Friday 17th January 11:57  

    w/c Sunday Jan 19th 2025

Dear Friends,

Great news – it is announced today that the Reverend Alexandra Holmes has been appointed Team Vicar in the Dart & Avon Mission Community, to serve alongside the Team Rector with a special focus on ministry in Buckfastleigh and Dean Prior.
Alex was ordained in 2016 and her ministry to date has been in Somerset, most recently as Vicar of Westbury sub Mendip in the diocese of Bath & Wells. She will live in Buckfastleigh and will serve in the Dart & Avon Team on a half-time basis.
In the other half of her time, Alex plans to continue her work toward a PhD in theology at the University of Exeter.
The focus of her research is the fourth mark of mission as received in the churches of the Anglican Communion: transforming unjust structures of society, challenging violence of every kind, and pursuing peace and reconciliation.
Alex will move to Buckfastleigh later this spring and, subject to the completion of all legal formalities, she will be licensed by the Bishop of Exeter on the evening of Tuesday, May 6th during a service in St Luke’s, Buckfastleigh at which all will be welcome.
Please keep Alex in your prayers as she prepares to join us here in the Dart & Avon Team and for this new stage in her life and ministry as a priest.
Rev Gina

Thought for the week  John 2 v1-11

This week’s gospel recounts the Miracle at the Wedding in Cana, Galilee. This is the first “sign” that Jesus is recorded as giving in John’s gospel and one that Jesus appears to give somewhat reluctantly – or does He? Jesus is there with Mary, His mother, some relatives perhaps but also His disciples are invited.
The wine runs out and Mary, as mother’s do especially in the absence of her husband (Joseph may have died by this time), looks to her eldest son to do something about it.
Jesus’ response seems almost rude to us “woman, what is this to do with me” or “what have you to do with me, my hour is not yet come.”
Mary ignores this: she knows He loves her anyway, and instructs the servants: “do whatever He tells you”.
This is not Mary abdicating responsibility but faith. She knows

Jesus will respond and do the right thing but she must have been as astonished as the bridegroom at the outcome.
Jesus gets the servants to fill six huge jars with freshly drawn water: a total volume of around 120 gallons.
Then a servant is asked to draw some out and take it to the Master of the Feast.
The quality of the wine amazes him. It is the best he has ever tasted and he calls the bridegroom to him and compliments him on saving the best until last, contrary to the usual practice!

The New Wine of the Kingdom is the best wine they’ve ever tasted.
The sheer amount is far more than the wedding guests could ever get through.
So here we have generosity, abundance and exquisite quality in a small backwater village in Galilee.
So it is with the Holy Spirit, freely given to each one of us.
Whether we feel significant or not in this world we are infinitely precious to God and His Grace is sufficient for all our needs as we step out into this new year, into the next part of the adventure.
We may be apprehensive about the future, the effects of climate change, the rise of political populism and the challenges of navigating an ever-changing world.
But our God is with us: He will never leave us nor forsake us.
On the contrary His Love and generous Grace will amaze us as we let the potter work the clay.
Amen.
David Harwood

Notices and Diary

• St Petroc’s joint Covenant service at the Methodist Chapel will be on Jan 26^th at 11am. There will NOT be a service at St Petroc’s that Sunday

Wed 22nd Jan               St Petroc’s Morning Prayer at 8.30am

                                    Thought for the week at 10am by zoom and telephone

Fri 24^th Jan                    Morning Prayer at 9am by zoom and telephone

                                    Staverton PCC at 10am

                                    Church wardens’ meeting at 2.30pm

 Know you are in my heart and in my prayers.
Rev Gina