Changes to advertised services

It is with deep regret, that due to to the recent increase in cases of Covid 19, our services on Christmas Eve and on subsequent Sundays until the end of January have been cancelled.

However, St Disen’s will still be open for private prayer and reflection from 7.00-8.00pm on Christmas Eve and from 10.30-11.30am on Sunday mornings.

Many churches and cathedrals will be streaming their Christmas services and carol services and suggested links can be found on our Altogether Not Together page.

We take comfort from the fact that we have taken this action in order to protect our congregation and hope that you will take comfort from this too.  We wish everyone a blessed and peaceful Christmas.

Special Collection for The Childrens Society

We were very pleased to welcome Jess Meale, Relationships Manager with The Children’s Society to St Disen’s last Sunday to speak to us about the work of the Society.  It is our particular Christmas charity, one that we have supported for many years, and so we will be having a special collection this coming Sunday, 20th December.

To find out more about The Children’s Society and how you can donate on-line please take a look at their website.

Church closure this Sunday

Due to unforseen circumstances, we regret that St Disen’s Church will not be open for private prayer and reflection this Advent Sunday, 29th December.

We will be open again for Holy Communion on the 6th December, the first Sunday in Advent, at 9.00am and 10.30am.

A call to prayer

The Archishops of Canterbury and York have invited us to come together at 6.00pm [or when we can] each day during this lockdown month of November to say a short prayer.  A  weekly cycle of prayer has been designed with a different theme for each day including the bereaved, the NHS, our families, schools and local businesses.  The prayers can be found on the Church of England website together with other prayer resources for use at this time.

‘O God, our help in ages past,
our hope for years to come,
be thou our guard while troubles last and our eternal home.’

Isaac Watts paraphrasing Psalm 90

Bradninch Together

Bradninch Together is a community group established to support local residents during the Covid-19 pandemic.  As we head into another period of lockdown their team of volunteers are there, ready to support you, whatever your circumstances.

They can offer practical help with tasks like shopping, picking up prescriptions and dog walking.  There is also the BradAid Hardship Fund offering grants of up to £50 to help residents of Bradninch and Hele experiencing hardship to meet an immediate need.  This is a new fund that can exist thanks to donations from local people and organisations

For more information on how you can get help with your shopping or apply to BradAid and for all the latest news and information on the projects that Bradninch Together are running please visit their website.  You can also find them on Facebook and Instagram.

Bradninch Together – Offering Support, Neighbour to Neighbour

Service update

In accordance with Government guidance we regret that our services for the rest of November have been cancelled.  The good news, however, is that the church will remain open for private prayer and reflection on Sunday mornings from 10.30am to 11.30am.

(Face coverings must be worn and hand sanitisation and social distancing rules apply)

Many churches though are still streaming services online.  See our Altogether Not Together page for more information.

 

In Loving Memory

 

A quite reflective candlelit service to remember those close to use who have died will be held in St Disen’s Church on Sunday afternoon, 1st November at 4.00pm.

Please note that there will be no official Remembrance Service on Sunday, 8th November.  We will be holding a service of Morning Praise instead which will be at the later time of 11.30am.

‘All is safely gathered [t]in’

Our harvest praise was rather different this year with no beautiful displays of fruit, flowers and vegetables.  However, we had a special collection of items for CHAT (Churches Housing Action Team), based in Tiverton.  As well as having a food bank, CHAT provide free, impartial support and advice on housing and homelessness issues, tenancy, and debt and money problems.

Service update

Please note that in a change to our advertised services, our All Age Worship tomorrow, 4th October will now be a service of Morning Praise for harvest.  The service on 1st November will now be Holy Communion.

Alpha Online

This time of Covid 19 has raised questions for all of us.  What’s life really all about?  What is most important and precious to us?  If you’re asking questions then we’d love to invite you to try our on-line Alpha course, which we’re running in conjunction with St Andrew’s Cullompton.  It’s a great opportunity to explore the Christian faith, whether you’re a non-believer, new to faith or wanting a refresher.

The first session is on Wednesday 30th September at 7.30pm.  For more information or to book a place please contact Revd Olly.