Benefice of South Tawton with Belstone

Sunday April 2nd, Lent 5
8.30am             Holy Communion (Modern) South Zeal
9.30am             Family Communion Belstone

Sunday April 9th, Palm Sunday
8.30am             Holy Communion (1662) Sticklepath
9.30am             Parish Communion South Tawton
11.15am           Parish Communion Belstone

Sunday April 16th Easter Day
8.30am             Holy Communion (1662) South Zeal
9.30am             Parish Communion South Tawton
11.15am           Parish Communion Belstone
No Taize Service today

Sunday April 23rd Easter 2 St George’s Day
8.30am             Holy Communion (modern) Sticklepath
9.30am             Family Communion South Tawton
11.15am           Parish Communion with Holy Baptism Belstone
1.00pm             Area Scouts St George’s Day Service South Tawton
6.30pm             Meditation and prayers for healing Sticklepath

Sunday April 30th Easter 3
8.30am             Holy Communion (1662) Sticklepath
9.30am             Parish Communion South Tawton
11.15am           Parish Communion Belstone

All Welcome

Rectory Ramblings
A journalist who was writing a service about the religious life was visiting a Monastery and watched the monks as they bent over their desks meticulously copying the monastic rule, using all of these artistic calligraphy skills in the production of beautiful illustrated manuscript. The journalist observed that they were not copying from original manuscripts but previously made copies. He mentioned this to the Abbot, pointing out that if a mistake had been previously made, that some mistake would be made over and over again. The Abbot excused himself, and when he had returned after an hour, the journalist went in search of him only to find the Abbot in the room where the original Rule was kept under strict security. The Abbot was weeping, hitting his head on the wall, shaking uncontrollably. When the journalist enquired as to what had upset the Abbot so much, the latter turned to him with tears rolling down his face and announced ‘The word was celebrate’!!!

Sitting on my study desk is a cube with interchangeable faces display different illustrations from the Book of Kell. The cube was a present from Kay my sister-in-law, and gives me a better insight into the beauty of this spectacular book than when I attempted to get a glimpse of the real thing, peering over the heads of countless tourists in the Museum of Ireland in Dublin. The Book of Kells reminds me of Lindisfarne Gospels, Lindisfarne (Holy Island) being one of our favorite places, another of the wonderful illustrated manuscripts that show us the dedication of its creators.

Why was so much time and energy spent in producing such documents? Days, weeks, month’s possible years being given over to writing even one page with such artistic lettering. The only answer I suppose is that it was believed that nothing was too good for God, and that only such beauty and artistry could worthily be offered to him, beauty used to illustrate the Good News.

As we celebrate Easter we remember the beautiful reality of God’s love, God in Jesus could perform no more a beautiful act than to die for us and over death in the resurrection. It is not surprising that Christians down the ages have attempted to give back something beautiful to God, in their love of others, and not least in the production of books and manuscripts written as acts of worship, and preserved for countless generations to look upon with awe and wonder.

Rosaleen and I would like to wish you all a happy and peaceful Easter.
Michael.

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

April 4th7 pm Lent Meditation South Zeal

April 7th 7.30pm Lent Course The Smithy South Tawton

April 8th 9am-noon Church Cleaning South Tawton
All welcome

April 11th 7pm Lent Meditation South Zeal

April 13th 7pm Holy Communion for Maundy Thursday Sticklepath

           April 14th Noon. Good Friday Service of Meditation St Andrew’s South Tawton
2pm Service of Meditation St Mary’s Belstone

The Parish Annual General Meeting will be held on:
April 20th at 7pm at Belstone Village Hall, and
April 26th 7pm Church House South Tawton.

At the time of going to press a revision of the Parish’s Electoral role are taking place.
~

“The Gasman Cometh”

Friday 19th May, 7.30pm St Andrew’s Church South Tawton

A Celebration of Flanders and Swann

Roger Cleverdon-Baritone
Christine Cleverdon-piano
£5

FROM THE REGISTERS