roll. If you are not on already you

can pick up an application form in either of the churches. Please return them to Elizabeth Tozer at St Gerrans and Anne Treverton at St Philleigh. The Annual Meeting at St Gerrans is on Tues 18th April at 7pm and at St Philleigh on Sunday 23rd

April at 11.45 am. Nomination forms for church wardens, deanery synod members

and PCC members will be available shortly.

Samaritans The Samaritans receive around 5

million calls for help per year and every 52 seconds they hear from someone who is feeling suicidal. Their volunteers are on hand to offer emotional support any time of the day or night to anyone who needs their help and they will never judge.

“Samaritans helped save my life"

For Linda, the anonymity of Samaritans was really important. She could be Mrs Hudson, not Linda Nolan the celebrity.

“I've called the helpline 5 or 6 times in total, and on one occasion, Samaritans helped save my life.

It’s comforting to know that Samaritans are always there."

Linda's story

Linda called Samaritans for the first time after the death of her husband of 26 years, Brian Hudson.

At the same time, Linda was undergoing treatment for breast cancer.

It was an incredibly difficult time.

"Brian died on 21 Sept 2007. He was my life, my first love, and I have never known sadness the way I felt it at that moment. My heart was broken, how would I survive without him?

"Three days later I made my first call.

"I had fabulous friends, and of course my very supportive family, but I wanted to talk to somebody who I could be totally honest with. Somebody who had no idea who Brian or I was, who had no preconceived ideas about him or me, and that’s what happened.

"I had known about Samaritans ‘forever’, never knowing how important the charity would be in my life.

"The first time I called I didn’t know what to say, but I didn’t feel any pressure to talk or tell the person my name, just comfort."

Linda's mum passed away 3 months after Brian, and again Samaritans helped her through it.

St Gerrans next charity lunch will be on Thursday 16th March from 12-1.30pm

Donations invited for Samaritans. Offers of help always welcome. Please contact Penny Bunney 01872 580754

TRURO FOODBANK AGM

Monday March 20th

7pm

Truro Methodist Church.

Everyone welcome.

Messy Church

Sunday 12th Mar at 4pm - (St Gerrans) Monday 13th Mar at 3.30pm (Gerrans School) Sunday 26th Mar at 10.30am (St Philleigh)

Celebrate Mothering Sunday

March 26th

Family Service at St Gerrans 10am

Family Service with Messy Church at St Philleigh 10.30 am.

Looking ahead to 2020....

Since 1634, the most famous Passion Play in the world has taken place in the German village of Oberammergau. The next performances will be from May to September 2020 and seats are already being

reserved. If you would like to

join others from the Benefice on a trip to the play, please contact David Spreadborough for more information.01872 580527.

Nearly New & Jumble Sale

Saturday 18th March - 10 am - 4 pm.

at Philleigh Community Centre

Spring Cleaning and sorting out time is here. Unwanted items - household, clothes. toys etc. - all accepted prior to

sale day please. Ring Jim and Shirley 01872 580313 to arrange drop off at Court Farm, Philleigh

(collection maybe possible).

Proceeds to the Community Centre & The Friends of St Philleigh Church.

Free tea & Coffee available.

A good read...

L is for Lifestyle by Ruth Valerio. IVP Isbn 1-84474-025-0 This is a good, challenging and easy read for Lent. Ruth explores a Christian lifestyle that won’t cost the earth by encouraging us to live more

responsibly and thoughtfully as we make our everyday choices. It contains a wealth of very practical ideas of how we can lessen our impact on the planet by making simple adjustments.

ACTIVE PLUS Veterans inspiring people. Active Plus use the skills, experience and expertise of injured military veterans to deliver unique programmes that build confidence, motivation and self-belief, unlocking the potential of participants, all of whom are from vulnerable or potentially vulnerable groups.

PROJECT TO SUPPORT OLDER PEOPLE Active Plus Communities (APC) is a 4 year project that encourages and supports older people to become more connected to their communities.

Delivered by military veterans in 20 communities across Cornwall, the Active Plus Communities project aims to:

• Utilise the skills and experience of older people and military veterans to make a bigger difference in their communities, creating an environment where everyone can succeed through helping

others.

• Give older people a greater voice in shaping and delivering local services

• Bring communities together through community events and activities that are designed, organised and led by older people.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Call 01326 567174 or email

mark@activeplus.org.uk

www.activeplus.org.uk

The Temptation We Face Everyday

"One night at the end of a special Saturday night worship service," writes Warren Hudson of Ontario, Canada, "a thunderstorm unleashed a bolt of lightning that plunged the church into darkness." With the congregation seated in total darkness, the pastor felt his way to the kitchen to find some candles. The pastor handed out the candles to everyone present. Persons lit their candles in much the same way as many churches do on Christmas Eve, each person lighting the candle of the person next to them. The worshipers then made their way through the church's winding hallways to the front door. "Peering out, we could see the rain coming down in sheets," Warren remembers. With traffic snarled, people were running for the nearest shelter. Looking around they realized that the entire city was in darkness. "There in the darkness we stood," Warren writes, "a little band of Christians, each clutching a light, not sure whether to venture out into the storm or stay inside the church in hopes that the storm would soon blow over." There in the darkness the light of truth struck him. In this most dramatic way he realized what it means to be the "light of the world." He writes, "It occurred to me then that this is the temptation I face every day. It is easy to play it safe and be a good Christian in church. It is a lot harder to venture out in faith into the storms of the world."

Jesus said, ‘You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hidden. No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your

Father in heaven. (Matthew chapter 5 verses 13-15.)

Prayer Diary

Please give thanks for

Our outreach amongst children and young people.

Visitors in our churches

Continued support from our communities for our charity events.

Those who serve behind the scenes helping our churches run smoothly.

Please pray for

The people of The Yemen and Sudan, and all areas where people are facing starvation.

All of us that we might keep a Holy Lent and prepare ourselves for the celebration of Easter.

People who are without water, to drink and for basic hygiene. For Water Aid and all agencies working to bring clean water to all.

The people of the Philippines as they are remembered at The Women’s World Day of Prayer.

A responsible and caring attitude to the environment. May we take seriously the threat of climate change and its impact on poorer nations.

All initiatives seeking to combat loneliness and isolation.

The Wadebridge refugee project, that a warehouse for the long-term will be found.

People who are sick, especially those who have been ill for a long time.

People who are bereaved.

For all the service and mission within our Benefice that by our words and action we will show the love of God.

If you would like prayer for a specific situation you can leave a message in the prayer books at the back of both our churches. If it is personal and you would like private prayer, please contact Jill (01872 580117).

Thurs 16th 10.00 am Holy Communion St Gerrans

12-1.30pm Charity Lunch St Gerrans

The Trouble Tree

A carpenter was working on a restoration project on an old farmhouse. He had just finished a rough first day on the job. All

manner of things had gone wrong with the job and then his truck wouldn’t start. His employer drove him home and the carpenter maintained a stony silence. On arriving home he

invited his employer in to meet his family. As they approached the front door, the carpenter paused briefly at a small tree,

touching the tips of the branches with both hands. When he opened the door, the carpenter was transformed. He

had a broad and beaming smile and hugged his wife and children.

His employer’s curiosity got the better of him. How did such a change come about? The carpenter explained;

‘You see that tree? That’s my trouble tree. I know I can’t help having troubles on the job, but one thing’s for sure; those

troubles are not coming home to my wife and children. I just hang them up every night on the tree when I come home.

Then in the morning I pick them up again.’ ‘Funny thing is’ he smiled as he continued, ‘when I come out of the house in the morning go to pick the up, there’s nothing like

as many hanging up there as there were the night before.’

Well, maybe we don’t have a trouble tree growing in our front garden, but we do have a God who cares for us and invites us

to leave our troubles with Him.

Give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares about you. (First letter of Peter, chapter 5 verse 7).