Churches of St Mary Belstone with Sticklepath
Our churches are part of the Northmoor Group, which comprises 8 churches in the Okehampton area. On this page you can find out about the history of our churches, times of services and up-to-date news. For any other enquiries about the churches, please contact the church wardens: -
Simon Herbert 01837 840693
Michael Ash 01837 840082
For Belstone with Sticklepath PCC contact the secretrary: -
Edwina Hill 01837 840332
The Northmoor Team Rector is: -
The Rev'd Stephen Cook, The Rectory, Church Path, Okehampton, EX20 1LW Tel: 01837 659297
To find out more about the Northmoor Churches - follow the link www.northmoor-churches.org
| Read the History of St Mary's Belstone | See pictures and hear the bells |
| See list of services |
Belstone Church News
Most of you will know that a year ago the Belstone PCC decided that they could no longer continue to fund St Mary's Church Sticklepath to the amount of £1,500 each year and after a lot soul searching a letter was written to the bishop asking for the procedure to close the church to be put in motion. We knew that this would be a lengthy process, taking at least 2 years, which would involve legal costs and a lot of work. Closing a church as we soon discovered is not a simple process and probably for good reason because as the word spreads local people then have the chance and the time to do something about it, if they so wish. Well Sticklepath certainly does wish to keep their church open and with the hugely determined Kim Davies at the helm, a committee was formed and plans were made to raise at the outset £1,500- the yearly deficit. After a series of events and the formation of a Friends Group, of which I have counted 58 members, they have raised the amazing total of about £2,000 which together with the gift aid, will bring the total up to about £2,400. A truly fantastic effort for which all those at Sticklepath should be extremely proud. Following this result the Belstone PCC unanimously agreed that the closure process should be halted and at the 28th November open meeting, in the village hall, we heard the Archdeacon of Totnes, John Rawlings, formally verify this. It has been agreed, that it would be reviewed again in two years time but by then it is hoped that the Sticklepath residents will be far more active in the day to day running of their church, that they will be entirely self financing, and that they will have several members on the "joint" PCC working together for the good of both villages.
The good will and determination that has been stirred up was reflected in the Carol Service on the 11th December at 4.00pm where I am told that there were people having to stand as there were not enough seats for the 120 people who were packed in for the service. Now that really is an answer to prayer. Well done Sticklepath.
Would You Like to Become a Friend of St Mary's?
Many churches are finding that increasing costs and falling attendances are having the inevitable impact on their finances and we at Belstone are finding ourselves in this difficult position where the day to day running costs are becoming a real burden for our declining number of members. So we have decided to form a Friends' of St Mary's where we will be inviting all those, who currently don't contribute regularly, to consider making an annual contribution for the modest sum of £10 which will then be used to help our finances very much along the lines of the vice presidents of the cricket club. I will be delivering letters to all appropriate houses in Belstone during the next few weeks. If there is anybody else outside Belstone who would like to become a Friend of St Mary's please contact me and I will be able to supply the paperwork! Next year, depending how successful this appeal is, we will be planning a Friends' event around the time of our Patronal Festival in August.
Simon Herbert (Church Warden)
Belstone Church - watercolour by Ann Martin |
