THE PARISH CHURCH OF STOKE DAMEREL
(ST. ANDREW & ST. LUKE)

Email:   info@stokedamerel.church                                          
www.Stokedamerel.church
www.facebook.com/StokeDamerelChurch

Please note: Stoke Damerel Church does not divulge
personal information to third parties.

Sunday 15 February          Sunday next before Lent
 

Merciful God,
we entrust to your tender care
those who are ill or in pain,
knowing that whenever danger threatens
your everlasting arms
are there to hold them safe.
Comfort and heal them,
and restore them to health and strength;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

PLEASE PRAY FOR:-
The sick:-
Maureen, Margaret W, Graham, John S, Kathy, Mo, Matt,
Bertie, Morwenna, David J, Wendy.
The long term sick and infirm:-
George, Peter, Diana, Liz & Keith N, Rob, John and Shirley.
The Ministry Team:-
Wendy, Ruth, Marilyn and Rhona.

BLESSED SACRAMENT CANDLE

If you would like to have the candle lit for a week
for a particular prayer / thanksgiving /
commemoration, etc., please send a £5 donation to
Debbie Smith, clearly marking your donation as
being for the candle. Details of your intention can
be emailed to:- sarah.lundstrom@virginmedia.com
so that a mention of the commemoration, etc., can
appear in the Sunday Sheet.

SERVICES THIS WEEK
Stoke Damerel Parish Church is a hybrid church
open for public worship and private prayer and all
services will be live streamed.
By attending a live streamed service, you give
implied permission to have your image captured
on CCTV and to be broadcast as participant in the
liturgy.

Watch our livestreamed services
Please follow the link to make your way to our YouTube page: 

 STOKE DAMEREL YOUTUBE CHANNEL 

Sunday 15 February         Sunday next before Lent
0800 Holy Eucharist
Celebrant: Rev’d Nick Shutt
1000 Sung Parish Eucharist
Celebrant: Rev’d Nick Shutt

Wednesday 18 February     Ash Wednesday
1000 Holy Eucharist with imposition of ashes
Celebrant: Rev’d Brian Wood
1800 Sung Holy Eucharist with imposition of ashes
Celebrant: Rev’d Sue Nicholas

Sunday 22 February            1st Sunday of Lent
0800 Morning Prayer
Led by Ruth Sayers
1000 Sung Parish Eucharist
Celebrant: Rev’d Mike Wagstaff
1130 PCC Meeting

WELCOME BACK
To the Ven Nick Shutt who returns to take our
services this morning.

ASH WEDNESDAY DAY OF PRAYER
Wednesday 18th February
Plymouth and Totnes Archdeaconries
Last year, on Ash Wednesday, Bishop James led
a series of times of prayer and reflection in each
deanery of the See of Plymouth. This year he is
planning to do the same and would love people to
join him. He is doing this to focus on repentance
and prayer.
He is hoping to spend 40 minutes in each church,
and spend 30 minutes of that time leading a time of
informal prayer with anyone who comes along.
The programme for the day is:
8:30: St Batholomew’s, Yealmpton
9:50: St Andrew’s, East Allington
11:05: St Mary’s Church, Totnes
12:20: St John the Baptist, Paignton
13:30: St Michael’s, Kingsteignton
15:15: St Michael the Archangel, Chagford
16:35: St Paul’s, Yelverton
18:00: St Pancras, Plymouth
This final session will be for a longer time to
include an informal communion.

At Stoke Damerel there will be two celebrations
of the Eucharist with the imposition of ashes at:
1000: Celebrant Rev’d Brian Wood
1800: Celebrant Rev’d Sue Nicholas

MARILYN'S MEMOS

SHROVE TUESDAY: PANCAKES CHEZ
MARILYN 10.30 – 12 noon
If you are free on Shrove Tuesday, please join us
at 19 Garfield Terrace, opposite 1 Collingwood
Villas, for savoury and sweet pancakes!
A collection will be made in aid
of Shelterbox. Looking forward
to seeing you there. If you could
let me know on Sunday or by
text, I will be sure to have
plenty of pancakes etc.

MORNING PRAYER

Pam, Clara, Judy and Marilyn miss you, Wendy.
We hope you are back soon.

ASH WEDNESDAY: LENT COURSE
Wendy has suggested we follow this course as her
experience informs her it is very worthwhile for us
to share. We will begin the week after Ash
Wednesday and the dates will be 25th February,
4th, 11th, 18th, 25th March. As always, all are
welcome but will need an individual copy of the
book. I have 7 and can procure more as required in
time for the first date, if you let me know on
Sunday if you would like to join Morning Prayer
at 10 am followed by the Lent session.
(£8.99 per copy)
Paula Gooder (born 1969) is a
British theologian and Anglican lay reader, who
specialises in the New Testament. She is Canon
Chancellor of St Paul's Cathedral. She has
previously taught at two theological
colleges, Ripon College Cuddesdon and The
Queen's Foundation, served as Theologian in
Residence for the Bible Society (2013–2017), and
as Director of Mission, Learning and Development
in the Diocese of Birmingham (2017–2018). She is
a freelance writer and speaker.
As we journey through life, we face challenges –
both big and small. What spiritual essentials will
help us survive life’s storms? “Lentwise” is a five-
session course which helps us to deal with the
rigours of real life. Using fresh insights from
John’s gospel, it explores: direction, nourishment,
wisdom, refreshment, and security. With extensive
guidance for leaders as well as for group members,
“Lentwise” is an inspiring and practical choice for
house, cell and Lent groups. Each session contains
enough material for 90 minutes and includes:
guidelines and full background notes for leaders;
a passage from John’s gospel, freshly translated by
the author; prompts to aid both discussion and
understanding; inspiring quotations and personal
stories; prayer exercises; ideas for using
multimedia in the group, and resources to support
worship together.
Each group member will need a copy of the book.

PLYMOUTH CONCERT SERIES
Sunday February 15: 3pm
Charles Mutter - violin,
Ilona Domnich - soprano
Tom Blach - piano
Strauss: Morgen!
Mozart: Komm, lieber Mai
Lehar: Vilja
Weill: September Song
Strauss: violin sonata
Tickets £18, children £5 from Plymouth Concerts

Saturday February 28: 3pm
Divertimento String Quartet
J P Rameau: Chaconne from Castor & Pollux Suite
Fritz Kreisler: String Quartet in A minor
Robert Schumann: String Quartet in A, Op 41 no 3
Tickets £20, students £10, under 18s free,
in advance from enquiries@divertimento.uk.com,
01803 863677

PREPARING OUR LOWER PARISH CENTRE

Russell has been hard at work preparing our Lower
Parish Centre for new tenants. Fingers crossed.
If you want a visit to this unknown part of our
building please ask me on Sunday.

RUTH’S REFLECTIONS
Living in the uncertain world, has seemingly
brought a culture of protest. Perhaps it was always
so, but we are far more aware of banners, unlawful
occupation, destroying monuments and, more
peacefully, producing petitions. The right to protest
can be taken to extreme and we see it particularly
in the US right now. However protesting begins or
even how worthy the cause that protestors are
demonstrating for, the aim is for people to know
about how they are feeling and the cause is worthy
of their attention and actions. Thinking about all
this brought to mind the verses in Matthew’s
gospel about light. “You are the light of the world.
A city built on a hill cannot be hidden. No one,
after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel
basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all
the house. In the same way, let your light shine
before others, so that they may see your good
works and give glory to your Father in heaven”.
Jesus here is talking about us. His example of
being “light” is now given to us as being a witness
to the work of God in our world today. A familiar
quote from the Sermon on the Mount is part of the
teaching on how to live as a follower of Christ and
part of being that follower is being “light” in the
world.
In recent months, I have attended several funerals.
I have heard testimonies about people’s lives and
the things that people remember about them. After
learning about the habits and sometimes unusual
things some used to say and do, a description of
who the person was and what shaped their lives
was the essence of the memories. All of us carry a
“light”. The thing that we will be remembered for,
a way of living that showed us who they were, if
you like, “a witness”.
But what about being a light today. Today’s world
is difficult, even depressing at times. So easy to be
discouraged and leaving us wondering about what
it means for us. The light of Jesus is our example.
His light shines throughout all that we face and all
that we experience. That light Jesus passes on to
us. He says “we are the light of the world”. Whilst
not all of us are protesters, or eloquent speakers,
we can be a presence in the world. It is that
presence that reflects our hope and faith in a living
God. The spirit of God living in us can bring
change.
So in the coming days, let our light shine with
hope and trust.
Ruth

HAPPY BIRTHDAY IN FEBRUARY
Ruth Jordan, Ella Richmond, Tony Barnard,
Fr Keith, Christina Richardson.

H.M.S. DEFENCE
Last week, when I wrote about the stained-glass
window in the south-east corner of the church, I
made no mention of the men whose passing was
commemorated in the lower panel of that window,
mainly because I could not find references on-line
to any of them. This is still the case. However, this
week, I will recount what information I have
found.
Over the centuries there have been five British
naval ships carrying this name.
The first was a 74-gun Bellona-class 3rd. rate
sailing ship of the line, launched on 31st. March
1763 locally, at what was then called Dock, and
built by Master Shipwright Israel Pownoll. The
ship saw action in many locations around the
world, including the Battles of Cape St. Vincent
(1780); Cuddalore (1783); Jutland (also referred to
as the Glorious First of June-1794); Nile (1798);
and Trafalgar (1805) before running aground on
Christmas Eve 1811, with the loss of all but 14 of
a total complement of 597.
The second ship to carry the name was a 74-gun
Vengeur-class 3rd. rate sailing ship of the line
launched at Chatham in 1815. This ship seems
never to have seen action, being converted to a
prison ship in 1849 before being badly damaged by
fire in 1857 and subsequently broken up in the
same year.

H.M.S. DEFENCE [1861-1935]

Ship number three was the one relevant to our
church window. Launched on 24th. April 1861 at
Jarrow, the ship could use its 24,500 square feet of
sail for propulsion, as well as the two cylinder
steam engine, and carried enough coal to be able to
steam for 1,670 miles at 10 knots. At launch the
ship ran aground but was refloated the following
day. In February 1862, during sea trials at
Spithead, the anchor of Defence was pushed back
through the bow when the ship was in collision
with H.M.S. Fenella, causing Defence to run
aground. Defence became the lead ship of the
Defence- class armoured frigates assigned to the
Channel Fleet until 1866. Refitted and rearmed,
the ship was recommissioned in 1868 and from
then until 1872 toured the North Atlantic and
Mediterranean. The men remembered in the
window’s dedication all perished in this period. In
1872 the ship’s propellor and rudder were
damaged whilst recovering items lost when H.M.S.
Lord Clyde was grounded close to the island of
Pantelleria near to Sicily. Refitted again from 1872
to 1874, the ship was then a guard ship on the
River Shannon until 1876, then the same role was
undertaken on the River Mersey until 1885. Placed
on reserve until 1890, the ship was used as part of
the Devonport Mechanical training school. For the
latter part of this period, the ship and the
mechanical school were both renamed Indus. Sold
for scrap in 1935, the ship had not experienced any
battles in 74 years but had certainly suffered a
number of unfortunate peacetime mishaps.
The fourth ship named Defence was launched in
1907 at Pembroke and was sunk at the 1916 Battle
of Jutland with the loss of all hands, numbering
about 900 souls, of which five were from Stoke
Damerel and are listed on the First World War
memorial at the back of the church. These are
Private Albert England RN; Lieutenant W. Geaton;
Petty Officer Frederick Scoble; Corporal Bert
Whiddon RN; and Shipwright Ethelbert Whittell.
The fifth ship was a Minotaur-class cruiser,
launched at Greenock in 1944 and renamed H.M.S.
Lion in 1957. This ship was scrapped in 1975.
Returning to the inscription on the window, I
repeat that I have not been able to find any names
or the numbers of men involved. Perhaps, when
viewing the window, we should remember them
all, alongside the approximate 1500 men who
perished in 1811 and 1916 on other naval ships of
the same name.

“TO THE GLORY OF GOD
AND IN MEMORY OF
THE OFFICERS SEAMEN & MARINES
WHO DIED ON BOARD HMS DEFENCE
BETWEEN 1868 AND 1872”

Tony Barnard