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Benefice Details for Saint John the Evangelist SuttononPlym, Plymouth Saint Simon, and Saint Mary the Virgin Laira

Archdeaconry: Plymouth
Deanery: Plymouth City

Clergy in the benefice

Parishes in the benefice

St John the Evangelist SuttononPlym with St Simon Plymouth and St Mary the Virgin Laira

Reverend runs half marathon as “act of defiance” against grief

Reverend Philip Sourbut says he is “apprehensive, excited and terrified” about running his first half-marathon. The Director of Mission and Ministry for the Church of England in Devon only started running 10 months ago. He is doing the Great West Run in Exeter in memory of his daughter Naomi, 26, who died suddenly in 2017. “The running started by accident in January, I thought I’d have a go one night and got slightly addicted. It’s…

Priests become scientists on disappearing islands affected by climate change

Priests in the Pacific Solomon islands are being enlisted to help measure the impact of climate change and rising sea levels on the islands where they serve. Rt Rev’d Mark Rylands, who has just returned from the islands and chairs the Melanesian Mission UK, said: “What we’re doing is using priests as scientists. “We’ll use the strength of the Anglican church in Melanesia to do the observations and get concrete measurements on how the islands…

Appeal to raise £13,000 for project to help Thika farmers battling climate change

“Rain only fell for two weeks in April, the crops failed and everyone now goes hungry, relying on food aid, hoping next season will be better.” Brian and Jane Inwood, from Christow, are part of the Diocese of Exeter link team with Thika Diocese in Kenya. They are passionate about highlighting the problems people in the province of Thungururu face battling the changing climate and lack of rainfall. They say the Farming God’s Way project…

Call for church buildings to be places of ‘radical hospitality’ 7 days a week

Church buildings should be places of “radical hospitality” where people feel welcome as soon as they walk in, seven days a week, that’s according to the new Archdeacon of Exeter, the Venerable Andrew Beane. He used his sermon at the service to welcome him into his new role (officially known as a Collation service) to call for church members in Devon to make their buildings as welcoming as possible. The service took place at St Mary’s Church,…

Churchyards praised for encouraging wildlife and biodiversity

The judges of Devon’s Best Churchyard competition have praised the number of churchyard groups who are trying to encourage wildlife and biodiversity with a range of initiatives including bug hotels, vegetable and herb gardens and wildflower meadows. This year’s award was presented by the Bishop of Exeter in a ceremony at Exeter Cathedral on 25 September. The winners, Penny and Paul Kurowski, who manage the volunteer churchyard team at All Saints, East Budleigh, said they…