Messy Church at St. Sabinus' started in April 2011. Imagine the scene:
The church is buzzing with conversation. Around a table, adults and children burst into laughter, as they wrestle with cotton wool and googly eyes, and there are helpers up to their elbows in glue. A youngster slaps green paint on a huge sheet of card under the watchful eye of a granny (not sure if they're related or not - it doesn't really matter). A five-year-old watches wide-eyed as an enthusiastic leader shows her how to weave.
There's a delicious smell wafting out of the kitchen, the children trying to guess what the meal will be this time. Some of the helpers feel a bit out of their comfort zone, sticking and glueing and trying to be creative. Mums catch up on the gossip while their children make something very edible with one of the helpers.
It's a great big hive of activity, with everyone having fun and enjoying doing so many different things - parents, grandparents, carers and children (aged 4-11) joining together in art and craft activities, games, songs, stories and a meal.
It’s “Messy Church" at Woolacombe!
Messy Church is held four or five times a year so keep an eye on the website Diary or contact Rev Ann Lewis on 07742 423477 to join the WhatsApp group for all the news.
What happens at Messy Church?
The format for each session remains loosely the same - based around a theme and lasting about 2 hours. For the first 15 minutes, we CHILL as everyone arrives, then we CREATE for 45 minutes or so, with a range of “messy” activities on offer, related to the theme: arts and crafts of every description, activities that involve food, and activities that just involve having fun and making a mess! This is the time for everyone to get active, get creative and get stuck in.
After the activities, we CELEBRATE, with a short time of worship exploring the theme of the activities - simple in style, featuring music and drama, with the children encouraged to join in and show everyone some of the things they've made.
We finish off the afternoon by CHOMP, when the children have a cooked meal together, giving everyone a chance to sit down and chat - adults and children alike.
When the children have gone home, taking their creations with them, it's time to COLLAPSE, as the helpers catch their breath and realise just how shattered they are!
It's different, it's exciting, it's hard work, it's creative, it's fun ... it's MESSY CHURCH!
St. Mary's Church - Mortehoe
St. Mary's - Mortehoe
St. Mary’s Anglican Church is part of the Coast and 'Combe Mission Community together with the churches of St. Sabinus’ Woolacombe and St. Matthew’s Lee.
Mortehoe village goes back to the Domesday Book - and beyond. The haunt of smugglers and wreckers in years gone by, its more recent history is as a farming village; and now, like Woolacombe down the hill, Mortehoe is centred on tourism. For a fascinating overview of the village, its history and its surroundings, visit the Mortehoe Museum.
St. Mary's - InteriorThe Norman church of St. Mary has been added to over the centuries - with a thoroughgoing Victorian restoration, and then with Selwyn Image's remarkable chancel-arch mosaic and archangel window - but the ancient bell-tower, the de Tracy tomb, and the carved pew-ends are among its medieval glories. The church is open daily from Easter to the end of October, and attracts more visitors, and more appreciation, than any other locally.
St. Mary's has a varied pattern of services, both in the morning and the evening. All are welcome to join us in worship.
A reminder of our regular pattern of services:
Note that it is wise to check with the calendar on the right hand side of this screen (or lower down if viewed on a phone) for more information as there may be occasional changes that will not be shown below.
- 1st Sunday 10.00am Celtic Morning Worship
- 2nd Sunday 6.30pm Holy Communion (October to March 4.00pm)
- 3rd Sunday 6.30pm Evensong (October to March 4.00pm)
- 4th Sunday 10.00am Family Communion
- 5th Sunday 6.30pm Holy Communion (October to March 4.00pm)
Welcome
Whether you are a visitor holidaying in this beautiful part of the world, a local resident, or you are seeking information about us from further afield, welcome to the Coastal Parishes' website.
Please explore these pages for information on the parishes, the activities, the church buildings, and contacting us.
- To contact the Vicar, Revd. Susan Oldham please follow this link.
- More details of worship, etc. can be found on the Messy Church, Worship, Activities and Church Notices pages.
- Information on Christenings, Weddings and Funerals can also be found under 'Life Events' on the main menu.
Safeguarding
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If you have a concern about the safety of someone or the actions of someone working with children or vulnerable adults, please speak to someone: The name and contact details of the Parish Safeguarding Representative can be found here The link to the Diocesan Safeguarding Team’s contact details - https://exeter.anglican.org/resources/safeguarding/safeguarding-team/ If you are a young person and you feel unhappy about something happening to you, you can call Childline on 0800 11 11. The following organisations also offer helplines: NSPCC: 0808 800 5000 • Stop It Now: 0808 1000 900 • NAPAC: 0808 801 0331 • Samaritans: 116 123 • Family Lives: 0808 800 2222 • National Domestic Violence Helpline: 0808 2000 247 • Action On Elder Abuse: 080 8808 8141 |