Friday 16th January 17.00pm 

   w/c Sunday 18^th Jan 2026

Dear Friends,

Mission Community Party on Jan 24^th at St Luke’s church, Buckfastleigh from 12pm

Please can I encourage everyone to book their place at our party – it will be a great opportunity for us to get to know each other more and to have fun.
It will be a catered meal, and so there will be a small charge of £5.
To Book, please contact Val Hoare, preferably by Sunday Jan 18^th on 01803 866133 or 07792 802307 or email; pharmers@btinternet.com so we know how many to cater for.

 Please do make this a priority if you can, as it would be wonderful to see as many as possible. 

Thought for the week

We are in the season of Epiphany in the church’s year. A time in which we recognize Jesus to be the Son of God.
The word ‘epiphany’ means ‘manifestation’ or ‘appearance.’
The Feast of the Epiphany marks the revelation to the wise men of Jesus  as King of the Jews – a title used by Herod but kept by the Jews for their Messiah, and a title that would later be used at the crucifixion.
He was also revealed as a King for the whole world. Later, we remember the Baptism of Christ by John, when a voice from heaven declares Jesus to be God’s beloved Son.
We also have the wedding at Cana when Jesus is revealed as having authority over creation as He turns water into wine.
Finally, on 2 February, the season of Epiphany ends with the Feast of the Presentation. Jesus is brought to the Temple by his parents according to the law of Israel. There, he is recognised by Simeon, who declares him to be ‘a light to lighten the Gentiles and the glory of God’s people Israel.’

Throughout this season we are invited to explore for ourselves who Jesus is – to do what Jesus invited the disciples to do in this week’s Gospel – to “Come and see.
” To see God’s glory revealed in and through Jesus. 
And the wonderful thing is that God’s glory was revealed not on some national or international stage, but instead in ordinary, everyday events and settings.  Jesus’ glory revealed on earth was modest and unassertive, revealed in the everyday, in the ordinary – in a stable, on a riverbank, at a wedding, in a busy Temple to two older folk .

St Augustine wrote “the presence of glory walks amongst us, if love finds room”.
For those with eyes to see and hearts open, the revelation of Jesus’ glory was life changing.
And it was to be found in the everydayness of life.

Rarely is God’s glory revealed blindingly such as at the Transfiguration.
But it is there for the seeing, when we glimpse a foretaste of the fuller revelation of God that is to come.
Those moments in the everyday when we sense God’s presence.
Dare we to believe that we can find the glory of God where we live and work? God reveals Himself in the ordinary if only we have eyes to see and hearts to believe.
Let that be true for each of us this week.

Notices and Diary

• Mission Community Party at St Luke’s Buckfastleigh on Sat Jan 24^th from 12pm (lunch at 12.30pm) £5 per head for a catered meal – to book contact Val Hoare on 01803 866133 or 07792 802307 or email pharmers@btinternet.com

Tues 20^th Jan                       St Luke’s Bible study at 10am

Wed 21^st Jan                        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

St Petroc’s Wedding at 1pm (Moran/Gaunt)

St Luke’s PCC at 6.30pm

Fri 23^rd Jan                            Morning Prayer at 9am by zoom and telephone

Sat 24^th Jan                           Mission Community Party from 12pm at St Luke’s Buckfastleigh

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