THE PARISH OF WITHYCOMBE RALEIGH WITH EXMOUTH
THREE ANGLICAN CHURCH COMMUNITIES WORKING TOGETHER
Events and Activities at St John in the Wilderness
St John in the Wilderness is a lively, active and mission-oriented church community that includes all age groups. The church services are supplemented by many activities and events throughout the year to allow the church community to enjoy each other's fellowship and to do work within Exmouth and further afield.
The Social and Fundraising calendar every year is very full and provides something to suit everyone, young or old, both within and outside the church. For example, we support two international initiatives; CR2EE- Christian Response to Eastern Europe and Wambli Ska Vision.
Here we see here a picture of the annual Christmas shoebox appeal for CR2EE. Members of the congregations fill shoeboxes with modest gifts for all ages and families who live in Moldova. The children there live very hard and deprived lives in shocking conditions, and yet these Christmas gifts give so much pleasure and joy to them at Christmas time.
Simple pleasures can bring so much fun. Here is our 'Hatty Easter' initiative, where at Easter-time folk were encouraged to wear a hat on Easter Sunday. Decorated hats were very popular with the children particularly, who embraced this idea with great enthusiasm.
St John in the Wilderness has a sister church in South Dakota USA on Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. The Oglala people who live on the reservation are another community living in grinding poverty. Our communities try to provide them with support through the charity Wambli Ska Vision, which will provide a coffee shop facility to sell craft works and refreshment to passing traffic. The picture opposite shows craft work typical of the tribe, displayed as part of a craft exhibition held in St John in the Wilderness.
The Social Committee arrange events to take place in church, including talks and concerts. These have been varied to provide interesting social programmes over many years. We have welcomed choirs, bands, duos and a nationally renowned harpist.
This is a just a small selection of the events and activities that have been held in church.