Download - Diocese of Exeter

Editorial: We welcome stories for consideration.
Contributions may be edited for content and
length. Please include a phone no. so that we can
ring to clarify anything. news@exeter.anglican.org
Design and Layout: www.fridayanimal.com
Commercial Ads: Booking and deadline six weeks
before issue. ads@exeter.anglican.org
Distribution/Accounts: Cowdalls Printers
01270 212 389 Helen@cowdallsprinters.co.uk
Free audio tape version available from
01884 840 285
Children & Young People: For a range of
resources for children’s ministry, youth work and
church schools please see www.exeterccyp.org
Exeter Cathedral: For details of services and
events please visit www.exeter-cathedral.org.uk
Services of Worship: 01392 285 984
Other enquiries: 01392 255 573
Existing free passes for worship became invalid in
March 2011. Applications for new passes can be
downloaded from the website or collected from
the Cathedral Visitor’s Office.
THE NATURALIST
AND THE CHRIST
A Lent Course
Based on the Film
Creation
by Tim Heaton
A Search for Darwin’s God
This is a course for twenty-first century Christians
and I commend it warmly
The Rt Revd Stephen Conway, Bishop of Ely
Carefully researched, elegantly written and wellpresented
The Rt Revd Dr Graham Kings, Bishop of Sherborne
Exciting and challenging
The Rt Revd Tim Thornton, Bishop of Truro
Available now from your local bookshop or
through www.circle-books.net 135 pages, £7.99
WELCOME to this double issue for
December and January 2012.
This bumper issue includes Lisa’s
story on page 3 and how she came to faith
at Christmas. There is a full Synod report
on page 9 and in our What’s On guide
on pages 16 and 17 you will discover a
multitude of Christmas Tree Festivals and
festive concerts.
On pages 10 and 11 there’s the low down
on the Christian Resources Exhibition in
Exeter at the end of January - a great place
to be inspired and resourced. Don’t forget
to sign up for your discounted ticket!
We’d like to wish all our contributors,
advertisers, readers and distributors a very
Happy Christmas.
Nicky Davies
Communications Support Officer
This is the regular magazine from the Church of
England in Devon called Exeter Diocese. We are
a network of 120 mission communities and 506
parishes in towns and rural communities across
Devon, including Plymouth and Torbay. The
magazine goes out to over 30,000 households in
ten issues a year, with joint Dec/Jan and Jul/Aug
issues. Printed on paper from sustainable sources,
Cowdall Printers.
The Old Deanery, Exeter
EX1 1HS. 01392 272686.
The Exeter Diocesan Board
of Finance Limited is a
company limited by
guarantee No 186001,
registered in England
Charity No 249798.
I
didn’t have a good start in life. I was
abused as a child and at the age of
four I was taken into foster care with
my two younger brothers. At the age
of eight I was sadly separated from my
two brothers to another foster family.
I grew up feeling I was different to
everyone else. I was a lonely child with
no confidence.
But at the age of 16, I met my soul
mate, my best friend, my partner
and four years later we planned to
start our family. In November 2008
our daughter was born. We were
overwhelmed to have a little girl: a
life that was so precious and loved
very much and we wanted to get her
baptised at our local church. Through
baptism we knew that our child
would be blessed and although not
Christians at that time, we knew our
child would be looked over
and protected.
On December 21st
in 2010 we had a
beautiful little boy.
The joy of having our
baby at Christmas was
amazing. I knew that
someone had blessed
us with two precious lives.
News
For I can do everything with the help of Christ who gives me the strength I need. (Phil 4:13)
Lisa McCarthy of Tiverton, tells us why her faith came alive
following the birth of her son at Christmas.
I realised that God has always been
there with me, through all the good
and the hard times in my life. After the
birth of our son at Christmas I realised
I had faith.
My faith gives me a sense of comfort,
hope and faith in myself and a
purpose to love and be loved against
all the struggles I have faced. I’m
beginning to understand that having
faith means God also enables me to
forgive others. Faith has changed
my life and I am slowly becoming a
stronger, more confident and happier
person, with great support around me
from friends, family and most of all
the church community and
God. I am blessed.
Faith at Christmas
The family at Thomas’s
baptism on 5 June 2011.
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