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

For the 10.00am Parish Eucharist  for today click here

Rector: Revd Keith Robus RN
Telephone No: 01752 509724

Email: keith.robus@btinternet.com
www.Stokedamerel.church
www.facebook.com/StokeDamerelChurch

Stoke Damerel Church in winter
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © High View - geograph.org.uk/p/1111563

Sunday 9th January            Baptism of Christ

THIS WEEK'S READINGS IF YOU ARE ILL OR NEED TO GO INTO HOSPITAL
Please ring for support:-
Revd Keith: 509724
Wendy: 218432
Liz: 509852

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:-
James,  Revd Peter Warland, Peter.
The long term sick and infirm:-
Terry and Pat, Janet, George and Audrey, Philip.
The Ministry Team:-
Father Keith, Ruth, Wendy and Steve.

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.

RECTOR’S RAMBLINGS
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.

In order to watch the livestreamed services please
‘click’ on this link to
make your way to YouTube site:
https://www.youtube.com/c/StokeDamerelChurch

Sunday 09 January        Baptism of Christ
0800 Holy Eucharist
1000 Sung Holy Eucharist

Wednesday 12 January
10.00 Holy Eucharist

Sunday 16 January        Epiphany 2
0800 Holy Eucharist
1000 Sung Holy Eucharist

Sung hymns and organ music
The Church of England, working with St Martin
in-the-Fields and the Royal School of Church
Music, is delighted to be providing a resource of
rights-free music for use on streamed services.

Covid
With the new plan B restrictions, please would
everyone wear a mask and ensure good social
distancing. Please wear your mask when singing.
For the time being it has been suggested we
withdraw the use of the common chalice. We will
also temporarily suspend the service of hot drinks
after the service. So sad – as we have been doing
so well.

Thank you Liz!
It is with deep regret to inform the wider
congregation, that after so many faithful years of
unstinting service, Liz Neil has requested she
relinquishes the role of taking the bookings for the
Parish Centre. Liz has born the heat of the day
with politeness and fortitude; with Christian
cheerfulness and devotion. So many regular groups
and occasional lettings have received Liz’s
cheerful welcome and gentle guidance.
Celebrations of wedding receptions, parties for all
ages and gatherings have all taken place under
Liz’s watch. We as members of Stoke Parish
Church have benefited from Liz’s hard work, for
it is through the collection of monthly and on-off
fees the coffers of the Parish Centre have been able
to make generous donations to the parish funds and
onwards to helping pay our Common Fund share
with the Diocese. We owe Liz a huge debt of
gratitude in innumerable ways and we do wish to
have it noted here to offer a massive THANK
YOU Liz.
The next question is, who would be willing to fill
this crucial and important role within from you, the
parish? Marilyn and I would be only to happy to
talk through what is required.
Father Keith

PCC MEETING
The next PCC meeting will be on Thursday
27th January at 7pm.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY IN JANUARY
Liz Neil.

CHURCHWARDEN'S WARBLINGS

PROSPECTIVE BURN’S SUPPER
POSTPONED
With regret, it has been decided to postpone our
first fund raising event of 2022, planned for 22nd
January, in view of the substantial increase of the
omicron variant. A major part of a Burn’s evening
is the fun of singing and dancing, both of which
would greatly increase the expulsion of breath:
potentially spreading omicron droplets!
So ......... watch this space and we will look at
this activity again in due course.

LOCAL CAUSE FOR CONCERN OVER
POTENTIAL DEVELOPMENT NEAR OUR
CHURCH
Whilst our weekly sheet is not intended for
lobbying, our congregation and friends may
appreciate knowledge of a second planning
application which has been submitted to build flats
in the Fitzroy Terrace woodland. It might have
been noticed that three modern houses have been
build in this road and are currently let out.
Last year, a significant number of local residents
campaigned against two applications to build on
woodland areas: both in Fitzroy Terrace and at the
rear of Nelson Gardens, adjacent to Collingwood
Road. Neither of these applications was granted for
a variety of similar reasons: destruction of mature
woodland and habitat, over-development in a
conservation area, increase in on street parking etc.
and the fact that Plymouth City Council has widely
publicised intent to increase the planting of
thousands of trees throughout the city. Both of the
developments would have destroyed existing sites
containing many mature trees. Should you feel
moved to present observations, the details are
below:

Town and Country Planning Act 1990
APPLICATION NO: 21/02217/FUL SITE:
Land At Fitzroy Road Plymouth PL1 5PY
DEVELOPMENT: Construction of building
containing 7no dwellings inc. associated parking,
bike and bin storage and landscaping. Please can
you kindly let me have any observations you may
wish to make by 26 January 2022. The case
officer is Mrs Karen Gallacher, Tel. 01752 304930
The Planning Officer must determine the
application by: 16 February 2022 You are now
able to view the Planning Application drawings
and documents on-line using the Plymouth City
Council Web site. http://planning.plymouth.gov.uk

It might be relevant to learn that a great number of
saplings of many varieties will be planted in the
field, situated between Paradise Road and
Devonport Road, adjacent to Albemarle Villas.
This is an impressive community development
planned over several years, steered by Ian Moore,
committee and local residents in conjunction with
various conservation and “green” organisations.
Local schools will work with these agencies on the
impressive planting drive to take place towards the
end of January.
Marilyn Goldsbrough

A WINTER’S TALE TAIL (OR TWO)
We had gone two or three weeks without
seeing either of the two cats which occasionally,
and separately, accompany us on our evening
walks. Then, on Christmas Eve, part way through
our walk, we were greeted by the one we have
nicknamed ‘Sparkles’ (because of her reflective
collar). As usual, she kept up with us, ‘talking’
continuously. It was a wet evening so, initially, she
tried to keep dry by darting under each of the cars
parked along our route. She accompanied us for
about half of our walk, then decided, probably
because of the rain, to return to her own patch.
On Christmas Day we went for our daily
walk earlier in the day and part way around were
greeted by ‘Perky’, the black and white cat, who
had walked with us many times before. He stayed
with us until we got back home. A few minutes
later he was looking in at the rear patio door, so we
let him in to warm up a bit before he went home
again. Our youngest son had come to be with us
for Christmas, from London. Perky accepted him
without hesitation and, after pummelling and
licking him enthusiastically, settled on his lap for a
couple of hours.

He then took a liking to a small piece of green
Christmas twinkle, along with the Pumpkin we had
just brought in to cook. Then he left us, to go back
home again, no doubt.
Later in the week we were met on our walk
by Sparkles again, tail erect and still talking. Being
a dry evening, she kept with us longer this time,
venturing past the other cat’s home territory. We
were not sure whether the two had ever met, but
they did on this evening, and I can report that they
both bristled. Following a short stand-off, Sparkles
silently made for home, tail between her legs.
Perky stayed his ground just in case she returned.
Sparkles briefly appeared the next evening,
but did not wander far from her home patch, no
doubt being wary of another confrontation, but still
with plenty to say.
On New Year’s Eve we walked quite late
in the evening and were accompanied by Perky
again. He came in and settled on one of the chairs,
‘seeing’ the New Year in with us, sleeping and
taking no notice of either the church bells from St.
Budock, nor the ships’ hooters, nor the celebratory
fireworks. He was asked to leave about an hour
later. Picking him up confirmed that he had
obviously eaten well over the Christmas and New
Year holiday, although his breath smelt of fish, not
Turkey.
New Year’s Day dawned and, opening the
Lounge curtains early, Perky was revealed, sitting
on the doormat outside, enthusiastically expecting
to be let in. He was ignored initially but, after
breakfast, about an hour later, I weakened. After
suffering his normal pummelling and licking, he
settled on my lap for about half an hour although,
as I had things to do, he was persuaded to settle on
one of the chairs. He obviously goes home
whenever hungry as he never wants any food from
us. He must have already had breakfast that
morning as he again had a fishy smell on his breath
and was still heavy to lift. Perky stayed on the
same chair all day, standing up only occasionally
for a stretch before settling down again in the same
place.

About seven hours after he had arrived, he
was still curled up on ‘his’ chair. Eventually, we
went for an afternoon walk and encouraged him to
leave with us through the front door. After
accompanying us for the first half of our walk, he
decided to stop off at the drive of his home when
we passed it.
One day we must call and check that this is
the house where he lives. No doubt the family he
resides with would be amazed to hear of his
activities with us.
Tony Barnard

A prayer for the world
God of love and hope,
you made the world and care for all creation,
but the world feels strange right now.
The news is full of stories about Coronavirus.
Some people are worried that they might get ill.
Others are anxious for their family and friends.
Be with them and help them to find peace.
We pray for the doctors and nurses and scientists,
and all who are working to discover the right
medicines to help those who are ill.
Thank you that even in these anxious times,
you are with us.
Help us to put our trust in you and keep us safe.
Amen.