If you were able to attend the concert on Saturday 19th you'll know what a fantastic evening it was - if you ever get the chance to see Ian Shaw I heartily recommend you take it! Devauden Arts Club are now planning another concert on Friday 19th June when Mr James Maddock (not Maddocks!) is performing. Do keep an eye out for further information.

Please can I ask that if you do shop online (to buy tickets from wegottickets.com, for instance) you sign up to EasyFundraising and choose St James Devauden as your charity. It doesn't cost you any money when you buy things online, but we get a (small) percentage of whatever you spend. We're starting to plan the next stage of improvements for the building - now the roof is water-proof, we can move on to the next phase - better heating, fixing the plaster & the stretch goal - adding a toilet! Please use this link www.easyfundraising.org.uk/causes/st-james-the-great-devauden for more details, and to sign up.

And finally... the stone has been delivered and the boundary wall will be repaired very soon - it's been a long time coming, but the new cock-and-hen coping will both be water-proof, less appealing to the stone thieves, and a darn sight prettier than the black plastic & associated oddments on top of the wall!

That the Devauden Calendar is back from the printers and for sale from the village shop - and at £10 a copy has not suffered any price inflation at all. Leigh & Debs now have all the remaining copies, so please don't wait too long before purchasing yours!

Daniel our treasurer has also signed us up for Easy Fundraising - and it really is easy, if you shop online. Every online purchase you make from participating sites will result in a donation to St James. Easy Fundraising have a website where you create an account and chose your cause. If you would like to take part, please copy & paste this into your browser to start your sign up process:
https://www.easyfundraising.org.uk/causes/st-james-the-great-devauden
Then, every time you shop, a reminder pops up asking if you'd like a donation to your cause - it really is that easy! Major shops like M&S, John Lewis, major supermarkets like Ocado, Tesco, Sainsburys & Waitrose etc. as well as on-line places like eBay are all willing to donate so please consider this - it does not add anything to your bill, but will help our fundraising.
Finally - for your diaries - on Sunday 14th December at 3pm the Divertimenti Consort will be playing a concert of Christmas Music. I hope to see you there.

March sees the start of Lent - sadly Shrove Tuesday isn't marked in the Devauden calendar (apologies) but this year it falls on Tuesday 4th March. Lent starts on Wednesday 5th and although traditionally people would abstain from things over the Lent period, but rather then giving something up for Lent, why not try something different - the Lent course is running at St Christopers in Bulwark from Monday 10th March...

We are expecting the scaffolding to be erected over the porch soon - after mending the porch roof, we have found that some the water is coming in through the window above, and Storm Darragh damaged the roof over the altar, so Grahame will be up a ladder to sort out the slipped slates and broken bits - CADW have kindly agreed to extend their grant to cover 50% of the cost of these repairs, but we will soon be fundraising again...

Our Services:
Sunday 2nd March - 4pm - All Age Communion Service led by Rev Phil
Sunday 15th March - 9am - Family Worship led by Gay

Sunday 6th April - 4pm - All Age Communion Service led by Rev Phil
Sunday 20th April - EASTER SUNDAY - 9am - All Age Communion Service led by Rev Zoe (or Rev Barney!)

And Elsewhere:
St Davids Day Pancake Party at Shirenewton - see the poster in the shop window, or attached below
The Lent Course - Living Hope - at St Christophers Bulwark Mondays@7 from 10th March

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You can find details of services across the whole Ministry Area on our website www.severnwyema.co.uk
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The Ministry Area Bible Study Group meets every Tuesday in Shirenewton Church Rooms at 2.45pm Everyone is most welcome
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The Ministry Area Prayer Group meets every Thursday 7.45pm – 9pm,
Meeting on Thursday 2nd January at David Carne's house - , The Cedars, Chapel Lane, Pwllmeyric. If there is anyone or anything which you would like to be prayed for, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Dear All,

The calendar is finally off at the printers, but I have yet to finalise the dates & times for the display of all the photographs that were entered - so I may have to send another email out when that's finalised...

One thing that has been finished is the repair works - the wall repairs will sadly have to wait until next year, but the church itself now has a water-tight roof and is noticeably drier inside! Now I merely have to complete the formalities with CADW and start the fundraising to repair the windows - all offers of help with that most gratefully received!

And, if you'd rather not receive these emails, do reply and ask me to remove you....

Our Services
Sunday 3rd November 4pm, All-Age Eucharist, lead by Rev. Phil
Sunday 17th November 9am - Family Service led by Gay

And Elsewhere:
You can find details of services across the whole Ministry Area on our website www.severnwyema.co.uk
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The Ministry Area Bible Study Group meets every Tuesday in Shirenewton Church Rooms at 2.45pm Everyone is most welcome - we are a small and very friendly group, and our study is very practically based: what does the Bible mean for the way we should be living our lives today.
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Meditation on Wednesday evening at 7.15pm in St Arvans Church. We meditate for around 20 minutes. Do come and take a few minutes for silent contemplation or prayer in the middle of our busy lives.
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The Ministry Area Prayer Group meets every Thursday 7.45pm – 9pm
31st October at St Thomas a Beckett, Shirenewton
all meetings in November (7th, 14th, 21st and 28th) will be at David Carne's house - If there is anyone or anything which you would like to be prayed for, or you need directions to find David's house please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

I want to start by thanking the Divertimenti Consort for a lovely concert on Saturday 28th, to thank Kathy Marland and Ann Jones for making the delicious cakes and to thank Margaret Rees for manning the teas and coffees afterwards. It was a lovely late summer concert!
October services start with our Harvest Festival and we are collecting for Chepstow Food Bank. At present they are asking for the following:
UHT Fruit Juice, UHT Milk Tinned Fruit, Pasta Sauces, Tinned Soup, Jam, Tinned Vegetables, Custard & Rice Pudding, Instant Coffee, Tinned Meat, Pasta, Washing Up Liquid, Washing Powder, Loo Rolls, Shower Gel & deodorants
But they don't need tinned pulses (or if I interpret this correctly, no baked beans, thank you all the same!)
We will also donate the cash collection at the service, if you would rather let them buy what they need directly.
The Ministry Area Prayer group will meet at St James on Thursday 10th - do stop by if you can for a time of prayer and reflection which finishes with a service of Compline.
Other Events:
The building works should be over and the scaffolding taken down this month. The photography display will happen - but I have yet to work out when!
And Elsewhere:
You can find details of services across the whole Ministry Area on our website www.severnwyema.co.uk
************************************************************************
The Ministry Area Bible Study Group meets every Tuesday in Shirenewton Church Rooms at 2.45pm Everyone is most welcome - we are a small and very friendly group, and our study is very practically based: what does the Bible mean for the way we should be living our lives today.
======================================================================
Meditation on Wednesday evening at 7.15pm in St Arvans Church. We meditate for around 20 minutes. Do come and take a few minutes for silent contemplation or prayer in the middle of our busy lives.
======================================================================
The Ministry Area Prayer Group meets every Thursday 7.45pm – 9pm
3rd October St. Deiniol, Itton
10th October St. James, Devauden
17th October St. Arvans
24th October St. Tewdric, Mathern
31st October St. Thomas a Becket, Shirenewton
 

Firstly, a reminder that the photography competition closes at midnight on Sunday 1st September - so you have a little less than a week to find that photograph you were thinking of entering... I'm hoping we can have the entries on display in church from Sunday 8th - Sunday 15th, but have yet to finalise those plans. I will send another email when I have (apologies in advance)

And - to help them meet people in the local area, Zoe and Barney have started 'Birthday Cream Teas' - it is free, but you do need to book - the idea is that you come along to the tea nearest to your birthday - the next one is on September 8th so that'll be a busy day for some!

At the end of September the Divertimenti Consort are giving a Concert for a Late Summers Afternoon - 3pm on Saturday 28th September, with tea & cake. Free admission & retiring collection for church funds - I'm looking forward to it already (and not just because of the cake!)

Rev Phil is visiting his family in Australia, so Rev Zoe will be taking the service in September.

Services at St James
Sunday 1st September, 4pm in church, All-age Eucharist led by Rev Zoe Pimentel
Sunday 15th September, 9am in church, Family Worship led by Gay

Sunday 6th October, 4pm in church, Harvest Thanksgiving led by Rev Phil Averay
Sunday 20th October, 9am in church, Family Worship led by Gay

Other Events
Tuesdays - 2:45pm in Shirenewton Church Rooms - Bible Study Group
Wednesdays - 7:15pm in St Arvans Church - 20 minutes of Meditation
Thursdays - 7.45pm - 9pm, Ministry Area Prayer Group - they are meeting at the following locations:
29th August: St Peter's Newchurch
5th September: St Mary Penterry
12th September: Holy Cross Kilgwrrwg
19th September: St Christophers
26th September St Mary's Priory Chepstow

Not forgetting:

MINISTRY AREA BIRTHDAY PARTIES
A free cream tea and a chance to meet others from across the Ministry Area. To book please contact Revd Zoe This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or
07754 306229
Parties will be held every other month on 8th September, 10th November, 12th January - please come to the party closest to your birthday.

SKITTLES EVENING
Come and have fun in Mathern Athletics Club: 7pm Friday 30th August. £8 to include a ploughman's supper. Proceeds will go to St Pierre Church.