APRIL NEWS
REPORTS
The Extra Sunday
Last month we started a different type of gathered service - taking advantage of a quirk of the Gregorian calendar. When there’s a fifth Sunday in the month (about 4 times a year) we will be having a one-hour service that centres around time for us to focus on and connect with God.
With extended time of sung worship, there were creative prayer stations and reflective spaces and activities. There’s no sermon, but some led reflections and opportunities for people to share what they feel God might be saying.
It was a fantastic time so our massive appreciation to the Worship Team for organising it. The next one is Sunday 29th June.
Leader’s Away Day
On Saturday 29th March, a group of 15 Hub Leaders went to Buckfast Abbey for a day of prayer and reflection. It was a great opportunity to come out of the pressures of our busy lives and take a step back to give space to focus on God.
We set aside plenty of time to wonder the grounds and Abbey, asking God to prompt us about anything he wanted to say for us personally, our Hubs, or Exeter Vineyard. When we fed back there was a remarkably consistent theme of patience and waiting on Him to work.
Some of us had read that the whole Abbey was built by no more than 6 monks working at any one time, over a period of 30 years. This idea of persistent patience and long-term focus, set against our culture’s desire for quick and visible outcomes, really resonated with us.
We spent time praying for aspects of the church and looking at some of the feedback we’d got from the 2024 survey.
The stained glass image at Backfast Abbey chapel
FEEDBACK SUNDAY
At the start of 2025 we asked everyone to think back about how they’d changed over 2024. We wanted to see how (and if) God had been using what we’ve been doing at Exeter Vineyard to make a difference in people’s lives. Specifically we wanted to know if we were helping people in their journey of discipleship to Jesus.
On Sunday 6th April Dave presented some of the feedback from the survey, along with some responses and thoughts on comments or questions that were raised in the survey. We also fed back about the church’s finance, which you can see here.
If you missed the Service it would be really good if you could catch up on this Sunday’s recording (you can find it here or on Apple Podcasts or Spotify).
It aims to give us a bit of stepped-back perspective on the church and some ideas about what we’re looking to concentrate on going ahead.
EASTER SUNDAY
Sunday 20th April is Easter Sunday!
We will be having a Service at our normal time and place (starting with breakfast from 10:15, ending at midday, at St Leonard’s Primary School).
During breakfast there will be some creative and reflective activities to help us think about and engage with the miracle of Easter. Our worship service will start around 10:45 and be a fun celebration. The young people will stay in the main service a bit longer and then have an opportunity to take part in an Easter Egg Hunt!
DATES
Next 6 weeks of key dates:
Sat 12 April - Messy Church, 10:30 @ The Beacon Centre
Sat 12 April - Elevate (Youth) 6pm for Bowling and Pizza
Mon 14 - Wed 16 April - Youth Worship School at Winchester Vineyard
Sun 20 April - Easter Service, from 10:15 @ St. Leonard’s
Sun 4 May - Sunday Service, 10:30 @ St. Leonard’s
Sat 10 May - Messy Church, 10:30 @ The Beacon Centre
Sat 10 May - Elevate (Youth), 6pm @ The Beacon Centre