News & Features

Following the overwhelming success of our summer 24-7 Prayer event, we have decided now is the right time to renew our energy for prayer. Please consider joining in again or for the first time, all prayers welcome!

As we follow the government’s roadmap out of lockdown and we enter our new Mission Community (East Clyst Churches Mission Community) on April 1^st, it’s the perfect time to pray for guidance, strength, clarity, peace and hope. Prayer is all about our relationship with God. Here are just some of the personal responses I received from those who prayed in the last 24-7 event:

• Many people felt nearer to God and were pleased that they’d made special time for this. A practice they want to continue.
• Visitors to the church who encountered the prayer space in action were deeply moved.
• A bond was created between many who prayed that week. Many felt a connection with those that had used the space prior to them.
• The idea of daily prayer was spoken about openly in households where prayer was previously rarely discussed.
• Many found new ways to communicate with God (see the previous list) and how one day’s prayer would feed into the next.
• Many were surprised at how rewarding, peaceful and more connected they felt praying in the Prayer Space. It gave the church a real warmth.
• Some found they reconnected with areas of their lives that had fallen away during lockdown: music, visiting church etc
• For many it was time to work through the burdens they were carrying and lay them open to God.
• It was a chance to collect verses and quotes from the prayer space that were meaningful or helpful.
• There was a realisation that they COULD pray.
• There was a feeling of wellbeing.
• There was a greater sense of knowing who they are in God and a greater understanding of Him.
• A general trust in God that he knows what is best for our village was experienced.

How it will work:

• We will have a rota covering the 24 hours of each day through the week.
• By day (6am-10pm) prayer can take place in the prayer space in St. Mary’s Whimple or at home or in a space chosen by you.
• By night the church will be locked so all prayer will be at home or in a chosen space. (Last time some prayed outside in special places around the Mission Community.)
• You can sign up for as many hours as you would like to. You can choose just one hour, a set hour each day or a range of hours to fit around your weekend. Contact me to do this: judecarter70@gmail.com or use the link here which takes you directly to our 24-7 sign-up sheet. If using the link and praying from home, please add ‘(at home)’ next to your name so everyone else can see that the church is also available at this time. https://www.24-7prayer.com/signup/23c1d6
• Please don’t be daunted by an hour of prayer. The space is full of ideas to stimulate your thoughts and prayers. (Or see the list of ideas below.)
• If you would like to send in prayer requests for us to focus on during the weekend, please use the contacts below and we will put your requests in the prayer space.
• There will be boards up for you to share your responses to your prayers creatively. Please where possible bring resources with you, (Bible, notebook, pens etc) however there will be plenty of resources available to use. There will also be a CD player available for music. There will be clear Covid rules displayed.
• Worried about not making your slot? Please don’t! We have a back-up team. If you find that you are unable to complete your assigned hour, there will be someone else to step in. (Do let me know if you would like be part of the back-up team.)

These are some of the ways we filled an hour with prayer last time:

• Silence
• Praying for known people (some went through their phone/address books)
• Using a list of events to pray for.
• Reading the Bible or other texts.
• Bible journaling. (There will be table with resources for this.)
• Poetry
• Daily devotional texts. (The ones in the space were fantastic.)
• Singing
• Music making
• Listening to music
• Collage prayer (we will have a fantastic table of resources set out by Rachel Povey.)
• Art/word responses
• Praying in response to the themes for prayer displayed in the space.
• Responding to personal prayers displayed.

Don’t hesitate to contact Rev’d Marc (01404 822525)or myself (judecarter70@gmail.com) for more information. Can’t wait to hear who will be joining us again or for the first time!

Congatulations to Rev Marc Kerslake on being appointed Priest-in-Charge. Marc has been overseeing the Mission Community as the Curate for the last 12 months and will continue now as the Priest-in-Charge, overseeing the forthcoming expansion of the Mission Community. We wish Marc the best of luck as he takes on this role in these challenging times.  

Unfortunately due to the current situation and lockdown 3.0, services at Clyst Hydon, Clyst St. Lawrence and Talaton have been cancelled until further notice. These churches are small and difficult to socially distance. Services at Whimple are continuing but this is under constant review. If you wish to attend a service at Whimple please remember to pre-book your spaces through Marc or one of the churchwardens. 

The Church of England has a freephone number which allows anyone to ring in and listen to hymns, plus there are talks based on some of our most popular hymns. Just ring 08008048044

All Remembrance services will be going ahead as previously published. They will be short, outside and appropriately socially distanced. 

Talaton 9am,

Whimple 10.50am

Clyst Hydon 10.50am

All other services are sadly cancelled for November. 

Last months Ride and Stride raised a massive £2238.00 for the Devon Historic Churches Trust and Mission Community Churches. A huge THANK YOU!! to all those that donated and all those that took part. It's an incredible achievement in these particularly hard times.