Newsletter | Degibna Prayer Chape

Degibna Prayer Chapel and Prayer Garden

Autumn Newsletter 2026

“All things are possible for one who believes”

Mark 10:27

Dear Friends,

Greetings to you all. At the end of August we had 92 Friends and are so grateful for your support and interest. Indeed I was tempted to substitute my usual starting phrase ‘Dear Friends’ with ‘Beloved’ but caution prevailed. In my Bible (NIV) ‘Dear Friends’ is often used e.g. 5 times in I John. However apparently a more literal translation of the Greek is ‘Beloved’. So maybe I should be less cautious, for are we not all beloved by God and called to love one another? Food for thought.

In recent years attendance at our AGM has been low. We realise there are good reasons why not everyone can attend. However we would love to see more people this year at 3pm on Tuesday 13th October for our 2026 AGM. There are important discussions to be had and decisions to make.

On Prayer

There seem to be so many ways to pray! Many of us learnt The Lord’s Prayer at school, and we often say prayers for others or give quick prayers when there is little time. At Degibna Prayer Chapel we practise all of these, including silent prayer at the Julian Meeting, or prayer using scripture at a Quiet Day. Some ways of praying suit us at different times of our life; some, like the Lord’s Prayer, we stick to as we know them well.In the last newsletter I mentioned Taketime Bible based meditations and the good news is Degibna is starting these, led by myself, on October 1st at 10.15 til 11.45 am. These will be held in a relaxed atmosphere- no pressure to share - plus refreshments and a time to be creative if you want. We are holding 5 to start with, so they will be held on the 1st Thursday of the month Oct-Feb. Just turn up or contact Rev Amanda if you would like more information. The main thing is… keep praying!

Every Blessing Rev Amanda

More On Prayer

Words to ponder, inspire and challenge, from Father Patrick van der Vorst (Christian Art website):

“Our lives can become so busy with work, responsibilities and even charity work that prayer is pushed aside. In today's society a higher value is put on work, rather than on prayer. Yet without time spent in prayer, we can easily lose sight of what God is asking of us. Prayer is not an escape from our daily work; it is what fuels direction and purpose in our daily work. Perhaps it helps to think of prayer as the fuel that keeps our spiritual lives moving forward. None of us would expect to drive a car for hundreds of miles without stopping to fill the tank, yet we often expect to live busy, demanding lives without taking time to be renewed by God. Prayer fills us with the grace, wisdom and strength we need for the journey. It does not remove every obstacle from the road, but it gives us the resources to keep travelling with trust. Every moment spent with the Lord quietly replenishes our spiritual reserves!”

Events & Bookings

Thanks to all who attended our Grand Afternoon Tea in August. The weather was kind and it was lovely to see so many. £375.00 was raised for the Climate Action Youth Event (South Kerrier Alliance) which hopefully will take place in the next few months.

27 of us came along a few days later to witness the partial Solar Eclipse from a field overlooking Loe Bar (photo above).
5 sessions have been booked later this autumn for the Kerrier Deanery Bible Study on Mark’s Gospel led by Rev Robert Evans. Also a monthly session of ‘InHabit’ (a spirituality course) has been booked to be led by Daphne Atkinson. We continue to be grateful for all our bookings.

Degibna News

This year we again took part in the Churches Count on Nature (June 6-14). 59 species of Fauna and Flora were recorded. Bird species in particular were lower this year as, following RSPB advice, we have taken down our bird-feeders for the summer. Lesser Stitchwort was recorded for the first time on the lawn, flowering as a result of No Mow May! A Hummingbird Hawk-moth was also a highlight of the week.
We have recently added to our free resources. Good News for Everyone produce ‘Hope magazine’ with quotes from Psalms and John’s Gospel beautifully illustrated. We have 25 copies so do look out for this and if you know someone who would appreciate a copy, do take one. Also we have a few copies of ‘What is Methodism all about’ produced by Methodist Heritage.
In December we are due a Quinquennial Inspection – a 5-yearly requirement of all Methodist buildings. This will cost us £840 and may well discover and recommend other work that needs doing. We already know that one of the Garden benches needs replacing. Also the arbour in the far corner of the Garden is unsteady as the posts are rotten. We are considering replacing this with another bench – less costly and more practical. 2 benches will cost around £600.
In the summer storms a large branch from our Ash tree landed in the neighbouring field. We have now taken professional advice and the recommendation is that the tree needs to come down. We do not want anyone injured by a falling branch! At the same time a branch of the Elm near the Garden gate will be cut back as it almost touches the building. The estimate for this work is £720. It could well be an expensive autumn!

Some Prayer Points

As we move through Autumn to Winter let us pray:

praising God who is full of grace and mercy.
for National and Local Governments, that they may act wisely and compassionately.
for all young people that as they grow physically, they may also grow spiritually
for God’s blessing upon all who attend our Events & Bookings or visit the Prayer Garden.
for one another as Friends of Degibna Prayer Chapel.

Every blessing, as we continue to support one another in prayer.
Rev Andrew Hill (01326 569803) & Rev Amanda Stevens (01326 561792)

ww.degibnaprayerchapel.org