St Marnarch Lanreath
Lanreath is a pretty, peaceful, and friendly village. St Marnarch’s Church, Grade I listed, is in the centre of the village opposite the community shop and Post Office, a small but well stocked shop run by volunteers. Services are held every Sunday normally at 9.30am and occasionally at 5pm. Communion is offered once a month in one of these services. They are led by our music group consisting normally of half a dozen musicians including instrumentalists and singers. We meet outside at least once a month during the summer months on our village green which has a small purpose-built band stand, ideal for these outdoor events. We have celebrated an Easter Praise and Communion, Rogation, Pets Service, Scarecrow Service, Songs of Praise, Harvest and a Tractor Service. The building and churchyard are well-maintained (part funded by the Parish Council), as is the war memorial. We have installed LED lighting and external signboards. The bells are in good order and there is a flourishing team of bell ringers who practise weekly. A team of Handbell Ringers also perform at village functions. In the summer we hold our Summer Fête and have Open Gardens and afternoon teas. Other highlights include a Christmas Candlelit Concert in church raising funds for church maintenance. There is a fantastic Christmas Tree Festival whereby many local people and organisations display a tree. An informal and friendly weekly Bible Study Group meet at the Rectory and the Prayer Chain, to which members of all the churches in the Benefice belong, is a link of communication and fellowship. We have good links with the Lanreath Ladybirds which holds twice weekly sessions in the village hall for pre-school children and parents.
Rogation
By Alec Charles
Each spring, around the month of the festival of Ascension, rural communities across the country perform a special service to seek blessings upon their crops to support their health, growth and their journey towards a rich harvest, and upon their parishes to promote the common good and to be faithful stewards of their land.
This service of Rogation underpins the relationship between the village and the natural world and fosters a spirit of hope and faith in the sustainability and fruitfulness of that covenant.
Nowhere is this more important than in such agricultural parishes in southeast Cornwall as Lansallos, on the coast to the west of Polperro, and Lanreath, halfway between Liskeard and Fowey, just south of the popular wildlife park at Porfell.
Both parishes fall within the benefice of Trelawny, whose rector is the Reverend Richard Allen.
This year’s Lansallos service was held in the barn of local farmer and parishioner Marjorie Crews. The congregation brought soil, seeds and growing plants for the Reverend Richard to bless.
Richard spoke of the parable of the sower and of those seeds that fell on good ground and flourished. Afterwards, everyone gratefully tucked into a proper Cornish farmhouse tea.
This year, Lanreath’s roving Rogation saw parishioners visit a series of key places across the village: the village well, a wild uncultivated space, a beautifully tended garden, a local farm, the churchyard of St Marnarch, and nearby fields replete with livestock and crops.
“This is one of the remotest parts of Cornwall,” Richard says. “What we’re trying to do is to reconnect church with the farming community. One of the ways we do that is through these services. They’re a classic way of saying we really care about you. We realise it’s very difficult to make a living from farming, and we’re here to support you.”
Richard leads a range of outdoor services for agricultural communities throughout the year. He runs services for lambing, for ploughing, for harvest, and even for the blessing of tractors and combine harvesters. These services can attract as many as 80 people each.
“They’re social spaces, places where farmers can meet,” Richard says. “Farming can be a very lonely job. Not only are we bringing church to them, we’re offering practical support and encouragement. It’s a brilliant way of reaching people. The local farmers are very supportive. You just have to have a bit of enthusiasm and a bit of fun, and people come with you and are so grateful for it.”
This spring’s Rogation events were focused upon people’s duty of care for the natural environment.
“We’re trying to understand the importance of caring for what God has given us and not wasting things,” Richard says. “We have a real heart about caring for creation – it’s part of our Christian responsibility. We know that in the past we’ve used too many chemicals on the land. We prayed that we can care for the soil properly. We prayed that we can look after the land and leave it fallow when it needs to rest.
“Our farmers are dependent upon the seasons, on the sun and the rain, for the germination and fruition of their crops. Our farmers look to nature. When you talk to them about the cycles of nature, they agree that it’s the good Lord who sends the rain and who sends the sun.”
Reverend Richard Allen at the village well at Lanreath
Richard recalls, during this year’s service at Lanreath, a large bumblebee landing on his trousers and climbing up his leg.
“It was a great sign of the beauty of nature and the importance of allowing all nature to flourish,” he says.
He observes that these forms of outdoor worship are very much part of a long Christian tradition.
“Jesus went out to the people,” he says. “And when the monks came to Cornwall there were no churches. They preached in barns and on village greens. That’s just what we do.”
Safeguarding
Our Parish Churches are bound to ensure that children and young people as well as adults are kept safe whilst in their care as an integral part of our church life. If you have any concerns about safeguarding please contact:
Parish Safeguarding Co-ordinators
Lanreath
Mrs Sandra Pipe – 01503 220860
Lansallos
Mrs Josie Slade – 01503 220513
Lanteglos by Fowey
Mr Norman & Mrs Angie Mallard – 01726 870747 or 07791 536609
Pelynt
Rev Richard Allen – 01503 220847 or 07383621292
Talland
Mr Paul Baker – 01503 265628
In the Diocese:
Sarah Acraman Diocesan Safeguarding Adviser, 01872 274351 Out of Hours for after 5pm and weekends: 01208 251300
In emergency situation: Local Authority Children’s Social Care: 0300 123 1116 Local Authority Adult’s Social Care: 0300 1234131
St Marnarchs Church Lanreath Summer
After an inspiring Pentecost sermon , by our Reader Norman , a time of reflecting on where we were as a congregation led to two initiatives.
The first was to begin meeting each Friday in the Lady Chapel to pray for our Benefice, Diocese and the wider World. We have been blessed to have welcomed into our congregation a couple whose quiet, deeply rooted faith has encouraged us all. What began as two older people praying has grown to a few more folk joining in. Together we pray and listen to God and to one another . A votive candle stand and adding a prayer request book has been used over the summer by visitors, the village and congregation and we have seen prayers answered in small but significant ways over these weeks. A simple story of faith sparked by a Pentecost sermon.
The second project was inspired by our Rector’s wife encouraging us to offer refreshments at the end of each of our services. A great team of folk now do this week in and week out and our congregation has grown closer to one another but also unearthed a gift to offer to others, a gift of hospitality. So now each week over the Summer, Project Sparrows began. We offer tea, coffee, cake and fresh fruit at no charge. A place for children to play was created with help and support from Sandra, our Safeguarding officer and long time leader of the village toddler group. And so old and young alike have enjoyed one another’s company. Donations left will be split between St Petrocs charity for the homeless in Cornwall and urgent repairs needed in our Church.
We had intended to run the drop in space just over the Summer holidays but at the time of writing it seems that further ideas may develop. Most of all we have enjoyed good times together and looking back are so thankful to have our church family and be in the middle of our village sharing God’s love to all.
Lanreath Green and Polruan Church on the Quay
Lanreath and Polruan both held open air services last Sunday. Lanreath hosts a monthly outdoor service on the village green from May to September. 35 people were in attendance. They all enjoyed the songs of praise led by the church music group. Following the service everyone enjoyed a glass of cider or lemonade and a chat together. Our next service is a tractor service on Sunday 29th September at 3.30pm when local farmers bring along an array of tractors and everyone can take a ride or explore them after the service! Church on the Quay this week in Polruan was led by the Lovenly Choir. Around 120 people gathered to sing some hymns, listen to some gospel songs and some traditional Cornish Songs. The Rev preached on the port and starboard, red and green buoys that guide boats through the channel into the harbour and how God can guide our lives into his heavenly port. This Sunday 11th August at 6pm the Looe Valley Ladies Choir will be our guests.
Richard Allen Rector of Trelawny
Pets Service Lanreath
Lanreath Parish Church recently hosted its annual pets service on the village Green. 8 dogs came along with around 25 paritioners. The Trelawny Rev, Richard Allen quickly made friends with all the dogs due to his bag of treats. He spoke of all the equipment needed to look after a dog today relating it to how God looks after us from Psalm 23. After the service all the dogs enjoyed a friendly greeting as did the paritioners over a glass of cider.
Lanreath Rogation Service
Lanreath Parish church held its annual Rogation Service which was a stroll around the village praying and singing at important sites which included the farm yard, village well, a garden and wild hedgerow. We thought of the importance of creation and how we are custodians of what God has entrusted to us.
Richard Allen Rector of Trelawny
Calving Service @ Trefrawl
Lanreath Parish Church celebrating a calving service on Sunday afternoon at Trewfrawl Farm. Around 40 people gathered for the service in the farm garden before having a full farm tour including meeting some of the bulls before sharing a good glass of cider together in the garden. The Rev spoke on importance of being good custodians of what God has entrusted to us in land and animals
Baptism of Savannah Wills
Lanreath Tractors Sunday 24th September
Lanreath held its annual Tractor service on Sunday afternoon on the village green as the harvest has nearly been brought in for another year. We were greeted by 6 huge tractors all driven by a group of young farmers all aged 16! Trelawny Rev interviewed all of the drivers who proudly talked about their machines and the work they perform on local farms. The Rev spoke about bread and the grain harvest and its importance. Often we take bread for granted as we do the bread of life Jesus himself. After the service everyone had the opportunity to explore the tractors.
Lanreath Pets Service Sunday 11th June 2023
Lanreath Parish Church held its annual Pets service on the green in Lanreath. Around 28 people gathered including children and 10 dogs, all of who were well behaved. It was great to have three working sheep dogs from the nearby Coish Family Farm as it was their lovely children who thoroughly enjoy meeting all the other dogs and introducing their friendly Collies. The Rectors dog Bluebelle especially enjoyed Labrador company with her friend Tia and getting to know Bruce and Henry two hansome boy Labradors! The Rector spoke on the importance of pet care showing all the items he needs to looking after Bluebelle including deorerising shampoo after Bluebelle has rolled in her favourite doggie permume smells whilst out walking on the coast path. He also likened things to how much God cares and looks after us. Afterwards everyone tucked into some lemonade and good old fashioned Cornish farmhouse cider.
Lanreath rogation
Lanraeth held its annual Rogation Service on Sunday. The partitioners visited 7 important points in the village. The village well, fields with animals and crops, a wild uncultivated place, a village garden with beautiful flowers and vegetable garden, houses and cottages, a village farm and the churchyard. The theme was very much caring for our environment.
Coronation Lanreath
Lanreath held a fun filled morning to celebrate the coronation of King Charles III. Over 70 of us gathered for a service of Thanksgiving which was held in church led by the Lanreath Community Choir and Band. This was followed by a picnic and concert on the village green
Lanreath Plough service Sunday 26th February
Lanreath held its annual Plough Sunday event. Its was areal community affair. We were blessed to have two beautiful shires adorned in ribbons to meet and greet us and share with us on the village green afterwards. Over 50 of us gathered for the service in church and then the blessing of the plough in the village square. Trelawny `Rev` Richard allen spoke on the importance of caring for the soil and not over farming but applying the principles of rotation with rest and not over fertilising. Afterwards everyone gathered on the village green to share a glass of cider and a pasty and for the children a bounce on the giant bouncy castle.
Christmas day Lanreath
It was great to see so many people join us on Christmas Day. Talland was nearly full! Richard preached on the Christmas Cracker. Reminding everyone of its Victorian origins. The crack to crack the cracker reminds everyone of the shock of Christmas when the angels appeared to Mary and the shepherds. The crown symbolises Jesus kingship and that God had come to live amongst us. The Rector is displaying his own silver crown! The corny joke in Victorian times was a memory verse from the bible with Richard explaining this year from his verse that Jesus was Emmanuel God with us. Finally the present in every cracker is a reminder of God`s greatest present to mankind in Jesus who eventually would die for our forgiveness and resurrection into heaven. The Rev here is seen playing with the cricket set that dropped from his giant cracker. He`s playing a solid forward defensive down the aisle, despite being engulfed in his robes and then hooking off the back foot into the congregation!
Lanreath Christingle
Trefawl Harvest Festival Sunday 16th October
Trelawny Benefice held a Family Harvest Festival Service at Trefrawl Farm on Sunday afternoon, hosted by Peter and Margaret Hooper. They were surrounded by limousine’s and charolei`s but everyone enjoyed Lottery the bull! Margaret who has been farming all her life had a great time with the children explaining the different cattle variety. Husband Peter a well known retired local auctioneer thankfully didn’t sale any of them on! Trelawny `Rev` spoke on the Widows Offering and the importance of giving at Harvest time. Its not how big your gift is but how generous it is compared to what you have. Everyone enjoyed the story and the Boys edged the Girls out in the Spaghetti Quiz with a metre more! Following the service the children bounced to their hearts contentment on the bouncy castle and some explored the tractors and bailer while everyone else enjoyed some Cornish cider in the barn.
Lanreath Tractor Service 9th October 2022
Lanreath held its annual tractor service on the village green. Pictured here is young Harvey Coish in front of his Dad`s New Holland. Harvey gave a great explanation of all the tractor functions. We gave thanks for farm technology and the wonderful work of the mechanical workhorse of the farm, the tractor. Ruby Mitchell of the National Trust brought along the Trust Tractor and talked to us about the great work the National Trust does along the coastline paths of our Benefice. Trelawny `Rev` spoke on overcoming giants in our lives and how the tractor enables the farmer so often to do that and how God can do similar things for us. We finished off with a glass of cider as many of the children explored the tractors following the service.
Lanreath Scarecrow Service
Lanreath Parish Church held its annual scarecrow service on Sunday afternoon. Pictured here are some of the scarecrows including Willy Wonks created by the Lanreath Ladybirds the local mums and toddlers group. Pictured here are the Coysh children with their Scarecrow and the Rectors Scarecrow called Jake along with the Rector of Trelawny Richard Allen!!!!!
Lanreath Rogation Service Sunday 22nd May 2022 5pm
Lanreath Parish Church celebrated Rogation on Sunday 22nd May with an outdoor service on the village green led by musicians from the community choir. Rogation is a time when the church has traditionally prayed for the farming community that God will bless the harvest. The Trelawny Rector Richard Allen spoke on the importance of caring for our soil and resting and rotating it as well as the reliance the farmer has on God for the seasons including the rain and sunshine. The congregation were encouraged as part of their Christian responsibility to support Cornish farming by trying to purchase locally sourced meat and vegetables as well as the importance of paying a fair price for milk. During the talk the children were treated to a vegetable hunt in the graveyard led by the Rectors wife and family. Following the service everyone tucked into good old Cornish pasties and cider. Following the refreshments the Young Farmers took on all comers in a village rounders match!
Trelawny will continue to celebrate its agricultural and fishing community with a series of outdoor services over the summer which will include a Pets Service, Equestrian Service, Blessing of the Scarecrows, Harvest of the Sea, a Combine Harvester Service, Tractor Service and Harvest Festival on a local farm followed by inter village tug of war! Find us at www.trelawnybenefice.com
Richard Allen Rector of Trelawny
