Friday 4th September 12.12pm 

                                                                                     w/c Sunday 6^th September 2026

Dear Friends,

We are now in Creationtide, or the Season of Creation which runs from September 1 to October 4, St Francis’ day.
Churches and congregations are called to pay special attention to our shared responsibility for the Earth and everything that lives upon it.
We live at a time when the beauty, abundance and interdependence of the world are both more visible to us and more threatened by us.
But a Christian understanding of how to react to the challenges of our age must begin with praise for what God has done in creation, and in the new creation in Christ.

Thought for the week:  

Last Sunday about 17 of us took part in a 9 mile pilgrimage walk from St Luke’s Church, Buckfastleigh to St Petroc’s Church, South Brent, using a route over the Moor between Cross Furzes and the Avon Reservoir.
We began with a short church service at St Luke’s and concluded with a Songs of Praise service in St Petroc’s.
In order to make this into more than just an enjoyable church hike, we had three brief stops along the way with the theme of life being a pilgrimage, a walk with the Lord.
Each stop took the form of a few verses of scripture, a very brief reflection, and a prayer.

WE BEGAN on the steps of St Luke’s Church with a reflection on the call of Abraham (see Genesis 12 verses 1, 2 and 4).
That is where the Bible’s story of God and his people really gets going.
Abraham is called to leave the familiar and set out following God’s leading.
He responds in faith.

In the same way we are called to be Christians, followers of Jesus.
He calls us to follow him in faith in the journey of life.
Lord Jesus, give us the faith and commitment to truly follow wherever you lead us, even if it means leaving what seems familiar and safe.

OUR SECOND REFLECTION was just before starting the part of the walk that was over the open moor.
We read Mark 10 v 32, where Jesus sets out for Jerusalem, knowing what lies ahead, and his disciples follow him, but in deep alarm. 
Sometimes we can be very fearful of the way ahead, or puzzled by what God seems to be doing, (or even, not doing).
But our calling is to trust and to follow.
Lord Jesus, often the way ahead can seem very daunting, and we are full of fear and questions. At such times, help us to trust and to follow.

THE FINAL REFLECTION was at Shipley Bridge, after the moor section.
We read 1 Peter 1:3-5. Rather than “hope” being just a meaningless wish Peter speaks of a” living hope”, and our confidence in Jesus and in the ultimate goal of our journeying “to be revealed at the end of time”.

We share that hope, and ideally it should be something that motivates us for living the Lord’s way now.
Lord Jesus, strengthen this hope in us as we walk with you.

A final thought: we walked and reflected as individuals and as a group – an individual pilgrimage and a group pilgrimage – just as the Christian life is an individual walk with the Lord, and a walk that we share together as his disciples.
George Day

Notices and Diary

• Sat 5^th September Yonder Cross, Hillside, South Brent, TQ10 9DR 12-5 pm Open garden, BBQ, children’s games, live music.  All welcome – come and join the fun!
• Sat 12^th Sept St Mary’s Rattery – The Friday Nightclub Concert for guitar and violin – music through the ages. Glass of wine 6pm, music 6.45pm. Tickets £10 on door
• Mission Community Newsletter Editor/s needed! From the end of September, we need a volunteer/s to edit the weekly Newsletter. Please contact Rev Gina to discuss.

Sat 5^th Sept                          Lay Worship Leaders meeting at St Lukes at 10am

                                                      Yonder Cross Open Garden 12pm – 5pm

                                                      Landscove wedding at 13.30pm (Deane/Michaels)

Sun 6^th Sept                         St Petroc’s Parish Breakfast from 8.30am

Wed 9^th Sept                       St Petroc’s Morning Prayer at 8.30am

Thought for the week at 10am by zoom and telephone

St Petroc’s Parish Lunch 12.30-1.30pm

Fri 11^th Sept                         Morning Prayer at 9am by zoom and telephone

Sat 12^th Sept                       Rattery Concert in aid of the church 6pm for 6.45pm

All creatures praise you, both those who speak and those that are dumb.
All creatures bow down before you, both those that can think and those that cannot.
The longing of the universe, the groaning of creation reaches out to you.
Everything that exists prays to you, and every creature that can read your universe
directs to you a hymn of silence. Gregory of Nazianzus

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