Bishop Robert’s Visit to the Tavistock Deanery 19th – 21st June.
As part of the “Bishops in Mission” initiative being undertaken in the Diocese, Bishop Robert will be visiting the Tavistock Deanery from June 19th to June 21st. He will be staying in the Deanery during this time, getting to know us better, and helping us to look at new ways of nurturing disciples, spreading the Good News of the Gospel, and serving the people of Devon with joy. A number of events have been organised. On Sunday afternoon, 19th June, from 4.00-6.00 pm., there will be a discussion in Tavistock Parish Centre to which all Churchwardens, Parochial Church Council Members, local Children’s leaders, Foundation Governors, School Head Teachers, and any others interested in discussing our work and exploring opportunities for furthering what we do, are very welcome to attend. Bishop Robert will set out his key visions for the Exeter Diocese and for “serving the people of Devon with joy”. Tea and cakes will be served from 3.30 pm. A short service of Compline will be held later in St Eustachius’ Church at 6.30 pm for anyone who would also like to come this this.
As usual, on Monday 20th June and Tuesday 21st June, Morning Prayer will be said in St Eustachius’ Church at 8 am. Please come along if you are able to do so. Bishop Robert will meet with Chapter members at 9.30 am in the Parish Centre, followed by a working lunch in the Deanery with Farmers from 12.30 pm. At 7 pm the Bishop will lead a further open event in St Paul’s Church Hall at Yelverton. This event, which is for those involved in evangelism across the Deanery, will begin with refreshments and will be followed by a discussion to share good practice in areas such as Messy Church, Open the Book, Church trails etc. If you are involved or interested in this work, please do come along. It will also be an excellent opportunity to invite any parents or younger people who may like to know more about what the Church has to offer and is seeking to do. For catering purposes, it would be helpful please if you could let the Parish Office (01822 616673), or Revd Nick Law (nicklaw2@tiscali.co.uk) know if you hope to come. The Bishop will also be speaking about the Church of England’s “Pilgrim Course”, of which he is a co-author.
On Tuesday, 21st June, following Morning Prayer at St Eustachius’, Bishop Robert will lead a workshop on “Growing in Prayer”. This will be a time for reflection and prayer which will begin at 11.00 am and last for approximately 1½ to 2 hours; again, all are welcome. I know there are people of all ages in our parishes and around the Deanery who are already involved in prayer groups and it would be good if you could support this event if possible, and let others know about it. Everyone is very welcome to attend. The venue is still to be confirmed. Please contact the Parish Office or Revd Nick Law nearer the time for details. At 4.00 pm Bishop Robert will meet with TACT members and workers including CATALYST and Street Pastors.
This is an excellent opportunity for us all to spend time with our Bishop. Please do prayer for Bishop Robert and support this visit if you can.
HM The Queen’s 90th Birthday Celebration
As part of national celebrations, a Benefice service will be held in Tavistock Parish Church on Sunday 12th June at 3.00 pm to celebrate the Queen’s 90th birthday. Everyone is welcome. Refreshments will be served afterwards.
Benefice Confirmation Service
Our Confirmation Service this year will be held on Sunday 26th June at 10.00 am in St Eustachius’ Church. Bishop Martin Shaw will be confirming adults and young people from Tavistock, Gulworthy, Brent Tor and Mount Kelly. Please do come and support all those being confirmed.
Petertide
The end of the month of June brings the celebration of St Peter and St.Paul. In recent years the commemoration of these twin pillars of the early church has been put back together again to emphasis the full breadth of the Church’s missionary commission: “Go therefore and spread the Gospel to all nations.” It is right and proper that at Petertide many new priests will be ordained for precisely this mission.
I suspect that each of us holds an image of St Peter in our mind from the early chapters of the Gospels: headstrong, impulsive, outspoken, often clumsy and foolish? Or perhaps the Peter of the Acts of the Apostles: an eloquent preacher, a teacher and a person with powers of healing?
The different sides of St Peter are most clearly seen when we look at the events of Holy Week and Easter – Peter plays a bigger part than any of the other disciples. He is the one who promises to die with Jesus. It is Peter who draws the sword in the garden of Gethsemane – once again, missing the point and being rebuked by Jesus. Peter famously denies Jesus three times, only for his heart to be broken before the cock crows. Peter dashes into the empty tomb on Easter morning. It is Peter’s idea to go fishing in the old familiar places. And it is Peter to whom Jesus says “You are Peter and on this rock I shall build my Church”. Jesus expands on the pastoral role Peter is to have. Three times Jesus asks Peter: “Do you love me?” Three times, in slightly different ways, he tells Peter to feed his sheep. Three times Peter says he did not know Jesus. Three times he tells the Risen Christ that he does indeed love him. Peter has now learned that the true source of his strength and authority has nothing to do with him but is God-given. Christ has called him to this and it is only in Christ’s strength that he can do anything at all. Once he “rushed in where angels fear to tread”. Now he lets the Spirit move him according to God’s will.
St Peter and St Paul came to be seen as having different parts to play within the leadership of the Church: St Peter in witnessing to the Lordship of Christ and St Paul in developing an understanding of its meaning for Christ’s followers.
Almighty God whose blessed apostles Peter and Paul glorified you in their death as in their life: grant that your Church, inspired by their teaching and example, and made one by your Spirit, may ever stand firm upon one foundation, Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
With my love and prayers Chris Hardwick