29th April Fifth Sunday Easter
Rosary on the Coast
A group of parish members from Our Lady of the Assumption Church Torquay meeting on the Abbey Meadows facing Abbey Sands. Picture taken after prayers rosary and songs of faith.
1st April Easter Sunday
He is risen Alleluia … Alleluia
31st March Easter Vigil Sunday
Easter Vigil Service held on 31st March 2018. From Top Left to Right: The Paschal Candle stand waiting for the blessing of the new candle. The unconsecrated bread and wine, one of the many flower stands that decorated our church. Bottom Picture: The water awaiting blessing during the service.
18th March 5th Sunday of Lent
Bible Mission Weekend
24th February
Prayer Stations
2 Minute Prayer / Stillness
I think this pray station might become the station I use most. The thought of 2 minutes of complete silence with the Lord just listening and witnessing to his presence … Although I think I would be tempted to just turn over the egg timer every 2 minutes for the rest of the weekend!
Build A Prayer
Another one of our prayer stations – This station invites us to make our own prayers using words printed on magnetic strips. Come and try it for yourself in the Assumption Church Hall Abbey Road Torquay.
Worry Can tie us in knots
Thanks to Sr. B and Sussane for setting up the prayer stations. We think of stress and axiety as a “modern diease”, but it is really something that God’s people have been dealing with since the beginning of the Bible story. Fortunately there is a lot of good advice on the subject to be found in the Bible with the ultimate answer “Trust in God”.
This concept of this prayer station is to select an prayers or scripture readings at the station and then undo one of the knots in the string (representing your concern or worry).
23rd February
Introduction Session with David and Sarah
For those that could not stay or get to the first installment of the Bible Mission Weekend, David told us the most amazing story of the history of the bible starting from Abraham right up to the Apostles.
Unfortunately the pictures do not do justice to the story telling. All present agreed that David told the story so eloquently, with each character represented by an object…
A – Abraham (bucket of sand – sand on the sea shore)
I – Isaac (toy lamb – the ram sacrificed in his place)
J – Jacob
J – Joseph
E – Egypt – A map of Egypt
M – Moses – Reeds
J – Joshua – Breast Plate Armour
J – Judges – Judges Gavel
K – Kings – A Crown
B – Babylon – A map of Babylon / Assyria
J – Jerusalem – A map of Jerusalem
J – Jesus – A crucifix
A – Apostles – Sandels
Introduction Session Preparations
Preparations for the Bible Mission Weekend Introduction Session.
Second Frugal Lunch for CAFOD 23rd February
Charismatic Prayer Group Meeting 22nd February
On Wednesday Evening’s the prayer group meet in fellowship to pray for the needs of our parishes, communities and those of the world.
Our pray topic this week was Paul’s Prayer from from Ephesians Chapter 3
A Prayer for the Ephesians
14 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
First Lenten Frugal Lunch 16 February
First lenten frugal lunch soup and bread thanks to Joy and Teresa for organising.
Epiphany Celebration 2018
Friday 5th – Sunday 7th January 2018
CRIBFEST
Monday 25th December 2017
Happy Christmas from Assumption Church Torquay
Sunday 17th December 2017
In Children’s Liturgy of the Word, the children decorated candles. The ‘electric’ candles were switched on and placed in front of the lectern during Mass. Following the reading from this Sundays Gospel, the candles represent the light of Christ and our aim to ‘speak for the Light’ – just as John the Baptist did. The children took their candle home after Mass. In so doing, they spread the Word ever further!
Monday 11th December 2017
Happy Birthday Father Kieran !
Week Of Guided Prayer
Final Group Meeting 9th December
Symbols of Prayer
At the close of our Guided week of Prayer we were all invited to bring symbols of what Prayer meant to us.
Symbols of Prayer: Scripture for inspiration, A clock (without battery)Â to show we should stop and make time for God, Flowers to represent to beauty of God’s Creation, Candles to represent the light of Christ, Hearts to show God’s love for us and our love of God. A key to represent freedom, hearing aid and glasses to represent hearing and seeing God, an Ocarina to represent God’s gift of music as a form of prayer. Prayer Cards, and a small statue of Virgin & Child
PRAYER MEETING
AND
MEDJUGORJE REUNION
22nd November 2017
Many thanks to all those who turned up for the joint Medugorje Renuion and Prayer Group Meeting. Food, Fun and Faith all in one night.
Shared Lunch 29th October 2017
 Today we enjoyed our traditional ‘shared lunch’ that takes place on the last Sunday of every Month. An opportunity to welcome our youngest member ( 5 days old ) as well as celebrate 2 birthdays !
Fast Day Frugal Lunch 7th October 2017
CAFOD Fast Day Frugal Lunch 7th October 2017
The Fast Day Frugal Lunch at the Assumption Church Torquay. Despite being small in numbers, the big hearted group raised £70 for CAFOD.
Teresa all prepared for Frugal Lunch
The “A” Team … Julie, Mary, Teresa, Suzane, and Joy … Well done ladies
Lunch (bread and soup) is served !
Mary shows our pre-seminarian Augustine how to handle hot food
Joy, Teresa, Julia and Mary in the Church Hall Kitchen, happy in their ministry
Parish Pastoral Council Meeting
30.3.17
Agenda
Opening prayer
Apologies
Conflicts of interest (an opportunity to state any new conflicts either permanent or
specific to this meeting)
Agree and sign minutes of last meeting 12.1.17
Matters arising from last minutes
1. Audio system (MH)
2. Requiem Mass card/booklet (MH)
3. Persecuted Christians (MH)
4. Confessional Privacy (MH)
5. Talking before Mass (MH)
6. Publication of minutes (Sr B)
7. Cross above Altar (HH)
8. Past and present Parish Priests (Sr B)
* Any other business
Present: Michael Hinchey, Father Kieran (Parish Priest),
Robert Giampaglia (Deacon), Sr Benignus (chair), Beatrice De Loffre, Paul Willmott,
Sally Willmott, Andrea Rodgers
Fr Kieran opened the meeting with prayer.
Apologies: Helen Hallett
No conflicts of interest
Minutes agreed and signed.
Actions from last meeting:
Father has not been able to get through the contact person at the Legion of Mary to agree dates.
The St Vincent’s tapestry is ready to be collected and taken to be cleaned. Fr K has reminded the person responsible a couple of times about this job.
Building work progressing and is still on track to finish on agreed timescale.
Agenda Items:
Audio – MH asked about music system as he felt music could be introduced during times of confession. This couldn’t been done during exposition of the Blessed Sacrament. Fr K will change times of confession and music can then be played – possible Gregorian chant.
Requiem Mass card/booklet – MH and SW spoke of the need for a leaflet/booklet with responses and simple explanation of actions for people attending funerals. MH said that should a leaflet be produced a phone number for contact at church could be included as a possible route to evangelisation. The evangelisation team will look at producing an A5 leaflet with key information.
Persecuted Christians – MH would like more prominence given as their suffering is not acknowledged enough. Fr K will introduce a monthly/6 week mass when possible.
Confessional – Further sound proofing work to be done through the building project. Times of confession to be changed in the interim.
Talking before Mass : Welcome team to be gently reminded about noise before mass. Fr K said this was a brotherly/sisterly intervention job for us all to be involved in. It was acknowledged that for many people coming to church, talking to someone could be the first time this happened for days. RG reminded us that church needs to be ‘a happy church and a place of prayer’. SW said that saying a ‘hello, nice to see you’ shows we care. It was agreed that excessive noise was damaging to the prayerful atmosphere.
Publication of minutes: Some parishioners had mentioned that the minutes displayed at the back of church were difficult to access with the current coffee arrangements at the back of church. For now, abridged minutes will be included with the bulletin. AR to email minutes to Joy Wells in the parish office so she can include them on the back of the bulletin.
Crucifix above the Altar. A parishioner had asked why this had been taken away. Fr K said it was in poor repair and had been taken away for health and safety reasons. It will be re-sited once the roof is watertight and decoration work has been completed.
Past and Present Parish Priests: Sr B drew the council’s attention to the fact that in most churches a record of parishes priests was displayed as part of the church’s history. Sr B provided the meeting with a picture from another church, showing a board with a record of priests and also a list of parish priests since our church was opened. Sr B proposed as we had no such record, that one be made. RG to look at costings for a wooden board or a marble one and report back to the meeting.
The meeting closed with RG leading us in prayer.
Andrea Rodgers
Secretary to PPC
7th May 2017 – Fourth Sunday of Easter Tide
Today, we welcomed the children preparing for their First Holy Communion, along with their parents.
In our last session the children spent time thinking and talking about the gift of joy and about things that make them happy.
They also thought about Easter and the happiness that comes from knowing that the cross was not the end of Jesus.
The children demonstrated this by bringing a very dark cross to life with flowers.
