Racial Justice Sunday
This Sunday is Racial Justice Sunday, which has as its theme this year: “Seeing one another in the life of the Church”. It is important to recognise that we are all children of God, regardless of our race and background. The chosen theme seeks to promote reflection, discussion and action and to encourage us to carry this through in the weeks and months after Racial Justice Sunday. We are called to celebrate the diversity of those
who have led holy and exemplary lives: https://www.cbcew.org.uk/saints-ofcolour/. Our Catholic saints walked in this world as we do and were men and women of heroic virtue who can intercede for us to bring our prayers to the Lord. The message from Bishop Paul McAleenan, the Lead Bishop for Racial Justice, can be read here . We are all asked to join in the following prayer this Sunday:

God of light and truth,
you call all men and women to live lives of holiness and justice.
Help us to see in one another:
a heart which is tender, a mind which is humble
and a care for our brothers and sisters;
so that together we may build up the Body of Christ
as a sign of hope and mercy for all.
We make this prayer through Jesus our Lord.
Amen.

There will be a retiring collection at the end of Mass to support the work of  the Catholic Association for Racial Justice (CARJ).

Unwanted Gifts Stall
There will be an Unwanted Gifts Stall after the Masses in Tiverton.

United Christian Service
This Sunday, 28 January, a United Service will be held at the King Street Chapel, Tiverton, at 6.30pm, at which the Reverend Christian Hill, the Priestin-Charge of St Peter’s Anglican Church, will preach. All welcome.

“Book”/Lunch Group
This Thursday, 1 February, the “Book”/Lunch Group will be meeting at the Bluebell Restaurant for lunch at 12.30pm. If you are not coming, please let Sheelagh know on 07791 802009.

December Parish Giving
Loose Plate: £2267.53 Contactless: £535.00 Standing Order: £2886.00

The Friends of St James and St Boniface
The Friends of St James and St Boniface meet this Friday, 2 February, at 1.00pm in the Hall. The Friends is a group of parishioners that plans both
social and fundraising events to support the needs of our parish, particularly with regards to the upkeep of our buildings and the rebuilding of the church in Tiverton. It is a group which is open to everyone since we all have a responsibility to work to support and strengthen our parish community. Please do consider coming along and becoming a “Friend”!

Caritas Warm Spaces Networking Session
Last year, many of the parishes of our diocese opened their doors to provide warm meals and a friendly space. Caritas has gathered some feedback from projects run last year with ideas about how to approach opening a warm welcome space. They will be holding an online informal session this Thursday, 25 January, between 12noon-12.45pm to share good practice, and warmly invite anyone who is involved with warm spaces or is thinking about starting one. Please click here to register and be sent the zoom link.

CCSP Fundraising Round Up for 2023
The Catholic Children’s Society Annual Appeal was a success with 44 parishes supporting the work of the Society compared to 41 in 2022. The final total raised will be included in the next edition of its ‘Children First’ newsletter. Parishes have already begun to send in their Crib offerings too, including £276.45 from our parish. The Orange Box recycling scheme raised a record amount of money for the second year running as £5534.00 was generated through the support and kindness of so many parishioners. This beat the record set the previous year of £3542.63 and in the first collection of 2024 over £800.00 has already been raised! The collection of old ink cartridges via the Recycle4Charity programme has raised £1069.21 since the scheme started in July 2008, which includes £206.00 in the last twelve months alone! Further information about the CCSP is attached to the Newsletter.

An Invitation to Survivors of Abuse
The Diocesan Safeguarding Team held its first survivor group meetings in November, which were an opportunity for anyone with lived experience of abuse to share their thoughts and ideas about survivor support work in our diocese. The diocese would welcome the opportunity to hear from others who have a lived experience of abuse, so that we can involve them in the work that is being done to support survivors. If you would like to help us with this work, or you would like to find out more, please contact Sophie Scagell (Survivor Support Caseworker) on 01364 645436 or sophie.scagell@prcdtr.org.uk.

Lent Course on Zoom
The Parish of Teignmouth, Dawlish and Shaldon is holding its annual Zoom Lent Course and invites anyone in the diocese to join them. The speakers, all from our diocese, will base their sessions on the five Gospel readings of Year A on 16 February and 1, 8, 15 and 22 March. The sessions start at 6.30pm: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83445840521?pwd=K3lKRFVGbnY0eEMzc3pVMVh
OcnFCdz09. Meeting ID: 834 4584 0521 Passcode: 862737.

Coffee Mornings for the New Church
As the work on the rebuilding of the church in Tiverton edges closer, to raise funds for items that will be needed in the new building, we are asking
parishioners to hold Coffee Mornings. If you could offer to host a Coffee Morning, please let Canon Kristian, Maggie Pulford or Margaret Found know.