FROM READER GRAHAM DEE

Dear Friends

As I go around the parish in my capacity as one of your Reader Ministers I am regularly asked “How does my role as a member of the Chaplaincy team at the Hospice work?”Firstly, my role there is providing spiritual support. This does not always mean religious support. My role isto listen and identify the things that have made life meaningful for the individual (this can be as diverse as their families, a football team or their faith) and encourage them to talk about it. The common misconception is that my role involves a lot of talking whereas in fact, it is about listening intently. In order to achieve this I have to acknowledge my own limitations and ensure that I do not impose my beliefs

on them but am open to their beliefs even if they differ from mine. I have to acknowledge that this is what is important to them. I need to be with them and not walk away from their pain and suffering whatever they say or believe.Who do I support? Most people think that this is restricted to the patients being cared for but I am also there for their families and also for the staff who can, at times, get very distressed by what they witness. Families often take me by surprise stating they do not want to talk to me when I introduce myself at the patient’s bedside but frequently they will come and seek me out in my office for a “chat”. Yes, this can be exhausting. So how do I cope with it? It is really important that I am aware of the need to look after myself or it would not be possible to continue in this role. For me, the most supportive thing I can do is offer up to God this suffering and pain. I can feel the weight lift from my shoulders when I do this. Our God is a compassionate and caring God. He is not judgemental. His love and support is infinite.And as we look towards Easter and the Passion of Christ, if it is true that all human beings carry around inside themselves a profound and usually unconscious dread of death as absolute annihilation, then we might occasionally be invited to set that terror within the context of the Christian belief expressed by St Paul in Romans 8: 38-39 “I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”When occasions such as these arise it is both humbling and a privilege to be on hand.

Graham Dee, Reader Minister

PARISH OF PLYMSTOCK AND HOOE

8am Parish Service of Holy Communion

St John’s — 8am Communion 1st & 3rd Sundays

St Mary’s — 8am Communion 2nd & 4th Sundays

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PLYMSTOCK & HOOE’S MISSION ACTION PLAN TAKES SHAPE!

Ever done a jigsaw, only to find near the end that you are a couple of pieces missing? Frustrating, isn’t it?The Mission Community of the churches of Staddiscombe, Oreston, Hooe & Plymstock have been workingon a Mission Action Plan for a number of months, and it is coming together nicely. So, now a date for yourdiary: Saturday April 18th will see us gather for a Planning Day at an exciting venue still under wraps. Theaim of the day is to fit more pieces of our jigsaw together, as we seek to encourage each other in mission tothose who don’t yet know Jesus. The day is open to all, and will consist of input, group sessions, as well astime for relaxation and lunch together. Book the date now, and be praying for our gathering as we seek to be part of God’s exciting mission acrossour Mission Community. Only we can put the jigsaw together!

-Dave Appleby

WOMEN’S WORLD DAY OF PRAYER

This year the Service will be on Friday, 6th March 2015 at St Werburgh’s Church, Wembury at 2.00pm.The Committee for The Bahamas has written the Service and its theme is:

“Jesus said to them: Do you know what I have done to you?”

Please join us and an estimated 3 million people in over 170 countries in observing this day of prayer.Everyone is welcome to attend the Service. -Daphne Freeman

(Commence at 12 noon)

Saturday 7th March St Margaret Mary, Radford Pk RdSaturday 14th March Plymstock United Church, Plymstock RdSaturday 21st March Elburton Methodist Church, Springfield RdSaturday 28th March St Mary’s & All Saints Plymstock, Church Rd

Join us for a soup and a rollDonations to Christian Aid

Further information: Rev Steve Payne 213358

MOTHERING SUNDAY is on MARCH 15th 2015

God our Father,your Son Jesus Christ lived in a family in Nazareth:

Grant that in our families on earthwe may so learn to love and to live together

that we may rejoice as one family in your heavenly home; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

PALM SUNDAY

SUNDAY 29th MARCH

10.00am JOINT SERVICE at St Mary’s, Plymstock.

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Cherishing ChurchyardsA-Z of Churchyard Conservation Reprinted with permission from Caring for God's Acre, the conservation charity for churchyards and burial grounds, 01588 673041, http://www.caringforgodsacre.org.uk/

"O" is for OwlTawny Owl is the most likely owl to be heard in the churchyard. It will nest

in the church building or in large trees and roost in winter in evergreen trees. The male makes the familiar ‘hooo-hoo-hooo’ sound while the female replies with a coarse ‘ke-wick’ call. In days gone by the Tawny Owl was seen as the harbinger of death because it often called from churchyard trees in the dark months of autumn and winter when many people died. The owls can live up to 23 years.

For more information on birds, contact the British Trust for Ornithology, 01842 750050 or the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, 01767 680551. They both have excellent websites: http://www.bto.org.uk/, http://www.rspb.org.uk/

"P" is for PrimroseThe primrose is the prima rosa, first flower of the year. They are abundant in many churchyards – partly due to the Victorian custom of planting primroses on the graves of small children. Years ago bunches were pickedto decorate churches and as presents for parents. Children would pick primroses, bunch them up with wool and attach them to a twig, which they carried horizontally, so the flowers were not damaged. Cottage industries thrived during spring, packaging primroses in boxes and sending them by steam train to London and Birmingham markets – a piece of the countryside for city dwellers.

For information on managing churchyard grassland contact:

St John’s, HooeSunday 15th March ~ Mothering Sunday

10.45am All Age Family Eucharist

EASTER LILIES AT ST JOHN’S

St John’s flower arrangers will be decorating the Church for Easterand would like to have white lilies in the Church on this special day.

If you would like to buy a lily in memory of a loved one, please contact:-

Lis Pemberton (Tel: 407057)or a Church Warden

The suggested cost is £2 per flower.

Please let us know the person’s name if you wish it to be included in a list of names that will be put on the altar at Easter.

Any help will be greatly appreciated on Saturday, 5th April.

-Lis Pemberton

GEORGE MICHAEL JAMES GILES

Recently St John‘s received an email from a lady in Canada enquiring whether George Giles was buried inour churchyard. We traced the grave and assumed that he had died from war wounds. In 1916 St John’s Hall became a hospital ward for about 16 people, presumably casualties of the battles inFrance. The children were sent to Plymstock School.

George Giles died in 1916 and was buried by the Rev’d Gilbertson. He was a Surgeon in the CanadianMedical Services, aged 61 years. He was born in Portsea (Portsmouth) in 1854 and was baptised at St Thomas’s, the son of George Giles, aCaptain in the RN, and Emma Jane Cole Sambell born in Stoke Damerel. George frequently moved and in 1861 the family were living at Wyke Regis a part of Weymouth.

FROM ST JOHN’S PARISH REGISTERS

BAPTISM: We welcomed into God’s family by Baptism:-

December 7th, 2014 ELLIS ARTHUR SWAINSBURY, son of Barry and Melanie, brother of Finley, of Goosewell. Grandson of Nigel and Pam Baring of Hooe.

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‘YOUNG @ HEART’

In February ‘Young @ Heart’ members were treated to a talk about some of the more obscure Saints andsome Saints that we are all familiar with. Mrs Lorna Grainger had thoroughly researched her subject.Being February the first Saint mentioned was St Valentine, the patron saint of lovers, and with the shopsfull of Valentine cards and appropriate gifts one would be hard-pressed to escape Valentine’s Day.We heard about St Joseph, the patron saint of carpenters and house hunters. Lorna also spoke of Joseph’sloyalty to Mary.Of course we all knew of St George, the patron saint of England, originally St Boniface but later declaredGeorge by King Richard the Lionheart.St Benedict is the saint of engineers and Europe; Martha is the saint of housewives and cooks and Clare isthe saint of embroiderers.Florists and gardeners have their own saint, not surprisingly, St Rose, and St Nicholas of Tolentino is thesaint of motherhood.Another St Joseph is the saint of examinations and air travellers – he could levitate.We all know about St Francis of Assissi, the saint of animals and birds and churches and Nativity plays. Hetravelled a lot in Africa as a missionary.St Luke is the saint of physicians and butchers, surgery being akin to butchery.We heard about Jude, the saint of lost causes, and of Cecelia, the saint of musicians and singers. Lacemakers and wheelwrights have claim to St Kathryn.It was difficult to take in all the information that Lorna had researched for us.Ruth thanked her for such an interesting talk and Margaret, our new Treasurer, presented her with adonation for a charity of Lorna’s choice (all monies raised by Lorna’s talks go to various charities).Some members had made various items with a Valentine theme which made a nice colourful display.We all enjoyed our usual delicious ‘Young @ Heart’ tea and chat.At our next meeting we will be shown how to ‘do’ some easy art work. Hopefully members will take partand have a go. It might be a good idea to bring an apron. Hope to see you all there.

-Ruth EarlNext Meeting ~

Tuesday, 3rd March 2015, at 2.00pm in St John’s Hall.New members are very welcome.

FROM THE PARISH REGISTER

We welcomed into God’s family through Baptism at St Mary’s:

25th January DARCEY HOLDEN and WILLIAM HOLDEN, the daughter and son of Michael and Emma Holden.

AZALEA KERSWELL, the daughter of David and Carly Kerswell.

1st February FYNN DAVID ACKRELL, the son of Ben Ackrell and Danielle Smith.

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THE TABLE TOP SALE on Saturday, 31st January, raised £335.65 for the ongoing work of the church. Thank you to all who gave towards the sale and to the helpers.

The next Sale will be:-

TABLE TOP SALE

SATURDAY 21st MARCH 2015

10am to 12 noon

Plymstock Parish Hall

We would like to see you at these events.Just come along for a chat

or a cup of tea or coffee or to help.

Dates for your Diary:

Coffee Morning ~ Wednesday 22nd April. 10am to 12 noon at 79 Stanborough Road for St Luke’s Hospice.

Coach Trip ~ Wednesday 13th May ~ to Trago Mills.

Quiz Night ~ Saturday 30th May, 7 to 9pm.

Cheese & Wine Evening ~ Saturday 20th June, 7 to 9.30pm

-David Roberts

Palm Sunday procession at Plymstock Church 1963

NOAH WAS MESSY!

February’s Messy Church took the theme of ‘Noah’, at which 27 of us gathered at The Staddy to colour,paint, draw and generally get in a mess! And with some huge pieces of cardboard, courtesy of The BikeCellar, a lifesize ark (well, almost) came to life.

After hearing the story of Noah and the animals which came in 2-by-2, we ate our tea of fish fingers, bakedpotatoes and salad. Our Messy day was completed when we had a real-life Noah to sing Happy Birthday to! (he wasn’t 600 yearsold though, only four… ).

Our next Messy Church is Sunday 22nd March from 4-6p.m. at The Staddy, when we will get ready forEaster. More details from Bob Davidson on 481020.

WHAT A WONDERFUL PRESENT TO RECEIVE! TWINNING WITH A TWIST

We've all heard about “twinning” and a number of us have experienced its benefits - an opportunity to meetand enjoy the generous hospitality of new friends generally in foreign countries. It's usually done on analternate basis.As examples, Wembury is twinned with a French village, Plymouth is twinned with Brest and Gdansk.

Recently, a noble room in our house, our downstairs loo, became “twinned” with latrine 10094, Mukolwe,Democratic Republic of Congo. It was a present from our Family. It came with certificate, photograph andexact geographical location. It was a generous present which benefits a poor African community.

Here’s the thing … 2.5 billion people don’t have somewhere safe, clean and hygienic to go to the loo. That’smore than a third of the people on the planet.

In the example of our toilet twinning few people in the Democratic Republic of Congo have access to basicservices, including clean water and sanitation, a country where most people don’t live to see their 50 th

birthday, and diarrhoea is the second biggest killer.

Toilet twinning enables people living in poor communities to have clean water, a decent toilet, and tolearn about hygiene. Families work together to install water pumps, build toilets, and learn aboutbasic hygiene. The health of the whole community improves: parents are able to work in their fieldsand grow crops; children are able to go to school and get an education. For women, the provision oftoilets increases their safety, as they can be attacked in the forest at night.

Currently there are 12 countries which are supported by Toilet Twinning. The charities, Tearfund and CORDare the UK's prime organisers.

The effect on a community of the construction of effective toilets is available at the web site:www.toilettwinning.org

When we received our certificate of our toilet’s twin, along with the photograph, it bought home to us thevalue that the community would attach to this gift. As always, sharing the cost makes the donation easier togive.

-Ruth Davidson

GB FRIENDS & FAMILY GROUP

VISIT TO TEWKESBURY

SATURDAY, 13th JUNE 2015

We are planning a trip to Tewkesbury on the above date. Tewkesbury has an Abbey, is by a river, has shops, coffee shops

and an assortment of eating places, so plenty to see. The cost of the trip will be £25.

There is a possibility that we may be able to arrange a short river trip at an extra cost when details come out at the end of April.

The deposit will be £10 and the balance of £15 being paid by 30th May 2015.

We shall be leaving Hooe at 8.30am and aim to be back by 9.30pm.Pick up points will be Hooe Lake, South Hill & Plymstock Broadway.

If you would like to join us for this event contact:

Mrs J.Osmond Tel: 837579

Miss P Miller Tel: 406136

NEW CITY BUS SERVICE TO MOUNT BATTEN

Plymouth City Bus is to operate a new 30 minute bus service between Royal Parade and Mount Batten fromthe 12th April 2015. Service 4 will be run via Billacombe, serving the entrance to the development at SaltramMeadow, Plymstock School, Plymstock Broadway, Goosewell and Hooe. Service 4A will operate via Orestonserving Plymstock Broadway, Goosewell and Hooe. Buses on routes 5 and 5A will be retimed to run every 30 minutes.

Printed copies of the timetables will be made

CHILDREN’S PAGE

Hello there! This month we are going to think about patron saints. People choose patron saints as special people to look up to. They hope the saint may help to protect them. Can you recognise the saint pictured below?

Did the snakes give you a clue? This person when he was 14 years old was stolen from his family in Britain and taken to Ireland where he was sold to be a slave. He spent six years looking after sheep. Then he managed to escape back to his family. He decided to become a priest and later became a bishop. He was then chosen to go to Ireland to teach the people about God, Jesus, the Bible and how to become a Christian.He knew how to speak the Irish language because he had learnt it when a slave, so that was a big help to him. After 33 years many of the Irish people had become Christians. His name was Patrick. People say he disliked snakes so he banished them from Ireland which is why there are no snakes there today. Do you think that is true? Perhaps there never were any snakes on Ireland. Patrick died when he was 77years old in Ireland. The Irish have chosen him for their patron saint and

celebrate his day every year on March 17th.

Can you unscramble these names to find the patron saints of these countries?

AN ANCIENT PRAYER

Give me a good digestion, Lord,And also something to digest.Give me a healthy body, Lord,

With sense to keep it at its best.Give me a healthy mind, O Lord,

To keep the good and pure in sight,Which seeing wrong is not appalled

But finds a way to set it right.

Give me a mind that is not bored,That does not whimper, whine or sigh.

Don’t let me worry overmuchAbout that fussy thing called ‘I’.

Give me a sense of humour, Lord,Give me the grace to see a joke,To get some happiness from life

And pass it on to other folk._______________

A Thought while reading Obituary NoticesDo we have to wait for a death before saying nice things about the old, sick, lonely orneglected? Why not start now, when such poor souls can appreciate it and gain the thanks,comfort and encouragement they deserve? Too late when they’re gone.

-Bernard Ferren

R E M E M B E R:

BRITISH SUMMER TIME COMMENCES ON MARCH 29th 2015.

CLOCKS GO FORWARD 1 HOUR.

Plymstock & Hooe

HOLY WEEK and EASTER SERVICES

Sun 29th March Palm Sunday10.00am Joint ServiceSt Mary & All Saints, Plymstock

Thu 2nd April Maundy Thursday 7.00pm Agape Meal St Mary’s, Plymstock Parish Hall

Fri 3rd April Good Friday 10.30-11.30am Crafts, Coffee & Hot

Cross Buns for All Ages, St Mary’s Hall

2.00pm Devotional Service, St John’s, Hooe

Sat 4th April Easter Eve 8.30pm Service of Light Church of the Good Shepherd, Oreston

Sun 5th April Easter Day 8.00am Communion – St John’s, Hooe 9.15am Sung Eucharist – Church of

the Good Shepherd, Oreston 9.15am Iona Eucharist – Holy Family, Staddiscombe 10.45am All Age Eucharist – St Mary’s, Plymstock 10.45am Eucharist – St John’s, Hooe

PLYM VALLEY HERITAGE

The guest speaker for our talk on Thursday, 19th March, will be Jill Drysdale. Her talk is entitled:‘Mrs. Foley and the Plymouth Blitz’.

The talk will commence at 7.30pm in St John’s hall. Members free and visitors welcome. Visitors £3admission.

Following on from our February talk by Bernard Mills on Plym Valley Railway, there will be a conducted tourof the railway at Plympton on Wednesday, 8th April commencing at 2.00 pm. The tour will include a cream tea and the cost will be £6. To book your place please contact Krys Skinner onTel: 405488. Members, friends and family are all welcome.

NB: AS THE TOUR WILL INCLUDE SOME WORKING AREAS, PLEASE DRESS ACCORDINGLY.

-Gill Whillock

PLYMSTOCK GARDENING SOCIETY

The speaker at our meeting on Monday, 30th March 2015, 7.30pm, at Plymstock United Church Hall,Plymstock Road, Oreston, will be:-

Jackie Gage, Nature Reserve Officer for Devon Wildlife Trust,who will give a talk and presentation of the

‘Wildflower Meadows of Devon and the importance of buglife for the environment’.

Non-members welcome ~ £1. Contact number 01752 407578.

-Margaret Lowles, Vice Chair

HOOE & TURNCHAPEL LADIES GROUP

We meet at the Hooe & Turnchapel Community Centre on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of each month at 8.00pm.ALL ladies welcome.

Our programme for MARCH 2015 is:-

MARCH 3rd ROSEMARY’S JOURNEY, PART II

MARCH 17th AGM INACTIVE GAMES CHALLENGE 2015

For further information please contact: -Diane McCarthy (Sec) Tel: 311931

SELLOTAPE SUNDAY – ‘LOVE IS IN THE AIR’

The Church of the Good Shepherd held its first SELLOTAPE SUNDAY event of the year on Sunday 15 th

February, entitled ‘Love is in the air’. Fun was had by all ages. The children loved decorating painted stones& making glass sun catchers & scratch magnets. They also made pictures with love bugs & hearts. Theadults also had a go at decorating ceramic hearts. Everybody had a go at the Word Search.We learnt about God’s love for us by watching a short video about ‘The Lost Sheep’. It reminded us howspecial we are to God, he looks after us all and when we are lost he gathers us back into his flock. Then wesang O Wonderful Love.The refreshments were lovely. Thank you to everyone who made the afternoon so enjoyable.

-Lin Miller

Local NewsElectionsParliamentary and Plymouth City Council Elections take place on the 7th May 2015. Plymouth is divided into 20 wards. There are 17 wards represented by three local councillors and three wards represented by two local councillors.The Council is made up of 57 councillors.Conservative - 24Labour Party - 29UK Independence Party (UKIP) - 3Independent – 1Councillors are elected for four-year terms by thirds; that is, at each election, a third of the councillors are elected.Councillors Nigel Churchill (Plymstock Dunstone) and Ken Foster (Plymstock Radford) will havecompleted their four year term in office in May this year.

Members of ParliamentPlymouth is divided into three parliamentary constituencies. Gary Streeter (Conservative), represents South West Devon; Alison Seabeck (Labour), Plymouth, Moor View, and Oliver Colvile(Conservative), Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport.

Registering to vote Since the summer of 2014, each person is required to register to vote individually, rather than by household.Residents in Plymouth will have received a letter with details of who’s currently on the electoral register for their property. Anyone living at the property, but whose name is not on the letter can usethe newonline facility to register to vote. Registering is quick, easy and secure. Go to www.gov.uk/register-to-vote. You will need your National Insurance number, which can be found on your National Insurance card and payslips.Or contact Plymouth City Council’s electoral office on 304866 or 304936.Or visit 1st Stop, 71 New George Street.If you are not yet registered to vote, you won’t have the chance to have a say on who represents you. It can also impact on any applications you make for credit. This is because credit reference agencies use theelectoral register to confirm where someone lives when they apply for credit in order to counteract fraud.

Council PledgesIn May 2014 the Council's Cabinet set out 50 new pledges. Since this date the council has signed off 15 of these pledges. Full details of all the pledges are on the Council’s website at Council and democracy > About us > Council's pledges

Floodlighting TrialsThe Mayflower Steps, Mount Batten tower and Charles Cross were floodlit for one night at the end of January to check the lamps and intensity of the lighting at these proposed locations. Careful consideration was given to the exact location of the lamps as the landmarks are listed. Fixings and cable routes will all have to comply with listed building consent.

Simultaneous wireless switching between Mount Batten and Smeaton’s Tower was also tested in these trials.New Bridge over ‘The Ride’Plymouth City Council recently submitted a planning application (15/00073/FUL) for a pedestrian/cycle bridge over the roadway at The Ride, Plymstock. The bridge will connect with the existing Laira Rail Bridge and a new ramp leading down to The Ride and will improve the existing cycle network and links to the new communities of Morley Park and Sherford and public transport by delivering elements of infrastructure necessary for the HQPT network.This bridge is just one part of a proposal for an off-road route through the east of Plymouth to the city boundary at Elburton.Refurbishment of the 1887 rail bridge has now reached the half way point. It stopped carrying passenger trains in the 1960s and freight trains in the 1980s. It is believed the last train crossed the bridge in 1987 and since then it has fallen into disrepair.Three of the six spans have now been grit blasted, repaired and painted. New decking and handrails have also been installed in preparation for the bridge’s conversion into a cycle and pedestrian path.Work will start on the extension once planning permission is confirmed, which is hoped will be towards the end of February, with the route being fully open by July. A temporary ramp will be in use until this second phase is complete. Subject to funding, later phases of the scheme will see the link eventually extend down to Broxton Drive.

Neighbourhood MeetingThe next Goosewell neighbourhood meeting is to be held in The Staddy, Staddiscombe, on Tuesday3rd March 2015 at 9.30am. It will provide an opportunity to discuss and influence matters in the area.Plymstock Library Films The film, About Time, will be shown on Monday 16th March at 2.00pm. It carries a Certificate 12 and runs for 118 minutes.Classic Films to be shown this Month:Chariots of Fire on Tuesday 10th March at 2.00pm. The Certificate U film runs for 118 minutes.Elizabeth: The Golden Age on Tuesday 24th March at 2.00pm. The Certificate 12 film runs for 111 minutes.

Renewable Energy ProjectFor a limited time, Plymouth residents are being offered the chance to own the city’s biggest ever solar roof.Following its successful solar schools initiative last year, which provided solar PV installations for free to 21 schools and community buildings, Plymouth’s award winning community energy groups, Plymouth Energy Community (PEC) and PEC Renewables, have set their sights on an even bigger project.They aim to community fund solar panels on Plymouth’s iconic Life Centre as well as at least four more schools.The aim is to raise over £950,000 through the share issue. Buyers of the shares are being offered a fair return of up to six per cent per annum (10.5 per cent with tax relief) and will be supporting a local business that is forecast to generate more than £1.2m in funds for other energy and fuel poverty projects in the city.If you are interested in supporting this and would like further information; please visitwww.plymouthenergycommunity.com/invest to view the full share offer prospectus and to register your attendance atevents on 4th and 11th March 2015.

Note: The deadline date for items for April 2015 Magazine is March 15 th 2015

Our thanks to the Advertisers who sponsor this Magazine.Advertisements and service quotes do not imply recommendations on the part of the Church.

Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the Editor.Printed & published by St John’s DCC, Hooe, Plymouth UK. © Plymstock & Hooe PCC 2015.

The Church of England in Plymstock and Hooe