News for 19th April and the week ahead

Dearest friends,

St George is often remembered as the dragon-slayer. Whether or not we dwell on the details of that story, its meaning is clear enough: here is a man who faced evil, not with fear or compromise, but with courage rooted in faith.

The dragon, in Christian imagination, has long stood for all that opposes God—sin, injustice, fear, and death itself. And so George’s victory is not really about heroism for its own sake, but about trust that, in Christ, evil does not have the final word.

That is important for us. We may not encounter dragons in the literal sense, but we know well the quieter struggles: the temptations we wrestle with, the anxieties we carry, the situations that feel beyond our strength. St George reminds us that the Christian life is not about avoiding such things, but about meeting them with steadiness, prayer, and confidence in God.

His story also speaks of faith lived publicly. George did not keep his belief hidden when it became costly to profess it. Yet this boldness was not loud or self-seeking—it flowed from a life already given to God. In that sense, his witness is not so far from our own calling: to live faithfully where we are, and to let that faith shape our words and actions.

As we give thanks for St George, we should ask for the grace to be rooted more deeply in Christ, to face what lies before us with courage, and to trust that, even in the midst of struggle, the light of the resurrection holds firm.

In love,

Fr. Matthew

Notices

Oswestry Festival
We are going to head to Truro together on the train from Newton Abbot at 08:55, arriving at 11am in time for the Pontifical Mass at midday. We’ll be leaving on the 5pm train, which should allow an hour or so shopping / wandering after the services. If you would like to join us, please let Fr. Matthew know by TUESDAY 21st so he can book the tickets. Cost will be about £24 return. PLEASE LET FR. MATTHEW KNOW IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO COME TO TRURO ON THE TRAIN by the end of TUESDAY 21st APRIL HE IS MAKING THE BOOKING FIRST THING WEDNESDAY MORNING!

Summer Term Planning
Our Summer Term Planning meeting will take place on Thursday 16th April at Wickham Hall at 7pm. As ever, we’ll review the previous term (including Easter) to help us with next year and look to the term ahead. These meetings dictate what we do in the parishes, so make it a priority to attend!

Holy Trinity Sunday – Joint event in Bovey Tracey.
PPT and St. John’s will unite to offer a joint service in Marsh Park. We’ll process from our churches, meet in the park and offer the eucharist together. Then we’ll enjoy a family fun day together. It’s the perfect Sunday to invite friends and family and to stay around for games and a BBQ.