My Church Needs One Of Those!
Marriage made in Devon FEWER THAN ONE in four couples get married in a church – but with so many beautiful, holy places in which you can make your vows before God, it is the ideal place to get married. So says Rt Revd Jackie Searle (pictured), Bishop of Crediton, who speaks on the subject at CRE South West (11am, Feb 24) – one of 30 scheduled during the exhibition’s two days (see page 20-24). There were 977 weddings in Devon churches in 2018. This fell to about 800 in
2019, and with another sharp dip as the Covid-19 lockdowns began. But Bishop Jackie believes churches will give couples a warm welcome and provide support for them throughout the process. A special website – www.devonchurchweddings. org – gives guidance and advice on the legal stages of getting married and how the church can enhance the Big Day experience. She will introduce these resources during her seminar. The Revd Sue Davies-
Living and telling, naturally
FINDING IT DIFFICULT to talk about your faith with family and friends? Living and Telling will help you find natural ways to do so. The 10-part course, from Agapé UK, developed to help teenagers going to university, has now expanded to assist Christians of all ages.
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‘There is plenty of research which indicates that most Christians don’t get into conversations about their faith,’ said Tim Moyler, who will lead as seminar on the course at CRE South West (12pm, Thu 24 Feb). ‘Any group or church can run the course, either church building-based or
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Fletcher, a priest at Westward Ho! said: ‘As a parish priest I want to help couples make their wedding the day they have always dreamed of. It is about encouraging couples not to be afraid to ask the church what they can do and show that a church is so much more than simply a venue.’ online.’ One member, who took the course on Zoom, said: ‘We were able to break off in pairs which worked well for me. From the security of my own home, I felt I could be more honest and vulnerable with the person I was paired with. The course helps you consider how to share your faith without being weird.’ Rev James Grier, mission enabler in the Diocese of Exeter, said: ‘I think Living & Telling is fantastic. It gives you skills, confidence and boldness. It also gives you a chance to try it out and practice.’ ▪ Agapé UK are on stand P51 at CRE South West
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