We’re delighted to announce the Camel Allen Cluster of Churches Lent Course on Healing led by Rev Geraldine Ashton, Parish Nurse. It will be held on Thursdays, starting 9th March for 4 weeks. St.Thomas’ Church Camelford 10.30am.
We welcome Geraldine as both registered nurse and ordained priest, working in Camelford and Delabole as part of her role in Bodmin. Here’s a report from the service in Bodmin this weekend:
The churches making up the Bodmin Team Ministry gathered in St. Hydroc’s for a joint service led by the Rt. Rev’d Philip Mounstephen, Bishop of Truro.
On a glorious spring morning Bishop Philip drew our attention to the 40 days Jesus spent in the desert. He expressed some sharp contracts, close parallels and rich resonances of this account with the Garden of Eden, Moses’ 40 days on Mount Sinai and the 40 years God’s people wondered in the wilderness.
The bishop expressed these accounts as callings. It was only Jesus, God’s beloved Son, who chose to obey and fulfil his vocation from God when he was put to the test. Jesus was obedient even to death. After his resurrection he was given all the kingdom, power and glory from God the Father. Today, the Church is the body of Christ and just like Jesus we need to be obedient to God’s call. For those yet to know God, the good news is everyone can come to him. It’s only through Jesus’ unflinching obedience to his Father, and his faithfulness to his calling, that his Kingdom and our salvation, will come.
The service also was a Commissioning of Rev’d Geraldine Ashton Bodmin, Camelford & Delabole’s Parish Nurse. Rev’d Geraldine is both a nurse and a priest and she is fulfilling her calling to serve God and those around her, within the protocols of parish nursing.
With glorious weather over our Benefice in this first Sunday of Lent, our services at St Johns and St Julittas were kindly led by our good friend Andrew Lewis, focussing on Christ’s time in the wilderness. At St Teath, our Breakfast Service theme was “love Actually” on loving God, others and then ourselves. Jeffrey introduced us to snails in ginger beer, Claire to corners of God’s love, and Sue to heart shaped prayer telescopes.
Coffee and cake was consumed in St Teath Sunday afternoon to celebrate the annual display of crocus in the churchyard, so lovingly encouraged by Dave and Lorraine over many years. This year’s musical guests were the Wadebridge Male Voice Choir, and solo slots were taken by Tilly and Claire. The afternoon’s music was rounded off with our own choir singing some of their favourite anthems, starting with The Prayer and ending with Standing in the Need of Prayer.
On Saturday 18 February, with the help of my family members and the amazing Lanteglos Team, we held a Candlelit Supper in the church, providing a 4 course meal for 54 people. ( It helps having such an excellent kitchen!) We are tasked with this amazing burden of fundraising, not only for the maintenance of our churches and the Diocesan MMF contribution, but for us at Lanteglos, the Restoration of a beautiful, medieval, Grade 1 listed building. We now need to raise £100,000 to restore our crumbling South aisle Windows which contain important C15 glass. On Saturday 18 we raised £1526. We did this by having a wonderfully convivial evening. For some it was a first meeting. For others who knew each other it provided the opportunity to chat, get to know each other better whilst sharing a delicious meal together. Our thanks for the generosity of those providing raffle prizes, puddings and their help, including two ladies who have just moved to Helstone, offered to help and saved the day with their washing up skills!
She might have been one of the many daughters of King Brychan which would make her a sister to St Endelient, St Menfre, St Merewenna and St Helie all of whom also have local churches dedicated to them.
In Cornwall she is traditionally the patron saint of sweethearts which is why there are hearts and roses on her banner. The words “A vyn’ta demedhi genev?” on the path up to the church translate as “Will you marry me?”
St Adwena, the congregation and wider community are always remembered and prayed for in the Cathedral on 15th February. This year a small group of us travelled to Truro to attend the 9.00am Mass with the regular congregation. Fr Simon, the Interim Dean, who was presiding made us most welcome. The service was celebrated at the Cornish Altar in St Samson’s Chapel. As it was a Wednesday the rest of us gathered in St Adwena at the same time to say Morning Prayer. We all felt the spiritual synergy.