Christian Aid
Many thanks to all who donated to our collection during Christian Aid Week and especial thanks to those who collected ‘door to door’.
As a result, we have been able to contribute £1,035 to help some of the poorest people in the world.
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A new name to the list
Revd. Olly Mears’ name has been added to the generations-long list of incumbents at St. Disens.
……. and the notice board has been up-dated, too!
Songs of Praise on 10th June
Come and join with the Gospel Hall, Baptist Church and St Disen’s Church as they get together for a joyful session of hymn singing outside the Guildhall on Sunday 10th June at 10.30am.
Commonwealth War Graves Commission Plaque
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission has put up a sign at the entrance to St Disen’s Churchyard as part of its First World War centenary project to increase awareness of war graves throughout the United Kingdom. There are 8 war graves in St Disen’s Churchyard and another at the Baptist Church.
Although there are 8 war graves in the churchyard, there are only 7 grave sites as brothers, Private S. Elliot and Sapper V. Elliot are commemorated together.
Baptisms of Millie and Meadow
Family and friends came together on a beautiful May Bank Holiday Sunday to celebrate the baptisms of Millie and her baby sister Meadow. The service included ‘Morning has Broken’ especially chosen by Millie and Meadow’s parents and a song, with plenty of actions, about how wide, high and deep God’s love is for us.
Millie and Meadow with parents, godparents and Revd Olly
St Disen’s Church looked its best for the day too, set against a brilliant blue sky and blossom on the trees.
A lovely church on a lovely day
Annual Parish Church Meeting
At the recent APCM, the following people were elected:
Churchwardens : Jill Lucas and Dorothy Parsons
PCC members: Sue Watts, Hazel Excell, John Emerton, June Bolt, Bryan Parsons, Gwyneth Garner, Lyn Lucey, Marion Brown and Warwick Knowles.
We wish them a very successful year in office.
Messy Church Fishing
At our last Messy Church meeting, we heard the story of the great draught of fishes. Eleanor taught us a very cheerful song about the net that didn’t break and the children all took part in lovely craft activities.
Afterwards we shared a super meal together — tuna pasta — very appropriate!
We all have great fun at Messy Church — do come and join us!
Under the Carpet
Following the recent flooding in church, it was necessary to lift the carpets in the N and S aisles in order to dry them out. This revealed seven grave stones laid in the N aisle, dating from the 17th and 18th centuries. The most legible of these was that of Henry Shapcott:
“Here lyeth interred Hennery Shapcott of this parish gent. and also Margaret his daughter y wife of M Christopher Samford of y city of Exon merchant who died the 13th day of January 1689.”
Further research found that Henry was a rich man, owning a great deal of property in the area. He was born in Knowstone but lived in Bradninch, where he requested to be buried. Henry’s first wife was Wilmott Hill, by whom he had five children–Winifred, Elizabeth, Margaret, Robert and Francis. Wilmott died in 1627 and Henry subsequently married Mary Codner who survived him. Henry died in 1632, when all his children were still under 21 years old. He had been a churchwarden of St. Disen’s from 1621 to 1625 and Mayor of Bradninch in 1625 and 1630.
Henry’s son, Robert, was a colonel in Cromwell’s army. He was also Recorder for Bradninch and Tiverton before 1647. He is commemorated in a window, above the stage, in St Disen’s Hall.
Further names to be researched are three more Shapcotts, Humphrey Marshall, Anne Martyn, Samuel Lymmington and Catherine?, the wife of Thomas?.
Baptisms of Jacob and Marcus
We were pleased to welcome Jacob and Marcus to St Disens for their baptisms on Sunday 8th April, together with all their families and friends.
Thank You
Our coffee morning last Saturday raised an amazing £477.00. A big thank you to all who supported and helped in any way. The morning was in aid of our Organ Restoration Fund and thanks to you, we are now well on the way to raising enough money to pay for the repairs to the organ, so that it can once more sound as it did when it was first built in the 19th century.
