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29/3
Fifth Sunday of Lent (Passion Sunday) BENEFICE NEWSLETTER
Fifth Sunday of Lent (Passion Sunday) BENEFICE NEWSLETTER
Dear Congregation Members, Parishioners and Friends
"Ring a ring o'roses. A pocketful of posies . Atishoo, atishoo, we all fall down".
When I was young, small children played this game at parties. How tame things were! Little did we realise that the innocent and playful words to a catchy little tune were originally the tell-tale signs of the plague, the Black Death, which ravaged Europe in the 14th Century. Over 10 years the plague killed 50% of Europe's population. 1348 saw the most virulent outbreak in England.
The Coronavirus symptoms are different from the plague, but we probably feel just as vulnerable as the people of 700 years ago. So many are "falling down" across the world, despite all the best efforts of science and medicine. Covid 19 is stretching the minds and talents of the world's greatest researchers desperately looking for a solution and cure. The whole of humanity has become united in facing a silent and deadly enemy. It has taken this international emergency to make some countries at war to " beat their swords into ploughshares and their spears into pruning hooks", and for car makers to turn their production lines to making ventilators.
Medical science has always been several steps behind meeting human need in eradicating disease. At present we are experiencing this very acutely. We are overwhelmed by the statistics of suffering and death, heartbreaking pictures, stories of relatives unable to visit sick victims at the point of death, only closest family allowed to attend funerals.
Dramatically, as never before in living memory, we are confronted by the truth that human beings need each other to survive. We must respect each other to preserve life, and obey all the government public health instructions. But our human need has to be oddly expressed by being apart. Many of us can only have a spiritual or virtual togetherness with those very dear to us.
As you will see from the Bible Readings' sheet, the Gospel is the Raising of Lazarus. It raises many questions. Was Lazarus in a coma, isolation? Could he represent all those in intensive care on ventilators from which their loved ones long to be reunited with them? The two sisters, Martha and Mary, longed for Jesus to be present to rescue their brother. He reminds them of their spiritual communion with him, just as now physical togetherness and worship and the familiar setting and expectations of usual Church are denied to those of us who value the sacramental life and physically receiving Holy Communion in the Bread and Wine of the altar. The Lord is calling us to a new maturity in the midst of deep deprivation.
Christian people and the whole human family are in a living Passiontide, passion in the sense of suffering. Tomorrow is Passion Sunday, which begins the last fortnight of Lent, when Christians recall the the Lord's Passion, suffering and even dying for the sake of the world. We pray now for the Raising of the world, as Jesus raised his friend Lazarus.
Yours in Christ and in prayer
Fr Peter
01805 622166
"Ring a ring o'roses. A pocketful of posies . Atishoo, atishoo, we all fall down".
When I was young, small children played this game at parties. How tame things were! Little did we realise that the innocent and playful words to a catchy little tune were originally the tell-tale signs of the plague, the Black Death, which ravaged Europe in the 14th Century. Over 10 years the plague killed 50% of Europe's population. 1348 saw the most virulent outbreak in England.
The Coronavirus symptoms are different from the plague, but we probably feel just as vulnerable as the people of 700 years ago. So many are "falling down" across the world, despite all the best efforts of science and medicine. Covid 19 is stretching the minds and talents of the world's greatest researchers desperately looking for a solution and cure. The whole of humanity has become united in facing a silent and deadly enemy. It has taken this international emergency to make some countries at war to " beat their swords into ploughshares and their spears into pruning hooks", and for car makers to turn their production lines to making ventilators.
Medical science has always been several steps behind meeting human need in eradicating disease. At present we are experiencing this very acutely. We are overwhelmed by the statistics of suffering and death, heartbreaking pictures, stories of relatives unable to visit sick victims at the point of death, only closest family allowed to attend funerals.
Dramatically, as never before in living memory, we are confronted by the truth that human beings need each other to survive. We must respect each other to preserve life, and obey all the government public health instructions. But our human need has to be oddly expressed by being apart. Many of us can only have a spiritual or virtual togetherness with those very dear to us.
As you will see from the Bible Readings' sheet, the Gospel is the Raising of Lazarus. It raises many questions. Was Lazarus in a coma, isolation? Could he represent all those in intensive care on ventilators from which their loved ones long to be reunited with them? The two sisters, Martha and Mary, longed for Jesus to be present to rescue their brother. He reminds them of their spiritual communion with him, just as now physical togetherness and worship and the familiar setting and expectations of usual Church are denied to those of us who value the sacramental life and physically receiving Holy Communion in the Bread and Wine of the altar. The Lord is calling us to a new maturity in the midst of deep deprivation.
Christian people and the whole human family are in a living Passiontide, passion in the sense of suffering. Tomorrow is Passion Sunday, which begins the last fortnight of Lent, when Christians recall the the Lord's Passion, suffering and even dying for the sake of the world. We pray now for the Raising of the world, as Jesus raised his friend Lazarus.
Yours in Christ and in prayer
Fr Peter
01805 622166
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This is the website of the United Benefice of Great Torrington - comprising Great Torrington, Little Torrington, Frithelstock and Taddiport Churches. North Devon, UK.
AboutSt. Michael & All Angels' Church, Great Torrington
We are a friendly, welcoming church rooted in the Catholic tradition of the Church of England, committed to dignified worship, good music and orthodox teaching. You are most welcome to join us at any of our services. Click here for more info. |
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Our Churches:Please click below for further info...
Great Torrington
A Guide to the Church
Humphrey, a priest, was instituted as Vicar here on 22 February 1259. So there has been a parish church here for 700 years, and probably much longer than that. The oldest parts of this building are 14th century. Leyland’s Itinerary of about 1538 says, “Torington is a great large toune and stondith on the brow of an hille and hath 3 fair streates yn it and a good market everywke, and ons a yere apon St Michal’s day the best fayr in al those quarters. In the toune is but one paroch chirch. Dr Chaumbre is personne thereof.” Little Torrington
THE HISTORY OF THE CHURCH
Little Torrington was originally a Saxon Settlement called Toritona. The Domesday survey of 1086 records that before the Norman Conquest in 1066 the Manor of Toritona was held by a Saxon called Edmar during the reign of Edward the Confessor (1042-1066). It is possible, therefore, that the first church to be built here was Saxon, dating from the early 11th century. Frithelstock
WELCOME to Frithelstock Town and to the ancient Church dedicated to the Mother of our Lord and to the Pope who sent missionaries to convert our heathen forefathers to the Christian Faith and found the English Church.
Taddiport
Taddiport and the leper fields, from Castle Hill
From Castle Hill in Torrington there is a fine view over the Torridge to the parish of Little Torrington. In the bottom of the valley, on the Little Torrington side, by a fine mediaeval bridge, is the hamlet of Taddiport. A little further upstream are two narrow strip fields, popularly known as "leper fields", all that remain of a larger number which were there in living memory.
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Safeguarding...
If you have a concern about the safety of someone or the actions of someone working with children or vulnerable adults, please speak to:
Benefice Safeguarding Representative : Mr Gwyn Thatcher : Email gwynt@btinternet.com : Contact number : 01837 811076
OR
St Michael's Parish Safeguarding Officer : Mrs Terry Insull : Contact number : 01805 624503
Little Torrington Safeguarding Officer : Mr Gwyn Thatcher : Email gwynt@btinternet.com : Contact number : 01837 811076 : also Benefice Safeguarding Representative.
Frithelstock Joint Safeguarding Officers: Rose Bond 01805 622281 : rosmarybond@btinternet.com
Sidney Adams 01805 622300 : siddrummajor@yahoo.co.uk
Taddiport : Acting Safeguarding Officer : Gwyn Thatcher 01837 811076 : gwynt@btinternet.com : also Benefice Safeguarding Representative.
Diocesan Safeguarding Team’s contact details - https://exeter.anglican.org/resources/safeguarding/safeguarding-team/
If you are a young person and you feel unhappy about something happening to you, you can call Childline on 0800 11 11.
The Great Torrington United Benefice Safeguarding Policy Statement is available on the Safeguarding page.
Benefice Safeguarding Representative : Mr Gwyn Thatcher : Email gwynt@btinternet.com : Contact number : 01837 811076
OR
St Michael's Parish Safeguarding Officer : Mrs Terry Insull : Contact number : 01805 624503
Little Torrington Safeguarding Officer : Mr Gwyn Thatcher : Email gwynt@btinternet.com : Contact number : 01837 811076 : also Benefice Safeguarding Representative.
Frithelstock Joint Safeguarding Officers: Rose Bond 01805 622281 : rosmarybond@btinternet.com
Sidney Adams 01805 622300 : siddrummajor@yahoo.co.uk
Taddiport : Acting Safeguarding Officer : Gwyn Thatcher 01837 811076 : gwynt@btinternet.com : also Benefice Safeguarding Representative.
Diocesan Safeguarding Team’s contact details - https://exeter.anglican.org/resources/safeguarding/safeguarding-team/
If you are a young person and you feel unhappy about something happening to you, you can call Childline on 0800 11 11.
The Great Torrington United Benefice Safeguarding Policy Statement is available on the Safeguarding page.
Popular Links
Safeguarding is important to us.
If you have a concern in regard to safeguarding at the United Benefice of Great Torrington, please visit our Safeguarding page.