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In Brief

Next Service:

3rd October at 10:30 am.

Family Service
(Eighteenth Sunday after Trinity)

The next village event will be Family Service on 3rd October 2021 at 10:30 AM in St Paul's Church

Diocesan Magazine

Click here to visit the Exeter Diocese website

A link to the magazine is available on the Home page.

Safeguarding

View our Safeguarding policy

Diocese of Exeter Safeguarding contacts

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On Sunday 12th September 2021, Hugo Lynch was Christened at a service which had been delayed due to the pandemic. Here, Revd Shaun Christens Hugo at the font, held by his dad and accompanied by his brother, Arthur, held by mum Holly. Image courtesy of Charles Waldron 13th September 2021.
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Chris James led our service of Holy Communion on 25th July 2021, the first service held after the lifting of most Covid restrictions on 19th July. Image courtesy of Charles Waldron 25th July 2021.
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In Brief

Next Service:

3rd October at 10:30 am.

Family Service
(Eighteenth Sunday after Trinity)

The next village event will be Family Service on 3rd October 2021 at 10:30 AM in St Paul's Church

Diocesan Magazine

Click here to visit the Exeter Diocese website

A link to the magazine is available on the Home page.

Safeguarding

View our Safeguarding policy

Diocese of Exeter Safeguarding contacts

Recent Images Highslide JS
On Sunday 12th September 2021, Hugo Lynch was Christened at a service which had been delayed due to the pandemic. Here, Revd Shaun Christens Hugo at the font, held by his dad and accompanied by his brother, Arthur, held by mum Holly. Image courtesy of Charles Waldron 13th September 2021.
Highslide JS

Chris James led our service of Holy Communion on 25th July 2021, the first service held after the lifting of most Covid restrictions on 19th July. Image courtesy of Charles Waldron 25th July 2021.
More Images
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Welcome to the website for St Paul's Church, the Church of England church for the parish of Landkey.

The tranquil village of Landkey is situated just three miles from the busy market town of Barnstaple in North Devon. With a growing population in excess of 2000, a strong sense of community exists within the village and, of this, the church is an important part. As well as offering regular Christian worship, the church provides valuable links to other areas of the community such as the local Primary School and the Mothers' Union.

St Paul's is a friendly church in which the Christian message is heard regularly by a congregation of around 25 worshippers. All are welcome to attend our services.

To Autumn

With harvest being celebrated this month, it might be appropriate once again to reproduce John Keats' seasonal ode : To Autumn

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To Autumn

Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness!
Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun;
Conspiring with him how to load and bless
With fruit the vines that round the thatch-eaves run;
To bend with apples the moss'd cottage-trees,
And fill all fruit with ripeness to the core;
To swell the gourd, and plump the hazel shells
With a sweet kernel; to set budding more,
And still more, later flowers for the bees,
Until they think warm days will never cease,
For summer has o'er-brimm'd their clammy cells.

Who hath not seen thee oft amid thy store?
Sometimes whoever seeks abroad may find
Thee sitting careless on a granary floor,
Thy hair soft-lifted by the winnowing wind;
Or on a half-reap'd furrow sound asleep,
Drowsed with the fumes of poppies, while thy hook
Spares the next swath and all its twinèd flowers;
And sometimes like a gleaner thou dost keep
Steady thy laden head across a brook;
Or by a cider-press, with patient look;
Thou watchest the last oozngs, hour by hours.

Where are the songs of Spring? Ay, where are they?
Think not of them, thou hast thy music too,
While barrèd clouds bloom the soft-dying day,
And touch the stubble-plains with rosy hue;
Then in a wailful choir the small gnats mourn
Among the river sallows, borne aloft
Or sinking as the light wind lives or dies;
And full-grown lambs loud bleat from hilly bourn;
Hedge-crickets sing; and now with treble soft
The redbreast whistles from a garden-croft,
And gathering swallows twitter in the skies.

John Keats

Online Links

Our services have now settled into the new routine which allows for some relaxation of the Covid restrictions which applied prior to 19th July 2021. We are singing again and are finding that congregation members wear a face mask for some of the time during the service.

The liturgy (or, Order of Service) for our services  may be downloaded via the links below to enable online participants to follow the proceedings.

All are welcome, either in the church or online!

Updated 26th September 2021

News

26th Sep 2021

Harvest Service - almost like old times!

It was a pleasure to arrive in church on 26th September to find the pews well occupied and to witness the flowers, fruit and veg which had been skilfully arranged to give colour and a feeling of abundance for our Harvest Service.

The service was led by Josie Foster, with a reading given by Angela Bellamy. The theme was one of thanksgiving for the abundance of God's creation and of his love for mankind.

Several members of the congregation who had not been in the church since the pandemic began were present and it was good to seen them, as well as some newer members. All in all, it felt a little like old times!

26th Sep 2021

Covid restrictions - our response to their easing

Following the lifting of almost all remaining Covid restrictions on 19th July, St Paul's has done likewise. It has been a gradual process, though, as we want worshippers to have the opportunity to become accustomed to the new status quo and not feel uncomfortable coming to services, especially while the infection rate remains high.

The main change so far has been the re-introduction of singing which seems to be appreciated by congregation members. In addition, we are now (September 2021) offering refreshments after each service.

Our other Covid-related procedures are as follows:

  • We are not actively encouraging mask wearing but recommend that worshippers bring one along to wear if they find themselves in a situation where they would prefer to do so.
  • We are not planning for social distancing but are happy for people to space themselves out according to their own judgement.
  • Hand sanitiser is available at the door for anyone who would like to use it.
  • We no long be record the names of attendees but will retain the QR code in the porch for those who would like to check in.
  • Holy Communion continues to be offered as bread only, although we may introduce the wine in a Covid-safe way soon (Sept 2021). The taking of Communion is optional, of course!

The current Church of England guidance upon which our procedures are based is available to download here:

View older articles

Future Plans

St Paul’s: A Church for the Future?
The events of the past year have had unwelcome effects on many village organisations, including St Paul’s. Restrictions caused by the pandemic are, thankfully, easing and we are now focusing our attention on the future. We believe that there is support for St Paul’s from within our growing parish and we would like to build on that to create a church which will serve the needs of its community in the years ahead. Among plans under consideration is the installation of a toilet to help make the building more versatile. Opening the building more often than just on Sunday mornings is an objective, as is the wish to broaden the range of services held, while retaining their reverence. We now have an internet connection making the streaming of services online possible and we would like to upgrade the current technology to reduce our reliance on printed material. Landkey is fortunate to have a beautiful historic church in its midst and it is our aim to ensure that its future is secured for generations to come! If you would like to be a part of this endeavour, please feel free to get in touch through our Contact Us page. 8th August 2021