The Lord calls us to do justly, love mercy and walk humbly with God - Micah 6:8
St John’s with St Mary’s is a friendly Church of England community in the heart of Devizes where we seek to walk openly and honestly with others as we learn to grow in God’s love. We invite you to experience and celebrate God’s love with us through worship and fellowship.
Compline from Canterbury Cathedral, a service recorded on the longest day of the year...
Please click here to download our service for today The Third Sunday after Trinity prepared by The Revd Robin Stevens along with the Text
To help us offer a warm welcome our new Curate, Gerry Lynch, please click here to listen to St John's Choir singing 'Beati quorum via' by Stanford, recorded live during a service last year, and guest-conducted by John Challenger. Translation: 'Blessed are those that are undefiled in the way, and walk in the law of the Lord.' (Psalm 119, Verse 1).
We also have a recording of Tu Es Petrus by Palestrina recorded by a VirtualChoir which includes Five Members of our St John's Choir
The translation of the Latin is:
You are Peter and on this rock
I will build My Church
And the gates of hell will not prevail against it
And I will give you the keys
To the kingdom of Heaven
Prayer by George Herbert (1593-1633)
Prayer the Churches banquet, Angel's age,
God's breath in man returning to his birth,
The soul in paraphrase, heart in pilgrimage,
The Christian plummet sounding heav'n and earth
Engine against th' Almightie, sinners towre,
Reversed thunder, Christ-side-piercing spear,
The six-daies-world-transposing in an houre,
A kind of tune, which all things heare and fear;
Softnesse, and peace, and joy, and love, and blisse,
Exalted Manna, gladness of the best,
Heaven in ordinarie, man well drest,
The milkie way, the bird of Paradise,
Church-bels beyond the starres heard, the souls blood,
The land of spices; something understood.
Report of special PCC meeting on 16 June 2020
After careful consideration, the PCC has decided against opening St John’s for private prayer for the time being.The various restrictions and guidelines from both the Government and Church of England mean that re-opening safely for ‘supervised private prayer’ is neither quick nor easy to implement, requiring a rota of stewards and a stringent cleaning regime before and after each session.Mindful of its responsibility for all those using the building and being realistic about available resources, members did not feel it was practical or feasible to open at this time.Paramount in their thinking was the duty of care to both volunteers and worshippers, particularly those in the clinically vulnerable category, which includes people aged 70 or older, regardless of medical conditions, who may face increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19.The PCC will focus on ensuring that the required safety measures to meet the government’s health and safety requirements are in place when churches are permitted to open again for public worship.Parishes in the Salisbury Diocese have been invited to a virtual meeting with the Archdeacons on Friday, 19th June, to discuss the practicalities of opening for public worship. Their advice will help the PCC to complete a COVID-19 Risk Assessment ensuring that the church can be opened safely in line with the guidelines, including social distancing and cleaning, so that all those attending have minimal risk of exposure to the infection. In the meantime, please continue to use the weekly resources on the parish website for a variety of prayers, links to services and music.
For further information please follow the link to the Government guidance:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-guidance-for-the-safe-use-of-places-of-worship-during-the-pandemic/covid-19-guidance-for-the-safe-use-of-places-of-worship-during-the-pandemic#section4
You may also wish to download this Sunday's Diocesan Service
https://www.salisburycathedral.org.uk/news/digital-service-third-sunday-after-trinity
You may wish to watch the 100th offering of The Bishop of Ramsbury's You Tube Blog "Going to Ground"
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjpW4BoTTmCtsINrdC-h9DA
Please feel free to download our Monthly Magazine - June 2020 July 2020
Please feel free to download our Monthy Prayer Cycle- June 2020 July 2020
We also advise you that ALL church groups are cancelled until further notice Groups.
The Parish Office is now Closed but The Parish Administrator will be working from home - please call 07808 98 77 55
The Parish Office is the main point of contact and any information will be disseminated from there to the Clergy and the Church Wardens.
The Contact details for The Parish Office are:
Telephone: 07808 987755
Email: admin@stjohnwithstmary.org.uk
Opening times: Mon, Wed, Fri 10.00am – 12 noon
News from the Rector
Dear Friends,
I look forward to being declared fit to work again at the beginning of July, after nearly a year of struggling with my health. I became ill in July last year with what was eventually diagnosed, in October, as Polymyalgia Rheumatica. In April, after several attempts to get back to my duties, I became very ill indeed. The steroids I was taking for this condition had induced the onset of Diabetes. My blood sugar levels were sky high and I had little or no energy at all. It was on Good Friday that my Diabetes was diagnosed. I remember watching Captain Tom Moore walking up and down his garden on his frame, raising money for the NHS. I did not have the energy even to get to the end of our garden once, and he was ready to do a hundred laps of his!
In addition to ill health, like all of you we have been subject to the national lock-down resulting from the Coronavirus. I have had an opportunity for a great deal of reflection and soul-searching. It has provided space to think about priorities in life for self and family. It has enabled me to think about what best outcome there might be for parish and diocese after such a long-time off sick.
I have decided that the best option all round is for me to take early retirement and perhaps take up a house for duty post elsewhere. It will be sad to leave St John with St Mary after nearly thirteen years among you all. We have shared ups and downs together, joys and sorrows. Katriona and I have really enjoyed living in Devizes and have made good friends. I have valued so much the support and encouragement of colleagues, churchwardens, PCC members and the members of our congregations in my ministry among you. I have greatly appreciated the opportunities of Civic responsibilities and work across the Deanery, Diocese and Ecumenically. Much of this I have had to set aside during the time I have been ill. I will miss these challenges and opportunities, but I look forward to a gentler pattern of life with space and time for rest, reflection, and recreation.
Our new curate Gerry arrives just as I announce my departure. I am sure that you will welcome him to his first post in ordained ministry – starting with his licensing as a lay minister at the end of June and his ordination in September. He will be in good hands, not only with all of you good folk at St John with St Mary but also under the guidance of two training ministers instead of just one, the Archdeacon, Ven Dr Sue Groom and the Rector of Cannings and Redhorn, Revd Richard Curtis.
I have a certain amount of accumulated holiday time to take. I expect to be on holiday for much of July and August, but I shall return to duties in September before I retire in October.
May I thank you all for the support of prayer, messages, cards, and gifts during these last months. I wish you all the best for the future. May God’s grace uphold and support you all.
Yours,
Paul
The Parish Church of St John’s with St Mary’s, Devizes takes its responsibilities surrounding the safeguarding of children, young people, and adults who may be at risk very seriously, and works in partnership with the Diocese of Salisbury to ensure that we work in accordance with best practice at all times.
Our Parish Safeguarding Policy can be downloaded here
If you have any Safeguarding questions or concerns you can contact our Parish Safeguarding Officer, Jerry King on 723830 email kingdevizes@aol.com
Alternatively you can contact the Diocesan Safeguarding Adviser, on 07500 664800 or email heather.bland@salisbury.anglican.org
Please click this link to view the independant shops within Devizes: https://www.indevizes.org.uk
