P a r i s h o f P l y m s t o c k & H o o e, P l y m o u t h

www.achurchnearyou.com

Our Mission Community

‘TOGETHER @ 10’ SERVICES

will be at

ST JOHN’S CHURCH

SUNDAY, 22nd DECEMBER 2019

&

ST MARY & ALL SAINTS CHURCH

SUNDAY, 29th DECEMBER 2019

Commencing at 10.00am

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Enquiries for Baptisms & Weddings ~ Please contact the Clergy (Contact details inside back cover of Magazine)

Note: The deadline date for items for January 2020 Magazine is Dec 15th 2019 (Items to: mpskilton@sky.com or grahambulley@aol.com)

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 2019.

FROM REV’D DAVE APPLEBY

Who do you follow? Or do you think you’re independent enough not to have to follow anyone? Who influences you? Who do you listen to? Whose advice do you value when you need some guidance? Is it a family member, or a close friend? Would you seek expert guidance and be prepared to pay for it?

We all have questions from time to time. And at Christmas, some of these are brought into sharp relief as we look back over the past year, reflect on the good times, and try to learn from the not so good. And a little bit of help as we do that can pay dividends.

Based on the success of FollowTheStar in 2018, we're excited to announce that the national Advent and Christmas campaign will continue with FollowTheStar in 2019 and into

2020! Follow the Star leads us on a twelve-day journey from Christmas Day through to Epiphany on 6th January. Produced as a small booklet, it is also available to download for your PC or phone, giving daily readings and reflections on what or who it is that we follow. Plus the themes within FollowTheStar will feature in our Christmas services and events.

Where are you on your journey with God? What questions do you have about Jesus? Whose star do YOU follow?

Rev Dave Appleby Team Vicar

When a BIG JOB needs doing, you need to call the experts! And who better than Team Rubicon, who are well used to dealing with the aftermath of hurricanes, earthquakes and typhoons.

St Mary’s churchyard doesn’t quite fall into that category, but it is certainly a challenge. And the growth this year of both ivy and brambles has made it increasingly difficult for the relatives of those buried in the churchyard to

access them. But a partial solution has been provided thanks to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s Andy Tysoe, who accepted the challenge of the churchyard, and who will be bringing a team of volunteers, including some from Team Rubicon, to St Mary’s the weekend of Saturday, 30th November and Sunday, 1st December. His plan is to clear as much of the churchyard as possible, and thanks to Karen Jennings, the City Council’s Bereavement Service Manager, the cleared undergrowth will be removed.

It’s going to be a big job, so if you’d like to get involved, simply turn up suitably dressed at St Mary’s Church Hall at 9.30am on either or both days. Come along and help make a difference!

A WARM WELCOME TO OUR VISITORS FROM GOOSEWELL SCHOOL.We were very pleased to welcome the children of Year One from Goosewell School recently to look around and learn about St Mary and All Saints Church. They were split into small groups to look around the Church.Dave told them about the High Alter.Tony explained the lovely stain glass windows.Pam and myself showed them around the Pulpit.Mary Baptised our special doll again!Lorraine helped with the colouring in the Children's corner.While they were colouring one group of children were asked to give a word to describe the Church. With no prompting they said:

Beautiful, Wonderful, Love, Family, Peaceful.I had to share this with the congregation on Sunday it was so encouraging and heart warming coming from 5 and 6 year olds.These are quite often the thoughts and feelings which are expressed by visitors during the day when visiting the Church and comments written in our Visitors book.We look forward to welcoming the Children of Goosewell, Dunstone and Pomphlett Schools when they come for their Christmas Carol Services in December.

-Jill Wevill. Deputy Church Warden

FROM THE PARISH REGISTERS for October 2019 at St Mary’s: Weddings:5th October GLEN PHILIP JOHN SAMBELLS & HELEN ELIZABETH CROSS

Funerals:17th October BETTY MARIA WARREN

30th October BRENDA AVRIL LESLEY SCRAWN___________________________________

REMEMBRANCE DAY AT BURROW HILL

(Photo: David Demellweek)

The Royal British Legion Remembrance Day Service was held at the Plymstock War Memorial on Burrow Hill on Monday, 11th November 2019.The Service was conducted by Chaplain Graham Dee, RNR. Many members of the public, local dignitaries, Service personnel and children from the local schools attended the Service.

Sunday, 3rd November saw two very

different but equally important Services take place at St John’s... Firstly, at 10.45am,

Morning Praise saw a full church of almost 100 folk including the Christening of three

members of the same family. Using a quiz, Rev Jennie got everyone thinking that

following Jesus makes us his modern-day saints, and that being baptised is where it

all starts.

And then at 3.00pm, 35 folk from the local community came to remember, through poetry,

bible readings and songs, their lost loved ones. Lighting a candle in their memory proved to be a moving tribute, while over tea, stories were shared and comfort was found. This is what St John’s is here for: helping folk at the start of the journey of faith, and at the end. Come and join us. 

-Rev. Dave Appleby

ST JOHN’S LUNCH TIME ORGAN RECITALOur grateful to Richard Line one of Plymouth’s premium organists for the superb organ recital at St John’s, many people from Hooe’s Place Café came down into the church.Richard Line who frequently plays at St Andrew and Emmanuel churches introduced the programme with a short background to each composer, their life and times. The programme was very varied and ranged from Bach to 20 th Century Music. To remember the Armistice Day he played from Elgar’s Enigma Variations the solemn ‘Nimrod’.

The inspiring ‘Liberty Bell March’ by John Philip Sousa had people swaying in their seats and looks of delight of such happy music. Our thanks also to donations left at the back of church and we hope to take up Richard’s offer to play again in the future.

FROM ST JOHN’S PARISH REGISTERSBAPTISMS: We welcomed into God’s family by Baptism:3rd November FRANKIE TERENCE LUSCOMBE, son of Lewis and Megan

ELLA MAY CARD and HARLEY BRIAN CARD, daughter and son of Lee and Maria.

ST JOHN’S ANNUAL PARISH QUIZ

Also held on the 24th October, ten teams of four people gathered in St John’s Church Hall to contest, with an evening of fun and laughter, for the Mount Batten Trophy. Our grateful thanks to Robin Blythe Lord who collected a very varied programme of questions, some comparatively easy whilst others were challenging. Also thanks to John Green for his work as timer and recorder of scores. After the break for pasties, tea or coffee and the drawing of the Raffle, the quiz continued with teams finishing with the same marks. After dead-heat questions the winners were ‘Hooe Dunnits’, the team name for members of Plym Valley Heritage.This is the third year that ‘Hooe Dunnits’ have won. Who are going to beat them!!

ST JOHN’S CHURCH BOXESIt is time for the collection of the St John’s Church boxes. Please bring to church or to Hooe’s Place or ring Tel: 407447 to arrange collection.Thank you.

-Mary Skilton

WREATH LAYING AT D DAY MEMORIAL STONE, HOOE.

(Photo: Robin Blythe-Lord)

On a fine but windy day, over 100 people were present for the wreath laying ceremony at the D Day Memorial stone on Hooe Green on Friday, 8th November.Poems were read by children from Hooe Primary Academy and the ceremony was led by Mr John Wheeler R.M. Rtd, who also explained to the school children the importance that the American Army played when leaving the area for the D Day landings in 1944. The 23rd Psalm was read by WO1 Robert Smith R.N. Rtd. Along with members of the public attending were Army and Navy personnel.

COMMUNITY CAROLS at ‘THE BORI’, TURNCHAPELSUNDAY, 15th DECEMBER 2019

6.30pm

‘YOUNG @ HEART’37½ years ago our speaker, Mr Neil Broom, was on duty with the Royal Navy in the South Atlantic as a Medic. The battle very quickly became known as the Falklands War between Britain and Argentina.For part of his talk Neil played us a very powerful video of the battle, which quickly brought home to us the horrors of war (it made us realise what our Servicemen and women endured during the 1 st and 2nd

World Wars). The video showed just how horrific it was down there.After the video Neil talked of some of his own experiences - the injuries he and his nursing colleagues dealt with on the Hospital ships - so many of them - the caring of all Servicemen - the comradeship shone through - with the horrors of war all around them.As always in war there were casualties and prisoners taken, far more Argentinians than British. After the surrender of Argentina and the end of the fighting all prisoners were repatriated to their own country.

Neil’s talk was so poignant and we were all saddened at the deaths of so many young men.Neil was commended for his work by his superior officer and this was read for us by our Church Warden, Sheila.Neil was obviously a highly skilled Medical officer, highly regarded by all who worked with him; and his medals worn by him for his talk emphasised how he had earned the accolades afforded to him. Neil also served in Iraq.We thanked him for a very interesting talk and we were all touched by the horror of war and the losses of so many young lives.Our next Meeting falls on December 3rd. We have been asked to bring contributions of non-perishable food for the Plymouth Food Bank. There will be no Draw in December.Our Speaker will be Mrs Lorna Grainger with an appropriate talk for Christmas month, possibly a Christmas Quiz (if time). Lorna will also play the piano for Carol singing and a Christmassy tea is planned.We look forward to seeing everyone. -Ruth Earl

Next Meeting is on Tuesday, 3rd December, 2.00pm, St John’s Church Hall.Note: There is no Meeting in January so the first Meeting in 2020 will be on 4th February.

USED POSTAGE STAMPSPlease collect your used Postage stamps this festive season, and throughout the year, they can be forwarded to the Charity Leprosy Mission in Ethiopia. This is a very worthwhile charity as leprosy is now a controllable, often curable, disease and your stamps really help.

Contact: Ruth Earl (Tel: 481708)

St. Mary & All Saints Tuesday mornings during Advent @10am

A Service of Holy Communion with an Advent Meditation followed by coffee and a short discussion.

Advent GiftsDec 3rd : The Gift of Hope

Dec 10th : The Gift of Peace

Dec 17th : The Gift of Joy

Come & join us. You will be most welcome.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

What is Advent?Watch a youtube clip, ‘Advent in 2 minutes,’ to find out more

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPHXooW6NfI

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Reverse Advent Calendar!Instead of an Advent calendar with chocolate, why not put something into a box each day of Advent which can then be given to the Foodbank, Shekinah Mission or a charity of your

choice?

Christmas Services across the Parish

Wednesday 4th December4.00pm Carols around the Christmas Tree at the Community Garden

(St. Mary’s Church Hall) with Dunstone School.Thursday 12th December6.30pm Co-op Memorial Carol Service for the bereaved at St. Mary’s.Sunday 15th December10.45am Christingle Service at St. John’s4.00pm Candlelit Carol Service at St. Mary’s6.30pm Community Carols at The Boringdon, TurnchapelSunday 22nd December10.00am Together @10 Service at St. John’sTuesday 24th December Christmas Eve3.00pm Christingle at Good Shepherd4.00pm Christingle at St. Mary’s5.00pm Christingle at Good Shepherd11.30pm Midnight Communion at St. John’s 11.30pm Midnight Communion at St. Mary’sChristmas Day9.00am Holy Family Informal Worship at St. Mary’s Church Hall.9.00am Family Communion at Good Shepherd10.00am Family Communion at St. John’s10.00am Family Communion at St. Mary’sSunday 29th Dec.10.00am Together@10 Service at St. Mary’s.

A very Happy Christmas and a Blessed New Year from the clergy of the parish, Jennie, Dave and Carl!

_____________________________________________________________

1 2 3

4

5

6

7

EclipseCrossword.com

CHILDREN’S PAGE

Hello everyone! I expect you are looking forward to Christmas. It’s a happy time for children all over the world and there are many different ways of celebrating it depending on where you live. For us, it’s a time when families get together, decorate their homes, give each other gifts and eat special food like turkey, Xmas cake, mince pies and Xmas pudding.When Christians celebrate Christmas, they are celebrating the birth of Jesus.I expect by now, you know the Christmas story well. You will have heard it told in church and in school. Perhaps you have taken part in a Nativity play as an actor or reader or as someone who sang the story in the choir.See if you can complete this crossword by using the clues.

ACROSS2. An angel appeared to Joseph telling him to call the baby ______.

4. The Roman Emperor ordered a census. People had to register at the town where they were born. Mary and Joseph had to go to ____.

6. When they arrived at the town, there was nowhere for them to stay. The only space left was in a _____.

7. Mary was pregnant and the baby was due soon so she rode on a ______.

DOWN1. What was the angel called who told Mary she would have a special baby, God’s son?

3. Who were the first visitors they had? When they left the stable, they told everyone they met about the special baby and the angel’s message.

5. When the baby was born, Mary laid him in a ________.

ANSWERS:

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU!

SING A SONG OF CHRISTMASSing a song of Christmas

A pocket full of love,A song of trees and fairy lights

And one bright star above.A song of joy and hopefulness

To lighten every heart,To bring us all much closer

Tho’ we are miles apart.Sing a song of ChristmasOf frankincense and gold,And of the greatest storyThat we were ever told.

It is the greatest message,Enduring time and tears,

That we must love each otherThro’ the everlasting years.

(Iris Hesseldon)

ST LUKE’S HOSPICE‘Light up a Life’ - The Hospice at Christmas time is decorated with lights which shine each night. Sponsoring a light is a positive way of remembering loved ones and also makes a significant contribution towards specialist nursing care and bereavement support to families.You may also like to attend one of the Candlelit Services of Celebration and Remembrance being held in the city:-

‘Light up a Life’ Services at The Minster Church of St AndrewTuesday, 17th December at 2.00pm, 5.30pm and 7.30pm.

For information: Tel: 492626 or events@stlukes-hospice.org.uk

Invitation to La La ChoirsCelebration of Life

A secular concert by La La Choirs raising funds for St Luke’s Hospice

Friday, 6th December 2019, 19.30Plymouth Guildhall

Tickets at: www.lalachoirs.co.uk or at theWestern Approach St Lukes (Toys ‘R’ Us) shop

(£12 adults/£6 uner 16’s)

DECEMBER 5th

Xmas Buffet and festive entertainment.A veritable feast of festive food, fun and frolics.

Members only.

All talks start at 7.30pm atSt John’s Church Hall, Hooe.

Talks: Members free. Non-members £3.00.

To join PVH please contact our membership secretaryJan Fletcher janfletcher74@outlook.com

HOOE & TURNCHAPEL LADIES GROUPWe 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 DECEMBER is:-

DECEMBER 3rd EASY EXERCISE

DECEMBER 17th CHRISTMAS PARTY

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

THE POET AND HYMN-WRITER WHO GAVE US ‘IN THE BLEAK MIDWINTER’Christina Rossetti, British poet and hymn-writer, died of cancer 125 years ago, on 29th December 1894, aged 64 years..Christina was the youngest child of poet and Dante scholar Gabriele Rossetti, who emigrated to England from Italy in 1824, and the half-Italian Frances Polidari, who he married in 1826.Christina was also sister of the pre-Raphaelite painter-poet Dante Gabriel Rossetti, whom she resembled in some ways: she had an innately passionate and sensuous nature and a fine sense of humour. But she was consummately religious and put self-denial at the top of her priorities. Her brother much admired her poetry and helped to promote it.She was a serious and devout High Church Anglican and broke engagements twice for religious reasons – to James Collinson in 1850 and to Charles Bagot Cayley in 1864. After this she led a

quiet and almost saint-like life, and in 1871 she contracted Graves’ Disease, a disfiguring and life-threatening thyroid disorder.Some of her poetry was published under the pseudonym Ellen Alleyne, and she is widely regarded as one of the two best women poets of the 19th century. Her widest known hymn is possibly In the Bleak Midwinter, a Christmas favourite.

OUT & ABOUT (Details: visitplymouth.co.uk)Nov 28th - Christmas Market City CentreDec 19th Nov 30th - Penguins: the Lego Brick Penguins return to Plymouth this year Jan 5th with 20 to find hiding in the shops throughout the City centre.Dec 1st - Polar Bear Explorer: Set off across the waterfront in search of 20 March 1st polar bear cubs hidden in businesses from the Barbican to Royal William Yard.

(Trail maps for above two from Visit Plymouth website or pick up from a participating business).

Dec 5th Christmas Concert, St Andrew’s Minster Church, 8pm.Dec 7th Victorian Christmas Concert, St Andrew’s Minster, 7.30pm

(www.plymouth.ac.uk/arts-institute).Dec 7-8th Native Makers Winter Market, Royal William YardDec 8th Santa Fun Run around City Centre, 11am.Dec 15th Christmas Fair, Plymouth Guildhall, 11.30am to 3pm.

Festive stalls, food & refreshments.Dec 18th Christmas Concert with Police Choir, Methodist Central Hall

(Tickets from Rod 01752 339788) 7.30pmDec 21st Christmas Concert, St Andrew’s Minster, with SW Philharmonia

& Chorus. (Tickets from www.swpac.co.uk) 7.30pm

LADIES & GENTS OVER 60 If you are stuck for something to do,

please give our Over 60’s Group a try

on Wednesday afternoons 2-4pm.

We have a small Raffle, Table Top Sale, we also play Bingo.

Please come along for a cup of tea and biscuits and join in the fun

at the Hooe/Turnchapel Community Centre.

Everyone welcome.

AN END OF AN ERAOn Sunday, 29th December 2019, 230 years of Methodist Church attendance will end in Oreston when the Oreston Methodist Church will hold its last meeting at 3.00pm.With a falling congre-gation and the high maintenance of the limestone building it was a sad choice which faced the Methodist Circuit to stop Church services.The first Oreston Society had no meeting place but by 1816 its congregation had swelled to 74 and a new building was erected near the quay called Chieveley Hall on land purchased from the Duke of Bedford.In 1845, land was supplied by the Duke of Bedford for a cemetery on the outskirts of the village and in 1886 the Plymouth Methodist Circuit recommended that a new church be built adjacent to the cemetery - todays site.The Stone-laying ceremony for the new Church took place on 26 th January 1888 with the local MP F.B Mildmay with the aid of a silver trowel, declaring the stone well and truly laid. Church records, newspapers, etc were placed in a bottle and buried beneath the stone.The Church was built from limestone extracted from nearby Radford quarry and on 15 th August 1888 on a fine summer day the Church was declared open with refreshments being taken at the recently built Oreston Board School.Over the following years many activities have taken place in the Church and adjacent Church hall for as the Revd John Pawlyn said at the opening in 1888, “I hope the Church will be used for purposes other than religious Services and have education and a refining influence in the village”.During the Second World War, the Church was used as a First Aid post and the Church hall was taken over by an RAF barrage balloon crew (the balloons being sent up from what is now Orchard Crescent). The Church was not damaged during the war but the Minister, Rev’d W. Spencer, was killed whilst visiting Air Raid shelters.The Church building will not be closed as discussions are taking place for its future use.

(Our thanks to Mrs Ann James for providing historical material.)

COMMUNITY NEWS

 Be Warned: Register now for garden waste collections in 2020Garden waste collections are changing next year. You will have to register if you want your garden waste collected.To register for your garden waste collections in 2020 go to plymouth.gov.ukThe service will be collecting from registered households from April to October.There is no charge for this service, but you must be registered in order to receive it. If you need garden waste collections you can register for this service online.You should register as soon as possible, if you register before the end of February you will receive garden waste collections from April onwards. If you register after February 2020 they may not be able to guarantee collections in April. People registering after the collection season has started may take four to six weeks to be added to the collection rounds for your first collection. 

Plymouth Citybus named best bus operator in the countryPlymouth Citybus has been named the best bus operator in the country.The city's main bus firm is toasting victory in the National Transport Awards after taking the top gong for 2019.The awards, supported by the Department for Transport, acknowledged how Citybus had good levels of passenger satisfaction, had modernised its fleet and was supporting the local community.The company was shortlisted against four other bus companies from around the UK for the Bus Operator of the Year Award including other Go-Ahead Group operator, Go South Coast Ltd, and First Glasgow, National Express West Midlands and Stagecoach East Scotland.

Plymouth City Bus raised some of their fares at the beginning of November.

Ferry fare riseTolls on the Tamar Bridge and Torpoint Ferry were increased in mid-November from £1.50 to £2.The Tamar TAG was also increased from 75p to £1.

City gearing up for winter weatherCrews from the Council and SWH Group are geared up to keep the city’s roads moving in winter, monitoring the weather closely via a dedicated forecast station and two sensor stations, to ensure roads are pre-treated with salt before temperatures drop and help prevent icy patches from forming.Six dedicated gritters are on 24-hour standby during the winter season (which runs from the beginning of October to the end of March) to keep the city’s main routes clear.All the vehicles are fitted with a tracking device that monitors the tonnage of salt used on different parts of the network during each trip.The city’s salt barn at Prince Rock Depot is stocked with around 1,000 tonnes of salt and the 400 community salt bins around the city have been topped up for people to use locally on public roads and footways in colder weather.

Teams are also ready to respond to other weather-related issues such as fallen trees, blocked gullies and localised flooding – as well as manage traffic flow and help keep road users safe in dark, wet and cold conditions.

On-going work at the Barbican for Mayflower 400 celebrationsContainers of earth representing the four nations involved in the Mayflower 400 commemorations, together with a time capsule, were placed inside the portico of the Mayflower monument ahead of a short ceremony on Wednesday, 13 th November to mark the end of its restoration.Samples of earth from Leiden in the Netherlands, Plymouth in Massachusetts, the native American Wampanoag tribe and Plymouth in England will be sealed within the monument which has undergone an extensive restoration.The monument was built in 1934 to commemorate the sailing of the Mayflower as a pivotal event in history. It has local, national and international importance, and is Grade II Listed. It overlooks the Mayflower Steps, close to the site where the Mayflower sailed from in 1620 to the New World.Over the last year stonemasons have been on site to restore the monument as well as the Mayflower Steps themselves.The portico’s location – on the water’s edge and in salty sea air of Plymouth – led to significant erosion of its Portland Stone. The columns of the monument also had severe erosion and carved details deteriorated. Worn-out slabs on the steps have been replaced with beautiful Cornish stone from the Royal William Yard. Concrete has been replaced with more fitting granite.

Bottleneck to be upgradedWork is continuing on plans to tackle one of Plymouth’s worst traffic bottlenecks.£450,000 has been allocated for more detailed design work on a scheme to alleviate congestion at the notorious pinch-point between Woolwell Roundabout and The George.Last year plans were announced to replace Woolwell Roundabout with a signalised junction and deliver a new junction at Woolwell Crescent. Tavistock Road will also be widened to provide a dual carriageway on this section.

Election CandidatesCandidates for the forthcoming General Election for South West Devon are: Alex Beverley (Labour), Sima Davarian (Lib/Dem), Ian Poyser (Green Party), Gary Streeter (Conservative).The election will take place on Thursday, December 12th.

Planning RefusalPlanning consent for a Fish and Chip shop on Plymstock Broadway has been refused.

(Sources: Plymouth City Council - Plymouth City Bus - Tamar Bridge & Torpoint Ferry Committee).