Praising God in Devon

Dearest friends, As many of you know, this is my final Sunday with you before I set off on my pilgrimage across Europe with my dear friend Rev’d Dan Beesley.  On Thursday 23rd July, following a special Mass at St. John’s at 10.00am led by Fr. Robin and after a swift visit to St. Catherine’s school for a wave off in the playground, I’ll begin a journey of around 9,000km to many of Europe’s great Marian shrines.  Over the coming…

Dearest friends, The summer months have a way of encouraging us to slow down a little. Gardens are growing, fields are full, and all around us we see the quiet work of seeds bringing forth their harvest. It is perhaps no surprise that Jesus should choose this season of growth to tell one of his best-loved parables. This Sunday’s Gospel is the Parable of the Sower. A farmer scatters seed generously across the field. Some falls on the path, some…

Dearest friends, One of the great privileges of this past week was hosting the Archdeacons’ Visitation at St. Luke’s. It brought together clergy and churchwardens from across the archdeaconry, but what struck me most was not the business of the evening. Instead, it was the encouragement we were given to recognise the calling of those around us. We often think of a calling as something dramatic. We think of St Peter leaving his fishing nets behind or St Paul encountering…