Saint Paul's Church, Landkey

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Christmas services - thank you

We would like to express our thanks to all who supported our services at Christmas. It was a very difficult time to hold public gatherings and we thought hard before doing so. However, we are grateful that so many people came along to our Outdoor Carol Service on 20th December and took care to observe the measures in place to limit the spread of Covid-19. Our Christmas Mass on 24th December was attended by 22 people and all were likewise keen to comply with the rules for indoor worship. We look forward, eventually, to being able to hold services more normally in 2021!

Christmas wreaths

At the start of the year, the challenge went out for talented individuals to make money for the church. Based on the Parable of the Talents, £10 was offered to anyone who was willing to invest this sum in a venture that would yield even more money.

Josie Foster remembered this appeal, despite the intervention of Covid-19, and has been applying both her investment and her skills to making Christmas wreaths.

They are very good indeed and we currently have one that she made hanging on our front door. Josie included a passage in a card with the wreath and, for benefit of anyone who hasn’t seen it, it is as follows:

“The Christmas wreath is a popular decoration that we typically find hanging on a door, over the fireplace, or in windows. But, did you know that the circular shape of the wreath has a symbolic meaning? The circular shape symbolises eternity, it has no beginning and no end, just like Jesus’ love for us.

Romans 5:8 says, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Every time you see a Christmas Wreath, remember that God sent His Son Jesus to die on the cross for our sins so that we can have everlasting life.

Takeaway: Look around your house or take a walk around your neighbourhood, every time you see a wreath think about a time when you have experienced God’s love.”

Remembrance

St Paul's, together with Landkey Parish Council, conducted a short Act of Remembrance at the village war memorial on Sunday 8th November at 10:45am. Rules to prevent the spread of Covid-19 meant that we could not hold a service in the village hall as we would normally have done.

A group of six village representatives led the Act, including the laying of wreaths and the holding of two minutes' silence at 11am. Around 40 village residents observed the proceedings, as they were allowed to do, and took care to comply with social distancing requirements.

Wreaths were laid by Richard Halliday on behalf of Landkey Parish Council and by Mike Foster for St Paul's Church. Chris James led the Act while Charles Waldron called out the names of those soldiers listed on the memorial as having given their lives in time of war. Peter Elder and John Hayes respectively read the odes, "For the Fallen" and "The Kohima Epitaph".

We thank village residents for coming to observe the Act in a way which complied with rules preventing the spread of infection and also the drivers who waited patiently with their engines off during the ceremony.

Wedding at St Paul's

With the Covid-19 pandemic dominating our lives at present, a wedding at St Paul's would seem one of the less likely events to take place. However, that is just what did take place on Saturday 17th October 2020 when Tim and Chloe Chamings held their wedding service in our parish church.

The weather favoured them, being dry, warm and sunny if a little windy. While the number of attendees was limited to 15, several more were able to gather outside (socially-distanced) to greet the newlyweds as they emerged from the church.

The circumstances in which Tim and Chloe begin their married life would not have been ones that they could have imagined, but it is clear that the day was very special for them and we wish them all the best for their future together.

Two photos of their wedding day have been uploaded to this website and may be viewed on this page or on the Church Life page.

Tim sent this message along with his permission for us to use their photo: "We would like to thank all of the team at St. Paul's for making our day so special. God Bless, Tim."

Gift Days - thank you

We are very grateful to all who contributed financially to the church on our Gift Days which were held over the Harvest weekend of 26th-27th September 2020. The welcome sum of £1455 was raised and will go a long way towards enabling St Paul's to pay its way for the remainder of the year.

Annual Parochial Church Meeting - elections, reports and appointments

These are the main actions that were taken at our APCM on 12th October:

• Hazel Price and Mike Foster were re-elected churchwardens

• The Annual PCC Report and Financial reports were approved

• Jean Loveridge and Adrian Ley were both re-elected to the PCC. Ann Rumble was co-opted to the PCC.

• Eric Price and Ann Rumble were elected Deanery Synod representatives

• Sidespersons were appointed, these being Jean Loveridge, Elizabeth Nunn, Margaret Perryman, Hazel Price and Ann Rumble

At the PCC meeting which followed the Annual Meeting, Eileen MacCaig was elected PCC joint Chairman, Charles Waldron Vice Chairman, Ann Rumble Treasurer, Charles Waldron Secretary and Peter Elder Electoral Roll Officer. It was agreed that the Fabric Committee would comprise Mike Foster (Convenor), Eric Price and Adrian Ley.