Friday 28th August 12.07pm 

w/c Sunday 30^th August 2026

Dear Friends,

This Sunday see’s the Mission Community’s “Pilgrim Walk”.
Please join us for the services, and/or for the walk itself if you can.
Bishop James will be joining us for the end of the walk, as well as for tea and our Songs of Praise.
Please pray for the safety of those taking part, and that they won’t get too wet!  
I hope we all get more of a sense of our Christian life as a pilgrimage with God.

Thought for the week:  Happy are those whose hearts are set on the pilgrim way. Psalm 84.5

The term ‘pilgrim’ comes from the Latin per, through + ager land, which means a pilgrim is someone on a journey, a temporary resident.
Christians are in a certain sense ‘travellers’ in this world; for our ‘true home is in heaven.’
Every Christian life is a pilgrimage – a journey with God.

For many centuries pilgrimage for most people meant walking, often long distances.
God wouldn’t only be found at the end of the road, but in each step along the way.
There would be challenges and hazards along the way, and this was part of the experience.
Neither would they get to choose their fellow pilgrims! The whole of life can be understood as pilgrimage, a journey home to the place that God has prepared for us in Christ.
If this is so then how we live our lives each day in the presence of Christ is as important as the glory that awaits us.
In fact, you could say that the whole point of the Christian faith is that, in Christ, God has come to be with us where we are.
God may appear to be more real in certain places hallowed by prayer and redolent with the memory of the saints.
But God needs to be found, encountered, experienced in every step we take and in every day of our lives.
In Jesus, God has walked this earth before us, and that with Jesus as our companion and guide we can travel through life differently.

This is very relevant for the mission of the church.
When we invite people to explore the Christian faith, we are inviting them on a journey.
Our role is to be good companions on the road. And we cannot choose who our fellow companions might be.
God often brings unexpected people to our door.
God always welcomes in the stranger.
We are asked to do the same. The invitation of the Christian life, therefore, is to go on pilgrimage.
We all know that life is a journey. It begins when we’re born.
It ends when we die. But when we know and receive Jesus, the journey of life that ends in death becomes a holy pilgrimage that leads to life.

Seasoned pilgrims know well the need to pack lightly; carefully considering what is most important to them and what might be weighing them down.
There may well be blisters, or bad weather along the way.
At times we may tire or become discouraged and think about giving up.
All we can do in such moments is to take the next step, knowing that we are not alone!  
The walk Jesus made on Easter day with Cleopas and his companion reminds us that Jesus is with us every step of the way, even when we don’t recognise him.

Pilgrim, what do you seek? To follow in the way of Jesus Christ.
What is the way of Jesus Christ? To live in God’s love and enjoy God for ever.

Pilgrim, who is God? God is the source of all being, the one for whom we exist.

Notices and Diary

• August 30^th – Mission Community Pilgrim walk from St Luke’s to St Petroc’s. Further details about the walk and to sign up:- call Val on 07792 802307 or use QR code :-
• Sat 5^th September Yonder Cross, Hillside, South Brent, TQ10 9DR 12-5 pm Open garden, BBQ, children’s games, live music. 
• 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.

Sun 30^th Aug                        Joint Mission Community service at St Luke’s at 10am, Pilgrim Walk leaving at 10.45am, tea at St Petroc’s 4pm, Songs of Praise at 4.30pm

Wed 2^nd 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 4^th Sept                            Morning Prayer at 9am by zoom and telephone

                                                      Staverton and Landscove PCC at 10.30am

                                                      Ministry Team meeting at 12.30pm

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

                                                      Yonder Cross Open Garden 12pm – 5pm

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