Easter at St Andrew’s

Parish magazine back in publication!

The first parish magazine for a year came off the press yesterday. Those of you who paid an annual subscription in 2020 need to nothing, your copy will be delivered to you as usual. Advertisers need do nothing unless they wish their advert amended. We will be collecting fees and subs for 2022 in January.

Aprils magazine will not be put out in the 3 churches but will be available for purchase from Stokeinteignhead Village shop. Those living in Combeinteignhead can contact Pat for a copy or in Haccombe contact Sheila please.

Its great to be back and just a reminder that we are still looking for a Treasurer, could you help?

Easter Services

Mothering Sunday

March April services

Further to the Prime Ministers’ announcements on Monday of this week and after meeting with the Church Wardens and staff team, we have decided to re-open our churches for worship from Sunday 7^th March.  We intend to have at least two services each week and will send the rota round as soon as it is completed. Following our staff meeting to set the rota, yesterday, the rota for March is rather erratic!!  This is purely because, being unable to have one big service on my last Sunday as your Rector, I need to ensure that I get to all churches one last time before I retire!!  I do hope you understand – this is a ‘one-off’!

It is also our intention to open fully every Sunday from Easter Sunday.

It will be possible to go to another church, but you must book beforehand with the relevant Church Warden.

In order for us to stay open it is imperative that all Covid regulations are followed which will mean:-

Sanitising your hands when entering and leaving the Church.

Wearing a face covering which covers your nose and mouth and fits well to your face.

Adhering to the one-way system when moving around the Church for Communion or to leave.

When coming to receive communion you should

1. Remove your face covering without touching the central part which covers your mouth
2. Sanitise your hands
3. Receive the wafer at arms length
4. Put your face covering back on
5. Sanitise your hands on your way back to your seat.

At the end of the service everyone should leave promptly and quietly.

There must be no mingling in the church – remember that from the 8^th March it is allowed to meet with one other person outside only, therefore we should not stand outside the Church door for a conversation in a group.

Sadly we shall not be able to distribute posies of flowers on Mothering Sunday this year.

We are hoping to have as many services as possible during Holy Week and for Easter and are currently planning the following:-

Palm Sunday (28^th March) – It does not seem as though we will be able to walk with Palms so there will be a simple Eucharistic service in both St Peter’s and St Andrew’s.  You can make your own palm crosses at home or collect one from the church which will have been placed at least 48 hours before the service.  St Andrew’s are delivering theirs direct to homes.

There will be a quiet morning on Tuesday 30^th March at St Peter’s led by Reverend Caroline Luff – please contact Caroline directly to sign up.

On Maundy Thursday there will be 2 identical services running at 7pm – one in St Peter’s and one in St Andrew’s

On Good Friday there will be the usual service at 9.15am in St Peter’s with either a sung or said Passion but there will be no veneration of the cross.  This will be followed by the first part of our usual ecumenical service with a break for a quiet time reflecting on the Walk of Witness and will finish with the final part of the service which we usually do on the village Green.  We are hoping that Hot Cross Buns will be available to take away!

There will be a service remembering the Final Hour at 2pm in St Andrew’s .

There will be no Easter Vigil service this year on Easter Eve – Paschal candles will be in each church and will be blessed on Easter Morning.

All Churches will have a Eucharist service on Easter Day at their usual times.

Easter Praise at St Nicholas will now take place on Wednesday 7^th April at 7pm.

Please note – at the time of writing I am still awaiting official guidance from the Church of England and I also understand that there will be an Archdeacon’s briefing next week.   Please understand, therefore, that these proposed plans may be subject to change!

With every blessing

Annie