Some of you will be celebrating, or will have just celebrated 'Candlemass', a feast day of the Church positioned between Christmas and Easter, bridging the themes of the birth of Jesus, and his death and resurrection: light shining in the darkness and overcoming it, as the days get longer and we approach Lent. Our prayer for you is that you be filled with light to share as we worship and witness together across our city.
Hannah, Ash, and the Christians Together team
EVENTS
Starting 2nd February
Prisca Preaching Hub
At St. Boniface Whipton
If you haven’t come across Prisca , it is a brilliant organisation, dedicated to enriching the preaching that goes on in our churches. Each Hub is a combination of videos, discussions, and group work, and the hosts at St Boniface ask if any of us would like to come, or have anyone from your team/rotas who might be keen to grow in their preaching? You/they can sign-up here - do it quick, first-come-first-served basis! The team are keen for as wide a range of people as possible; apparently it makes for a really rich experience when you have brothers and sisters from across the city/county and particularly from across traditions/denominations who come together to learn, which we can well believe.
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Tuesday 3rd – Friday 6th February 2026 | Exeter Cathedral, England
Exeter Cathedral is hosting the Northern European Cathedrals Conference 2026.
This conference will seek to explore cathedrals as places of identity and culture, wisdom and rootedness.
Central to the conference will be an exploration of Exeter Cathedral’s 10th century Exeter Book – a UNESCO World Memory object, widely regarded as the oldest surviving book in the English language.
We will also consider what the accumulated wisdom of our cathedrals might offer to our communities and churches as we meet the social and geopolitical challenges of our time.
https://www.exeter-cathedral.org.uk/events/northern-european-cathedrals-conference-2026/
SW Gather Summit in Plymouth on 4th & 5th February
Flyer attached. The QR code on it gives more information.
God's Book on Tour - Andy Ollerton in Exeter 7th February
Click the link for booking and info
https://www.enc.uk.net/andrewollerton
Exeter School Choral Society Concert
Wednesday 11 February 2026 at 7:30pm
Performing Fauré Requiem, Parry I Was Glad and Handel’s Zadok the Priest, featuring the Choral Society Chorus and Chamber Choir, supported by a full professional orchestra. The concert also includes the Exeter School Symphony Orchestra joining with the professionals for a feature instrumental piece. It promises to be a spectacular event. Proceeds from this concert will be in aid of the Bursary Fund.
https://www.exeter-cathedral.org.uk/whats-on/events/exeter-school-choral-society-concert-2/
Lent Groups
1. This year’s Lent resources from the Church of England are called ‘Draw near: Life giving habits for Lent.’ The free Everyday Faith app will have the daily reflections through the season. In addition booklets of the same reflections are available here: https://www.chpublishing.co.uk/drawnear
Following the same theme, St David's Church will be holding a Lent group on Thursdays at 2pm starting on 19th February. Contact mike.clark@exeter.anglican.org to book a place
2. UNBOUND
Every Friday during Lent, starting 20th February, 2.00-3.00pm, St Richard Reynolds Centre. All welcome. As we journey towards Easter, we will delve into the true freedom that Christ has won for us. Join us as together we share the book Unbound; A Practical Guide to Deliverance by Neal Lozano. Unbound prayer ministry is the model for inner healing most widely endorsed by Catholic bishops and priests throughout the world. You can read more about Unbound here and here Starting on Friday 20 of February we will gather between 2.00pm-3.00pm in the Blessed Sacrament’s St Richard Reynolds Centre, 29 Fore Street, EX1 2QJ. The book can be bought on Amazon. Please read the first chapter before the first session and come and share your thoughts. For more information contact Tanya Trevena or Clare Simpson on 07710326882 or email unboundstboniface@gmail.com
3. “Faces in the Crowd”
Starting Tuesday 24th February 2.30pm
At St James' Church Hall, Mt Pleasant, Exeter EX4 7AH:
Looking at the crowds who surrounded Jesus during the last week of his earthly life and setting them in context, both in relation to the Gospel accounts of the suffering and death of Jesus and in relation to our own following of Jesus.
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University of Exeter Chapel Choir on BBC Radio 3
Tune in on BBC Radio 3:
🗓 Wednesday 25th February
🕒 15:00
Our first ever BBC Radio 3 Evensong broadcast. None of our Choral Scholars formally study music, as the University of Exeter does not have a Music department - we couldn’t be prouder of what this represents, both for the individual virtuosity of our young scholars and the continual success of the Chapel Choir.
27th February 2026 at 6.30pm
Prideaux Lecture with Professor Luke Bretherton,
Regius Professor of Moral and Pastoral Theology, University of Oxford
Imago Dei, Political Economy, and the Commons
At Newman Purple Lecture Room, University of Exeter, Streatham Campus.
Drinks reception from 6pm.
(Please register here at least 48 hours in advance if you wish to attend on-line.)
The lecture argues that recovering the social practice of the commons offers both a theological and practical framework for addressing today’s intertwined ecological and political crises
The Prideaux lectures take place with the cooperation of the University of Exeter, the Diocese of Exeter and Exeter Cathedral.
Candlelight Concert with Exeter Cathedral Choir
Saturday 7 March 2026 | 7pm
Experience an atmospheric candlelit concert as Exeter Cathedral Choir perform in the magnificent surrounds of Exeter Cathedral. Illuminated by candlelight, the awe-inspiring architecture offers a breathtaking backdrop for an evening of choral music.
Good Friday Service - 3rd April
More Info Coming Soon
Pentecost Service, Sunday 24th May
More info coming soon
Spiritual Intelligence Course
In conjunction with Open Table Exeter, St Thomas Anglican Church and the URC
A pilot 6-week online course on Thursday evenings on the topic of Spiritual Intelligence - using resources from Go Health - a Christian well-being charity.
If anyone would like more information, or is interested in joining this pilot course, then please speak to Liz at pioneerstthomas@gmail.com.
FURTHER AHEAD
Our engagement as the Church in the city with all our civic partners and authorities is so valuable for us all as collaborations and communications develop. We will therefore have a 'City Life' Conference for 2026, on WEDNESDAY 14th October, from 9am until concluding with lunch between 1 and 2pm. Please book out the time.
NEWS
A wonderful Week of Prayer followed by recording for a forthcoming Songs of Praise service saw the Mint Methodist Church well employed for Christian unity in prayer, worship, and witness over the last week or two. Warm thanks to the team for your support and hospitality!
INTRODUCING DAME SARAH MULLALLY - THE 106TH ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY
The Rt Revd and Rt Hon Dame Sarah Mullally DBE officially became Archbishop of Canterbury on 28th January 2026, when she was legally confirmed at St Paul’s Cathedral.
You may have met Archbishop Sarah when she was still the Bishop of Crediton, a few years ago. Mike Harrison, Bishop of Exeter, said "I am so delighted to see Sarah formally and legally made Archbishop of Canterbury... She will be an Archbishop who is deeply experienced in both rural and urban contexts and has so much wisdom and knowledge to bring to this incredibly demanding role of Archbishop of Canterbury. The added bonus for us is that she knows Devon so well from her time as Bishop of Crediton. No doubt she will be utilising what she learned in Devon in her leadership of the Anglican Communion."
Your Local Exeter is the community website designed to help locals connect with people, places, and organisations across our wonderful city. Whether you're new to the area or have lived here your whole life, this is your one-stop hub for discovering all the incredible things happening around you.
Book Launch
Local author John McMahon's new book "No Cloistered Life" was launched recently, a memoir about a personal descent and long haul back from alcohol addiction. John did not just recover, he fought back, becoming a lecturer at Paisley University's Centre for Alcohol and Drugs Studies. He employs a casual writing style, laced with irreverent humour to tell his own poacher-turned gamekeeper story that ends with a spiritual twist. He is semi-retired living in East Devon from where he runs the website www.bottled-up.com.
Speaker Available
Invite from a local speaker....
Hi- I am a volunteer speaker for the Christian charity, Open doors, started by Brother Andrew (God's Smuggler) to support our persecuted family around the world, and would love to come to your Church to share more about the work they do and how Christians can support with resources, prayer and advocacy, if you haven't already had a speaker locally (Rachel Greenwell) or from the head office(Emma Worrel or Ron Cross), then please do get in touch. I can do a short talk with video, or a sermon length talk and will bring some prayer leaflets, further information and some resources for young people.
jane.otieno@opendoorsuk.org
rachel.greenwell@opendoorsuk.org
Exeter Food Bank Priority items are: tinned meat, tinned vegetables, vegetarian meals, rice, noodle snacks, rice pudding, small jars of coffee, tea bags ( pack of 40).
VACANCIES
Esther Community are looking for 25 hour a week (some flexibility in times) female support worker. Info here:
(Support Worker (Women’s Homelessness) | Keychange | CharityJob)
We are looking for an Alto Lay Vicar to join Exeter Cathedral Choir. Applications are welcome from both suitably qualified countertenors (male) and contraltos (female). Application Deadline: 12pm on Friday 20 February 2026.
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