Dearest friends,
On Monday we celebrate an important date in the church calendar – The Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church.
It’s a new memorial – it was only inserted into the calendar in 2018 (by Pope Francis), although the title is much older.
We call Our Lady mother of the Church because in the instant that Jesus said to John at the foot of the cross,
“‘Behold, your mother!’ and from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.” (John 19:27) Mary became our mother – not just in an individual way – but in the broader sense of caring for the whole body of Christ on earth.
We look to her because she gave brith to Jesus and for all those years attempted to understand how to relate to Jesus the man and Jesus our Lord.
Who better to help guide and steer the Church as we discern a path forward between a growing secular world and the divine glory of God our Father?
Our Lady helps us reach out to those who have fallen away from the church. St. Augustine referred to Mary as “‘the Mother of the members of Christ’ who co-operated in the rebirth of the faithful into the Church.”
So, as we look to our parish and to those who once knew Jesus but have drifted away – let us ask Our Lady to pray for us – and them – and help them to find a way back home.
Fr. Matthew
Notices
Pentecost Walk
On Saturday 7th June, the day before Pentecost – we’ll be walking around all of the 6 churches in our benefice, pausing to pray in each one and at key points along the way. We’ll be starting at St Luke’s at 10 a.m. Then walking to St Paul’s, St Mary’s, St Bart’s, All Saints and ending at Abbotsbury around lunchtime.
Visits
As much as I wish I knew everything that was going on in the parishes I often don’t, so please do remember to let me know if anyone needs a visit. It’s one of the most important things I do and a visit can go a long way to helping someone feel better. Fr. Matthew
BCP Choir
The Newton Abbot Parishes and St. John’s are uniting to build a new evensong choir. Our first rehearsal will be on the 19th June and the 3rd Thursday of every month thereafter at 7pm in St. John’s. We’ll start with a very simple setting that we can then sing on the Sunday (22nd June) and then start to practice simple Anthems and so forth.
National Day of Prayer Against Assisted Suicide
Wed 11 June 2025.
A number of Christian organisations, including The Christian Institute, CARE and the Evangelical Alliance are calling for a national day of prayer against assisted suicide. As part of this initiative we will be holding a Benefice prayer meeting at St Pauls on Wed 11 June at 7.30. Please spare time to attend if you can. You can find out more about the national initiative by going to the Christian Institute website.
Choice Words
Come visit Choice Words, the largest second-hand Christian bookshop in the southwest! We are open 9.30am-4.30pm Monday through to Saturday. You can find us at 71 Queen St. Newton Abbot, or call us on 01626 334 027, or email us at, shop@choicewords.co.uk
Sunday 8th June
Pentecost 🔴
9:15am – Sung Parish Mass [SJ]
11am – Concelebrated Sung Parish Mass [SL]
12:30pm – Parish Lunch [SL]
3pm – Pentecost Cream Team & Evensong
Divine Office Psalter Week 2, C(I), Sunday after Ascension, Pentecost
Upcoming Dates
June
- 7th – Newton Abbot Team Benefice Walk, 10am [SL]
- 8th – St. Luke’s Parish Lunch
- Pentecost Cream Team & Evensong, 3pm [SL]
- 15th – Evensong, 6pm [SJ]
- 19th – BCP Evensong Choir Rehearsal, 7pm [SJ]
- 21st – Table Top Sale, 10am – 12pm [SJ]
- Parish Outing to Truro
- 29th – Joint Mass, 10am, followed by
Bring & Share meal [SL] - Evensong, 5pm [SJ]
July
- 6th – Team Evensong, Highweek (TQ12 1QD), 5:30pm
- 9th – St. Luke’s Ladies Group, 2pm [SL]
- PCC Meeting, 6pm [SL]
- 13th – St. Luke’s Parish Lunch
- 19th – Table Top Sale, 10am – 12pm [SJ]
August
- 10th – St. Luke’s Parish Lunch
- 16th – Summer Fete [SL]
- 17th – Evensong, 6pm [SJ]
- 31st – Joint Mass, 10am [SJ]
- Summer BBQ, 1pm – 5pm [SJ]
- Evensong, West Ogwell Church (TQ12 6EW), 5:30pm
No Ladies Group in August
No midweek mass during August instead, Coffee & Natter, Tuesday’s [SJ] & Wednesday’s [SL] 10am
St. Luke’s Men’s Group meets every Friday for mass at 10am anddiscussion afterwards. [SL]