Culm Valley Mission Community

News and Events

3rd Sunday of Advent

The Light of Praise

Isaiah 55: 1-13

Services:

 Sunday 14^th December

9.45am Willand      All Age –Willand Church Hall

10.30am Kentisbeare        Holy Communion

11.15am Uffculme           All Age Worship

4pm Uffculme                 Christingle

6.30pm Bradfield              Evening Prayer

Wednesday 17^th  December

9.30am  Uffculme   Holy Communion service

Friday 19th December

6.30pm Kentisbeare         Carol Service

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Sunday 21st December

9.45am Willand                Holy Communion

10.30am Kentisbeare        All Age

11.15am Uffculme           Holy Communion

4pm Ash Hill                    Carol Service

6.30pm Uffculme             Carol Service

6.30 pm Willand              Carol Service

7pm Ponchydown Farm Blackborough - Nativity in the Stable

Then in the days before Christmas

Dec 23^rd 10am Intergenerational Carol Service St Mary’s Uffculme

Dec 24^th 4pm Scratch Nativity St Mary’s Uffculme

Dec 24^th 4pm Christingle St Mary’s Willand

Dec 24^th 11pm Midnight Communion St Mary’s Uffculme

Dec 24^th 11pm Midnight Communion St Mary’s Willand

And on Christmas day

Dec 25^th 9.45am Family Communion St Mary’s Willand

Dec 25^th 10am Christmas Morning Worship St Mary’s Uffculme

Dec 25^th 10am Holy Communion St Mary’s Kentisbeare

…and after Christmas…

Dec 28^th 10.30am Whole Mission Community Holy Communion St Mary’s Kentisbeare

Events in week commencing: 14^th December                                        

Monday:

9.15am Rockers Toddlers, Willand Church Hall

10am Coffee & Chat, Square Corner Uffculme

12noon Prayers for Ukraine & Middle East, St Mary's Uffculme

Tuesday:                                  

9.15am Baby & Toddler Group, St Mary's Uffculme

9.30am-12noon CHAT Advice Drop-in, Square Corner Uffculme

10:30am Reading Matthews Gospel – part 3 St Mary’s Kentisbeare

Wednesday:          

Thursday:                                 

10am Coffee & Chat, Square Corner Uffculme

Friday:                                        

9am Prayer Meeting for Schools Work, St Mary's Uffculme

2pm Music Group, Willand Church Hall

3.30-7pm Festival of Light - St Mary’s Uffculme

6.30pm Ladies of Willand Meal – see separate notice

Saturday:

Childrens/REACH events in the Mission Community

REACH (Connecting with Children, Families and Youth through Mission)

Activities with children

Monday 9.15-11am Rockers, Willand Church Hall

Tuesday 9.15-11am Baby and Toddlers, St Mary's Uffculme

Thursday 1pm Bible storytime, Kentisbeare CoE Reception Class and Preschool

Friday 9am Prayer for schools, St Mary's Uffculme

Friday 1.15pm Whole school assembly Kentisbeare CoE Primary, St Mary's Kentisbeare

REACH - Additional dates to pray for:

14^th Dec 4pm Christingle Service - St Mary’s Uffculme

17th Dec – Bible stories – Kentisbeare

18^th Dec 2pm Uffculme Primary School Christmas Service

19^th Dec 9.30am St Mary’s Kentisbeare Primary School Christmas Service

Nativity Trails

Four of the CVMC villages have nativity walking trails this year.  The trails will be in place until w/c 22nd Dec

Uffculme has the angel trail,      Willand - The animals tell the Christmas story,

Kentisbeare- has the Journey to Bethlehem, Blackborough- follow the shepherd’s trail.

Look out for local details

Have you walked the trail in your Village yet? Have you collected the trails in any of the other Villages?  There is still time.

And while we are here…

Why not come along to the Unique 'Nativity in the Stable' In The Barn at Ponchydown,  Blackborough Sunday 21st Dec at 7pm

Read through Matthew’s Gospel in Advent

On the Tuesdays in Advent at 10.30am we’re meeting in St Mary’s Kentisbeare to read through Matthew’s Gospel (in 4 chunks). Still the 16^th and 23^rd to go.  Come along, share in refreshments and in listening to this year’s Gospel - and share in the reading too, if you would like to.

There is still much to appreciate as each chunk has so much to give when read as a whole, that there will be thoughts aplenty to hang onto if you can come to only one – though we’d love to see you every week.

The Festival of Light continues in St Mary’s Church Uffculme with the trees lit from 3.30 to 7pm. Two more dates to catch them.  Fridays  12^th and 19^th    

Ladies of Willand meet for a meal and a social time together at a local hostelry, on Friday 19^th December, at 6.30pm.  If you would like to join them, just email Chris Dodds at doddsy4203@gmail.com, so you can be sent the menu. All ladies welcome, from wherever, Church members or not. 

Churches Housing Action Team - CHAT

The latest CHAT NEWS newsletter is available.  In addition to stories of amazing people and what they have achieved, there is more encouragement to engage with the CHAT Reverse Advent Calendar? Not started yet? There is still time to get the last few items in and be a part of the support CHAT provide to families in Mid Devon.

Mid Devon Amnesty Group have surpassed their target of 200 Christmas Cards to send to Prisoners of Conscience this year – but want to do more.

They provide all the cards and stamps and refreshments at each of the sessions which continue at St Mary’s UFFCULME (under our Amnesty Christmas Tree!) Fridays from 4.00-7.00pm 12th, 19th December.

Whether you write one or two cards or have time for all 9. They'll be grateful for any you can manage. Thank you in grateful hope! Chris and Alan (Dodds)

That’s Christmas done and dusted Time to think about next year

First we have NEXT WILLAND FILM CLUB:  SAT. 3rd JANUARY (7.00pm)  ‘TEA WITH MUSSOLINI’ An orphaned Italian boy is virtually adopted and brought up by a group of British and American women - expats living in Mussolini’s Italy before and during WW11.  A great story of civilised disobedience! Starring Judi Dench, Joan Plowright, Maggie Smith and Cher.

Next Kentisbeare Chill & Chat in the Village Hall on Friday January 9th - 10am to 12 noon. Coffee, cake, Free Book Swap

Then time to get those brains into gear. Look out for more details of Willand Winter Quiz  - Saturday 17^th Jan @ 2pm. The where, when, and how much will be revealed later.  

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Mission Community Home Groups 

Monday 7.30pm Uffculme Square corner - contact Claire (07419 740742)

Tuesday 7.30pm Uffculme Book Group - contact Sue (01884 841674)

Wednesday 10.30am Willand - contact Alan (07749 837523)

Wednesday 7.30pm Uffculme - contact Dave (01884 841098)

Friday 11.30am Willand Church Hall (for whole Mission Community) - contact Lynda Barley (839354), or come along following Willand Coffee & Chat (2nd & 4th Fridays each month)

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NOTE

Next weeks (18th/21st) e-News and Notice sheet will be the last this year. The next edition will be posted on January 8th 2026. Please double check I have details of events in the first half of January. Thank you,

Rod S, Your e-News compositor

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 Contact details

Details of whom to contact in different circumstances follow - please let me know if anything here needs changing (landline phone numbers are all 01884)

Rector

Revd Ben Maynard (07777 177112, ben.culmvalleychurches@outlook.com 

- day off normally Thursday)

Team Parson for Kentisbeare

Revd Nigel Fry (07854 810588, enfrys@gmail.com)

Funerals

Kentisbeare - Liz Hoar (33164, elizabeth.hoar@mypostoffice.co.uk)

Uffculme - Rachel Tucker (07815 646149, davidrachel.tucker@gmail.com)

Willand - Rod Sparkes (829152, rod@sparkey.org.uk)

Weddings

Mission Community - Revd Ben Maynard (07777 177112, ben.culmvalleychurches@outlook.com)

Baptisms

Kentisbeare - Sarah Leyman (266425, 07887 598528, sarah@leyman.co.uk)

Uffculme - Rachel Tucker (07815 646149, davidrachel.tucker@gmail.com)

Willand - Lesley Smith (839436, 07944 295002, lesley.smith757@gmail.com)

REACH

Claire Nichols (07419 740742, claire.culmvalleychurches@gmail.com)

Churchwardens

Blackborough - Richard Persey (07764 929970, jill.persey@btopenworld.com)

Kentisbeare - Liz Hoar (33164, elizabeth.hoar@mypostoffice.co.uk) or Gerry Leyman (266425, gerry@leyman.co.uk)

Uffculme - Richard Rutty (839241, rrutty15@aol.com) or Alison Milne (841778, gordonandalison@aol.com)

Willand - Lesley Smith (839436, 07944 295002, lesley.smith757@gmail.com) or

Paul Johnson (839800, 07518 908057, paul427johnson@btinternet.com)

In addition, Revd Lynda Barley (839354, revlbarley@aol.com) has offered to be the contact for any Bradfield matters

Please send details of news or events you wish to be included in the Newsletter to: rod@sparkey.org.uk

or phone 07871 387 263.