Notices

Notices for the week beginning
31st August 

For further information about any of the items below, please email enquiries@templetaunton.uk

HOLY COMMUNION AT TEMPLE at 9.00 am:
Third Sunday of the month, followed by Iona style breakfast in the Hall.
STREAMED SERVICE at 9.30 am:
Each Sunday, taken by one of our other circuit worship leaders. Link here.
SUNDAY SERVICES AT TEMPLE at 10:30 am:
Every Sunday, with Holy Communion every first Sunday of the month.
CAKE & CONVERSATION at 5:00 pm in the hall:
Every second  Sunday of the month.
ZOOM WORSHIP at 6.30pm:
On a Sunday twice monthly. Contact enquiries@templetaunton.uk for details on joining in.

AFTERNOON CHOIR:
Tuesdays at 2:00pm in the hall.
ZOOM CIRCUIT BIBLE STUDY:
At 7.30pm 1st & 3rd Tuesday of the month. Contact enquiries@templetaunton.uk for details on joining in.
ZOOM CIRCUIT PRAYER MEETING:
At 7.30pm 2nd & 4th Tuesday of the month. Contact enquiries@templetaunton.uk for details on joining in.
PRAYER 45:
In the Chapel at 9:30am every 1st Wednesday of the month
and 7:30pm every 3rd Wednesday of the month.
POP-IN / COFFEE PLUS:
Every Wednesday at 10:30am.
Next on Wednesday 3rd September. Join us for a drink and a chat.
This week's activity "Who I Am"
MIDWEEK SERVICES:
Every Wednesday at 12:15pm followed by a light lunch.
Next on Wednesday 3rd September led by Rev Deborah Kirk.
CHURCH LUNCH:
Normally on the third Wednesday of the month 1:00pm in the hall.
THURSDAY AFTERNOON GROUP:
Meetings take place on third Thursday of each month at 2:30pm in the hall.
Next meeting will be in the autumn on Thursday 18th September, a talk by Debbie Birtwhistle from The Children's Hospice South West.

PLEASE DO NOT ATTEND ANY EVENT IF YOU HAVE SYMPTOMS OF RESPIRATORY ILLNESS
AND WE WISH YOU A SPEEDY RECOVERY

ALSO SEE  Upcoming Services , Church Life Activities , Upcoming Events 

CHURCH NOTICES: If you would like to receive the Weekly Notices by email please contact Hazel Jordan.
CIRCUIT LINK: If you would like to receive the monthly Circuit Link by email please contact Janet Dickinson.
PASTORAL TEAMS:  Please contact Anne Jordan or Rev Deborah Kirk with any pastoral concerns.
HOME COMMUNION: For anyone who would wish to receive home communion please contact Anne Jordan or Rev. Deborah Kirk.
PRAYER GROUP: If you would like to be part of the group, please let Hazel Jordan have your email address to add to the group. When a prayer request comes in, it will be forwarded to the group for a prayer response.
CIRCUIT ADMINISTRATOR: Natalie Knight can be contacted at office@pilgrimpeople.co.uk.
CHURCH FAMILY NEWS: Please note that although we cannot put personal details on the website, Church Family News can be found in the Notices distributed via email. If you wish to be added to the email list please contact Hazel Jordan.

FACEBOOK: You can follow us on facebook
YOUTUBE: Livestream services and previously streamed services can be found on our Youtube Channel
TAUNTON URC MONTHLY CHURCH MAGAZINE: A copy of the monthly URC magazine can be found here.
RESOURCES FOR HOME WORSHIP: See our This Week's Services , Prayer Page , and Home Worship pages. 

NOTICE

FOCUS

Because it was at the General Church Meeting last year that we agreed to focus on the image of God seen in the people around us and a new objective will be set for us at the General Church Meeting on 20 September, you will not be asked to Focus on others each month but it is still important to see the needs, joys, delights in others. Be kind, helpful and loving, even when things in your own life makes this difficult.

Temple Trekkers: (5-7 miles) continue to walk on Monday mornings and enjoy fellowship together. Recent walks have been based around Wiveliscombe, Crowcombe and Nynehead, Contact Kathryn Turner for information about future walks. All are very welcome!

CONCERT:  On Saturday 30th August, 3pm at North Curry.  The Four Winds Clarinet Quartet,  Sue Francombe, Julie Meikle, Helen Bolt & Tim Hill will be playing folk arrangements & more.  Donations for the Gaza Appeal & Church renovations

ANNIVERSARY CREAM TEA:  Middlezoy Methodist Church invite you to their Anniversary Cream Tea followed by Favourite Hymns on Sunday 31st August at 5.30pm for tea, 6.30pm for the service.  DO COME! And tell us your favourite hymn by 25th August.

POP IN:  Pop-in this Wednesday 3rd September begins with coffee or tea at 10.30 am.   While sitting having a good chat with friends (all welcome) we look forward to hearing a little about those gathered in "Who am I".  The lunch for those at pop-in follows the midweek service which begins at 12 noon.

Film Night: On Friday 12 September we shall be showing newly released Netflix film, The Thursday Murder Club. It is adapted from the best-selling novel by Richard Osman and features an all-star cast including Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan, Ben Kingsley and Celia Imrie. Coming up in November 2025 and January 2026 are The Penguin Lessons and The Salt Path. If you have any suggestions for future films, do please let me know.

Pizza and pudding at 6.30pm and the film follows at 7:30 pm. Please let Hazel Jordan know if you would like to come.

MWiB Day at Buckfast Abbey: We regret that the MWiB Day at Buckfast Chapel (17th September has had to be CANCELLED as the long-awaited disabled access is going to be put in.

General Church Meeting: Saturday 20 September: We are looking forward to the General Church Meeting which will start at 10 for 10.30 and will finish by 12 noon. Everyone is encouraged to attend to review the last Methodist year at Temple and discuss options for the next year.

Gift Day: Saturday 27 September: Rev Deborah will be at a coffee corner in the Church Hall on Saturday morning to receive any donationstowards the Gift Day. Alternatively, these may be placed on the collection plate on Sunday 28 September (or any other date!). Further details are given in the letter from Rev Deborah.

Harvest Festival: Sunday 28 September. Preparations for the Harvest Celebration will take place on Saturday 27 September, when the church will be decorated in readiness for the Harvest Festival. Anyone wishing to donate flowers or foliage – and/or help with the decorations - would be most welcome. The contact is Anne B – or have a word with any of the stewards for more information.

The Harvest Festival will take place on Sunday 28 September at 10.30am and the service will be led by Rev Deborah. Please see the Weekly Notice Sheet for list of suggested items.) The service will be followed by a Harvest Lunch in the hall and it would help enormously for catering purposes if you would obtain a ticket (no charge!) from one of the stewards so that they have an idea of how many people to expect. Donations will be invited and any profits will also be given to a nominated charity. As always, everyone is very welcome.

3Generate 2025, 3 - 5 October at the NEC, Birmingham: 3Generate is an event for children and young people aged 4-18 includes various activities, workshops, and worship sessions designed to help young people explore their faith, develop leadership skills, and make a positive impact in their communities. Our hope is that 3Generate will offer a wonderful opportunity to encounter God, gather together and be reminded of their vital place within the wider Methodist Church.
More information can be found here, or see Barbara

Green Temple - Climate Change Talk: There will be a talk on Thursday 20 November at 2.30pm at Temple. It is being held jointly with the Thursday Group and all are very welcome to come along. Our speaker will be Sigurd Reimers who convenes the local U3A Climate Change group. Sigurd will be giving us a global view of climate change and the effect it is having. There will be more detailed publicity nearer the time but please put the date in your diary now.

METHODIST PRAYER HANDBOOK is published each year at the beginning of September and provides a selection of prayers for each day of the year together with the daily readings. The 25/26 edition has a renewed look and style with a broader variety of prayers, prayer prompts and links to online content. If you have previously ordered a copy I will automatically order the new standard A5 edition for you. If you would like to make a change i.e. cancel, or receive a large print edition please let me know. If you have not had a copy before and would like one please get in touch. Cost will be £4.40 each. Thank you, Kevin Rigg

MONTHLY VIGILS FOR PEACE: Taunton Quakers extend an invitation to all people of faith and none to stand in silence on the 4th Wednesday of each month from 12.00 to 12.45 pm near the Tourist Information Office, to witness to our commitment to seek peace in the world.  

PRAYER 45: The 1st Wednesday of the month at 9.30am, and the 3rd Wednesday of the month at 7.30pm, which may take the form of Compline. These times will be open to anyone and will initially be led by Deborah - (in time, those who come may like to lead). The time will be about 45 minutes, but you are free to come for as long or short a time as you are able, and if you come once, you will not be expected to come every time. During the time together we shall reflect on a portion or verse of scripture, then spend some time in prayer, silent or spoken. 

READERS NEEDED: We are looking for new people to add to our pool of people to read the Bible lessons on a Sunday. Please speak to Hazel Jordan if you are interested in reading on Sundays.

ORGANISTS: Does anybody know of any organist who might like to play at Temple for our Sunday worship services? I'm trying to uncover some new players who might like to play, either regularly or on an occasional basis. Fees and level of commitment negotiable. Please contact Kevin Rigg. Thank you, Kevin. 

TRANSPORT: We realise many people can no longer get to church easily but often feel they do not want to ask for lifts. Is there someone in the congregation who would be willing to coordinate, able and willing drivers to be available to give people lifts to church? If so, or you are willing to give lifts, please contact Anne Jordan.

TAUNTON FOODBANK APPEAL: Stocks are at their lowest for 7 years and over the last few months we have given out over a tonne and a half more food than has been donated. Please check the website . https://taunton.foodbank.org.uk/give-help/donate-food/ to find out what food is needed. 

From Methodist News …

A PRAYER FOR THE START OF THE CONNEXIONAL YEAR:  With the start of the new connexional year next week, we share this prayer from Matthew Forsyth, Vice-President of the Methodist Conference. You can read the full prayer here.

O Christ of the morning,

You who sang the stars into being,

Sing again into our hearts today.

As a new year unfolds,

we walk into the next verse of your story,

the next line of your song.

RAF STATION IS BLOOMING LOVELY - METHODIST GRANT PLANTS SEEDS FOR GROWTH:  "The weather was on our side, and it turned out to be a fantastic afternoon with lots of people attending. It was lovely to see all the children running around looking for the clues with their teddies." 

RAF Odiham in Hampshire is looking a little brighter after a grant from the Methodist Forces Board was used to plant up flower boxes and tubs in neglected areas around the base.  The Revd Dawn Colley, Methodist chaplain at the base, facilitated several events alongside Warrant Officer Grimshaw, to coincide with ‘Odiham in Bloom’, and the Community Support Team organised a teddy bears' picnic.  Read about the work at RAF Odiham.

PAKISTAN FLOODS - CALL FOR PRAYER:  Since the monsoon season started in June, more than 700 people have died in flood-related incidents in Pakistan, hundreds of them in the past two weeks as landslides and flash floods have destroyed entire villages, with the worst damage in the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Members of congregations belonging to the Methodist Church's partner Church, the Church of Pakistan are among those affected.

Please pray for people whose homes, crops and livelihoods have been devastated, and those whose loved ones are known to have died or are still missing. Please pray also for all involved in search and rescue operations.  Find out more about the flooding here

ECO CHURCH AWARD - GOLD FOR WESLEY METHODIST CHURCH IN CHESTER:  "Engaging with the wider community has been an important part of our environmental aims." Angela Macquiban, Eco Group convener at Wesley Methodist Church in Chester, shares this story of how the church received its Gold Eco Church Award.  Read about the journey to the award here.

SWPD eNEWS:
Follow this link for more information about the Newsletter, or visit the SWPD website 

From Methodist Publishing ...

New Products
Our Church's Future Story This pack aims to give you the guidance and resources you need to develop a really useful growth plan for your church, circuit or new Christian community. The booklet explains what a growth plan is, what it should include, and how to go about creating it together. The card pack offers activities for you to use as you work on your plan as a church. The cards have been written for use by anyone in a leadership role, such as a steward, lay employee or minister. Growth planning involves the whole church and wider community, but a smaller group of people will need to lead the process. This could be the church stewards along with the minister and lay employees or, if you are creating a circuit growth plan, the Circuit Leadership Team. We suggest each member of the group has a copy of this pack.

the connexion So much more In issue 36, you can read about Bea Hulme, the Youth President, explaining why young people need encouragement, and Phoebe Parkin, a past Youth President bringing stories of hope from Colombia, where she helped young people learn media skills.

A Methodist Way of Life Pocket Guide - Order here

Connexional Year 2025/2026 resources
Essential resources in the Methodist Church to fulfil Our Calling of responding to God’s love in Christ and living out its discipleship in worship and mission.

Methodist Prayer Handbook: The 2025/2026 Prayer Handbook.
Our Story, Our Song calls upon the Methodist people to join in a soul expedition deep into the heart of our calling, journeying afresh into the story of grace and the vocation that God has placed upon us – learning to live, work, pray and play in ways both true to our roots and open to the presence of God in the songs and stories of others.
Pray with Our Story, Our Song to discover A Shared Story, A Shared Harmony, A New Song, A New Chapter. Ideal for individual prayer, small groups or church devotions, this new-look Methodist Prayer Handbook offers a broader variety of prayers, greater accessibility, easy-to-use prayer prompts, guidance to form your own prayers, QR codes and links to related online content, as well as prayers for every day of the year together with the daily lectionary for the year.

New releases from Methodist Publishing and other products of interest to Methodists can be found here.

The Methodist Church Learning Network 

The role of the Learning Network is to equip and resource the Church through a wide range of learning and development opportunities. The Learning Network works together connexionally, on national projects, and in regional teams, in delivering regional training and learning events. 

FREE TELEPHONE PRAYER AND NEWS

Prayers and news from the Methodist Church.

Listen to a prayer:   0808 281 2514

Listen to news:        0808 281 2478

Content is updated every Thursday afternoon.

SOCIAL MEDIA AND OTHER SCAMS

Please be aware that unfortunately in these uncertain and difficult times when we may be more vulnerable than normal, there are people who are taking advantage of our desire to communicate with one another via social media. Other routes used include cold calls on your phone, text messages or emails, and bogus websites. The following websites have advice on recognising and reporting scams, and what to do if you think you have fallen prey to a scam.

Recent scams include recorded messages purporting to be regarding misuse of your online shopping account or internet service. Please hang up immediately and use call blocking if you have it (1572). Others try to get bank account or card details by purporting to be from warranty firms for white goods extending your protection or warranty. Some are calls impersonating the NHS, well-known government organisations, or law enforcement agencies - these will not call by phone or text and will never ask for bank or card details.

If someone you don't know contacts you by phone, text, email, social media, or at your home unexpectedly
CHALLENGE - Could it be fake? It’s OK to reject, refuse or ignore any requests that don’t feel right.
DECLINE - Do NOT respond to electronic messages by following links or recorded phone messages by pressing numbers. NEVER give out personal information such as bank details, bank card numbers, passport numbers, NHS numbers, National Insurance numbers or passwords.
CHECK - Only use official websites, postal addresses or phone numbers to contact people if you are unsure - do NOT use the contact details provided by those you are suspicious of.
REPORT - Let someone know. Especially if you believe you've become a victim of fraud, or you can stop someone else becoming a victim.

UK Government - Avoid and report internet scams and phishing

Citizens Advice - Check if something might be a scam

Age UK - Scams and fraud

National Cyber Security Centre:
If you receive a call you believe to be fraudulent, hang up. If you are suspicious about an email you have received, forward it to report@phishing.gov.uk. Suspicious text messages should be forwarded to the number 7726 which is free of charge.

Action Fraud:
If you believe you have been the victim of fraud or identity theft, you should report this directly to Action Fraud either online; actionfraud.police.uk or via phone 0300 123 2040.

Crimestoppers:
If you have any information relating to vaccine fraud you can stay 100% anonymous by contacting Crimestoppers COVID Fraud Hotline online; covidfraudhotline.org or phone 0800 587 5030.