| Sunday 9th | 10.00am | Choral Communion |
| Sunday 16th | 10.00am | Palm Sunday, Family Communion, Palm crosses to be distributed at this service |
| Thursday 20th | 7.00pm | Maundy Thursday, Holy communion |
| Friday 21st | 7.00pm | Good Friday service |
| Sunday 23rd | 10.00am | Family Communion. The new millennium altar kneeler is to be dedicated during the service. |
| Saturday 29th | 3.00pm | Village Square - Pet and Animal Praise! To mark National Pet Week. |
| Sunday 9th | 9.00am | Holy Communion |
| Sunday 16th | 11.30am | Morning Prayer and Holy Baptism (combined service with Sutcombe Methodist congregation). Palm crosses to be distributed at this service |
| Sunday 23rd | 9.00am | Easter Sunday, Holy Communion |
| Sunday 30th | 10.30am | Choral Communion. Combined service for the congregations of Bradworthy, Sutcombe, Putford, Abbots Bickington and Bulkworthy with a welcome to anyone else who wishes to come along! |
Sorry about the headline, and I know that a reduction in the number of police in this area is a serious matter, but seeing the headline outside John Balsdon's shop - Holsworthy Loses Policeman - did tempt me to scribble underneath something like 'careless or wot!'
Anyway, back to the point. By the time this newsletter is published the Bishop of Plymouth will have inducted me as rector of five parishes; the existing three plus Putford and Sutcombe. Previously four of the parishes had a vicar whereas Sutcombe had a rector. According to the Pastoral Measure, clause 25 (1) 1, when one or more of the parishes being combined has a rector, then, following the Service of Induction, they all have a rector.
So, after about eight centuries, Bradworthy no longer has a vicar, but has a rector. Consequently, the vicarage will be the rectory and the vicar's dog will be the rector's dog, and so on. I hope that is clear. As always though, titles mean little, for it is friendship that really counts in life. The title may have changed but my love and respect for the people of these parishes will not.
Several people have suggested that having more parishes and more work will mean extra pay. All I can say in reply is that the amount extra has a lot of noughts at the back... and a lot of noughts at the front! That is half of nowt plus VAT!
At last we have a starting date for the work on the roof and tower. The builders are to arrive at the church on Monday, 3 April and the work is planned to take 20 weeks.
As with all major building work there is bound to be a degree of inconvenience, but the firm from Bristol are very experienced in church restoration and they have promised to do all they can to minimise the disruption. When work begins on the nave roof (the first week after Easter), it is almost certain the church will be closed for around six or seven weeks and so Sunday worship will be held in the Church Hall at the usual time of 10.00am. Fortunately there are no weddings or baptisms arranged so this doesn't present any great problem. Funerals are a different matter altogether, although, without making any promises, the builders have promised to do all they can to accommodate a funeral service.
I hope that we can employ the 'Dunkirk spirit' throughout the period of restoration and hope that we can look forward to the Service of Thanksgiving later in the year, when everyone who has made any contribution, financial or otherwise, will be invited to a grand celebration.