Directory

You can search the diocesan database for parishes and mission communities and to find out contact details for clergy, readers and parish officers, where they have given their permission to be included.

Church Details for St. Mary Arches

Mission Community: Central Exeter
Benefice: Central Exeter
Deanery: Christianity
Archdeaconry: Exeter

Clergy in the Mission Community

The Rev Sheila Swarbrick
SSM Rector of the Central Exeter Mission Community

7 Lower Kings Avenue, Exeter, EX4 6JT
Tel: 01392 438866
Email The Rev Sheila Swarbrick

Church details

St. Mary Arches
Exeter
EX4 3AE

Parish officers

Churchwardens

Mrs Betsy Allen
Email Mrs Betsy Allen

Mr Keith Walton
Tel: 01392 364836
Email Mr Keith Walton

PCC Secretary

Mrs Mary Keaney
Email Mrs Mary Keaney

PCC Treasurer

Dr Sean Swarbrick

Readers

None listed

Plans for New Torbay Church Plant Get Stage One Funding Approval

Plans for a new resource church in Torbay have successfully passed Stage 1 of a bid for funding from the Church of England’s Strategic Development Fund. The proposed ‘Bay Church’ would be based at St Andrew’s church in Paignton. “We want to see many more people experience something of the life-changing and hopeful message of Christ” Bishop of Plymouth A resource church works closely with the bishop to intentionally resource mission across an area by…

Bishop Calls for Candlemas Day of Prayer for Devon’s Schools

The Bishop of Exeter has called for a Diocesan Day of Prayer for all schools across Devon on Tuesday February 2. It is hoped that churches and individuals will take time during the day to pray for school staff, pupils and families, for the work being done to deal with the coronavirus pandemic now and for future recovery planning. Devon has some of the highest numbers of pupils still attending school in England during this…

Reflections from a Church Treasurer

Church Treasurer, Maureen Richards, met with our Missions Resources Adviser, Brigit Kiyaga, to reflect on how the pandemic has affected the activities and finances at her church in Combe Martin. As a church they are a member of the Parish Giving Scheme and have continued to receive regular income in this way. Various digital giving mechanisms have also been set up, ready for when visitors can, once again, come in. Read the interview: Tell me…

Tackling Pandemic Poverty in Rural Devon

A charity which tackles homelessness in rural Devon says during the Covid-19 pandemic it has been five times busier than it would be normally. The Churches Housing Action Team (CHAT), based in Tiverton, runs a foodbank and has a support and advice team who help people with housing issues, tenancy support and debt and money management. During the past year they have also been working with local schools, churches and supermarkets to deliver more than…

Shining Lights in Lockdown

With the Christmas season ending, and 2021 bringing with it a new national lockdown, many are in need of some light in their lives. Rev’d Preb. James Grier, our Diocesan Mission Enabler, has shared a simple way we can bring light to those in our communities. The idea is to simply put a light in your window for others to see as a reminder of Christmas and of Christ’s love. James says he was inspired…

Churches work with Unicef to feed families in Plymouth
Churches in Plymouth have been packing and delivering hundreds of food hampers as part of a £24,000 Unicef-funded project to support families in the city who don’t have enough to eat. It’s part of Unicef’s first UK domestic emergency response in its 70-year history. Over the last few weeks church buildings including St Pancras, St Marks and Plymstock Chapel have become food warehouses with volunteers packing bags of dried goods and tins alongside Christmas items,…
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New urban Christian house-share community in Plymouth
A new urban Christian community is being established in Plymouth by the Diocese of Exeter in partnership with the Lee Abbey Movement. Residents of the Small Missional Community (SMC) will live in a former vicarage owned by the Diocese of Exeter next to St Mark’s Church in Ford. Joining the new community will be the Reverend Jonathan Devereux, 29, who was previously the student pastor at St Matt’s Church in Plymouth and was ordained at…
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Torquay vicar’s daring church spire climb
A Devon vicar has overcome his fear of heights to climb the 165ft spire of his church to raise funds for community outreach. The Reverend Sam Leach was joined by three other members of the leadership team to climb the steeple of St Mary Magdalene church (known as St Mags) in the centre of Torquay. A crowd turned out to watch the climb on Thursday 20 August, with dramatic drone footage captured by a member of…
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Stepping Out of the Boat: An Online Service by the Archdeacon of Exeter
The Archdeacon of Exeter is leading an online service on Sunday 9 August, on the subject of ‘Stepping Out of the Boat.’ The Venerable Andrew Beane, Archdeacon of Exeter, said: “Perhaps we can all think of a time when we have had to take a risk, try something new, a moment when we like Peter in our Gospel Reading have had to ‘step out of the boat’, and trust God as we head out on…
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