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 13 September        15th Sunday after Trinity

  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.
The long term sick and infirm:-
Diana, Liz & Keith N, Rob.
The recently departed:-
We give thanks for the life of Eric Farrar and we
pray for Jean, for Lucy and Matthew, and all of his
family and friends at this sad time.
We also give thanks for the life of Ana Maria Allen
and pray for her husband, Timothy, her sister-in-
law, Rosie, and all those who knew and loved her.
The Ministry Team:-
Rev'd Fran, Ruth and Marilyn.

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 13 September         15th Sunday after Trinity
0800 Holy Eucharist
1000 Sung Parish Eucharist

Wednesday 16 September
1000 Said Eucharist

Sunday 20 September         16th Sunday after Trinity
0800 Holy Eucharist
1000 Sung Parish Eucharist

WELCOME
A very warm welcome to Rev’d Fran from
everyone at Stoke Damerel!

PLYMOUTH CONCERTS
At 3pm on Sunday, we have the first concert of
the winter series. Irene Duval will be playing a
fascinating programme of virtuoso solo violin
pieces, including Bach, Taverner, and others.
For more details go to:
https://www.plymouthconcerts.com/event-details/
fiddlers-irene-duval-plays-solo-violin

HERITAGE OPEN DAY
Saturday 19 September: 1000 – 1500
APPEAL FOR VOLUNTEERS
So much has been happening of late that I have not
managed to advertise the above event as much as I
may have done in previous years. However, for a
couple of weeks now there has been a sheet at the
back of the church for volunteers to indicate when,
between 10.00am and 3.00pm, they can be in the
church to greet visitors coming to find out more
about our church. With so much happening in the
last few weeks, this sheet has occasionally been
buried below other notices and has moved location
a few times.
We are now only one week away from the event
and more volunteers are still needed on the day.
Please consider putting your name onto the sheet,
even if only for an hour. No-one need worry that
they cannot answer questions which may be asked
by visitors. There will be many information sheets
on display, and I will probably be there for all five
hours. If I cannot answer questions, I will try and
point visitors in the right direction or follow up the
query where possible.
Tony Barnard

MARILYN'S MEMOS

REV’D FRAN’S INSTALLATION

Monday 7th September was a very auspicious
occasion. We welcomed over 160 guests to witness
and participate in this long-awaited ceremony, with
a contingent from north of the border: goodly
support from Rev’d Fran’s Scottish family. A long
and worthwhile journey indeed! Rev’d Alex
Randle-Bissell, City Dean, was the “MC” whilst
Bishop James, assisted by Archdeacon Jane,
conducted the proceedings. Should you wish to
read the exact account, please ask for a copy of the
service booklet as we have spares available.

The service starts and ends with a procession in a
specific order. The Hon. Sarah Lopes D.L.,
representing King Charles, our patron, introduced
Rev’d Fran to Bishop James, who, in due course,
presented Fran with her licence and subsequently
blessed her in her ministry. Geoffrey read the Bible
reading: John 20 11-18 Jesus appears to Mary
Magdalene, upon which text Bishop James based
his sermon. The Act of Dedication follows and
water for baptism was presented by Clara, oil of
healing by Pam, a Bible by Judy, a book of
Common Worship by Judith, bread and wine by
Jack and Lemmy and finally symbols of Fran’s
ministry to education by Emma assisted by
Russell.





Later in the service Fran was welcomed by people
from a range of organisations: Richard Stevens,
Chair of Governors for Plymouth City College and
Ruth Sayers for their Chaplaincy, Sarah and
Jamie Dove for the newly launch Little Doves
preschool, Kevin Kelland on behalf of our open
and inclusive church and annual World Aids Day
commemoration, Tony Barnard our church
historian, Oly Skulsky on behalf of Stoke Village
Hub and Shekinah Mission and finally Mike Rook,
of Plymouth Samaritans and our welcome group.
Being the first day of term, our only
representatives from schools were from Stoke
Damerel Community College and Emma, Head of
the music department at DHS for Boys. After the
Bishop’s blessing, the procession of clergy and
congregation filed out to the foyer of the Parish
Centre to be introduced to Rev’d Fran and on into
the main hall for the buffet and joyful celebrations!


THANK YOU TO ALL
Very many thanks to all who helped to clean,
arrange chairs and tables, welcomed at both
entrances, ran errands, provided 32 platters, sorted
them in the kitchen, assisted with serving drinks,
the choir, Stephen and FINALLY those who
remained behind to make clearing up a whole lot
easier.
A very special thanks of appreciation to Kevin who
so kindly acted as our official photographer during
Rev’d Fran’s installation. We now have a super
photographic record of the event. Kevin recently
had an accident with his camera but managed to
capture the memorable event on his phone. What
a star!
Rev’d Fran, this is our third such event since 2015
and we don’t want to do it again: THIRD TIME
LUCKY, despite what Bishop James said!

FIRST EUCHARIST AND MARGARET BIBBY’S FUNERAL
On Wednesday morning, Rev’d Fran, assisted by
Rev’d Daniel, her husband, presided at her first
said communion service in church. We had rather
more communicants than usual as several of Fran’s
family came along. After a few tasks, we partook
of conviviality at Amigos and Fran began her
ministry!
In the afternoon, we celebrated the very full life of
Margaret Bibby. The service was led by Rev’d
Sue, supported by Rev’d Fran. Heather presented
us with a very vivid account of her mum’s long
life, and details of her involvement with many
groups represented in the congregation of about 65
mourners. The wake followed at United Services
Rugby Club.

ADVANCE DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
Sep 19 Devon Historic Churches Open Day
Oct 11 Harvest Thanksgiving Service
Oct 18 St. Luke’s Service
Nov 8 Remembrance Sunday
Nov 13 & 14 Christmas Fair

HAPPY BIRTHDAY IN SEPTEMBER
Jim Richmond, John Steere, Debbie Smith,
Kevin Kelland, Ian Gillhespy.

WOMEN PRIESTS AT STOKE DAMEREL PARISH CHURCH
Last Monday evening many Stoke parishioners
gathered in the church, along with friends and
family members of our new priest-in-charge,
Reverend Fran French, to welcome her into her
new role at Stoke. The latest interregnum seemed
to last for such a long period of time, especially as
our previous Rector, Father Keith Robus, was so
energetic and hardworking, and was fully
appreciated by all.
Monday evening, including the church service led
by Bishop James, was a very joyful occasion and
we all now look forward to this church’s future
with Reverend Fran at the helm. I was fortunate,
before the service, to have had the opportunity to
be in conversation with some ladies who were
representing one of Reverend Fran’s previous
parishes. Although pleased for Reverend Fran,
they were very sad to lose her, as she is obviously
much loved by them and, apparently, was often
referred to as their ‘Vicar of Dibley’, which echoes
my thoughts, set out in last week’s Sunday sheet.
We can be proud at Stoke church that we have
always been at the forefront of supporting
women’s ministry. During the latest vacancy,
Reverend Sue Nicholas has been one of the willing
priests to regularly volunteer as celebrant at our
services, and our association with women priests
goes back further.

Reverend Gemma Burnett in 2016
Most recently, we only have to go back to 2015 to
find a local newspaper report which recorded that
Reverend Gemma Burnett was the first ever
woman to be appointed as a priest-in-charge of any
Plymouth church, when she arrived at Stoke
Damerel parish church.
However, Stoke church can go back even further.
Nationally, in 1994, the first of many women were
ordained and, in 2022, a plaque was installed at
Bristol Cathedral listing the names of those first
thirty-two women priests.
The photograph below was taken not long after
that, when the first two women priests in Plymouth
were ordained. Pictured are Joy Godfrey, who was
a non-stipendiary priest attached to St. Aubyn’s
church and Stoke Damerel church, and Liz
Thomas who was a curate at Stoke Damerel
church.

Although never a priest, Wendy Pezzey would
have been delighted had she ever had the
opportunity to be ordained. However, she served
Stoke church for many years as our Reader. She
was so looking forward to being here when
Reverend Fran arrived but, sadly passed not long
after their only meeting.

We cannot claim any direct association with Sarah
Mullally, the current Archbishop of Canterbury
but, had he survived long enough, the always very
hard-working former Stoke churchwarden, Peter
Bowser, would have been very proud that his niece
achieved the highest position in the Church of
England.

Once again, we all welcome Reverend Fran to this
church and look forward to a bright and joyful
future for Stoke Damerel church and all
parishioners, under her leadership.
Tony Barnard