St Thomas Blog
Keep up to date with news and views from St Thomas Church!
Revd Prebendary Dr David Nixon retires.
Thursday 3rd July 2025
I plan to retire from the parish and my role as Area Dean on 31 July 2025, with a final Sunday on 6 July to celebrate St Thomas. I shall be staying in Exeter in St David’s but plan on a proper break from Church stuff for at least 6 months. Thereafter, I don’t know. You may wonder about this timing: I shall be able to receive a State Pension in the summer which will be in addition to my Clergy Pension, but I am also still enjoying (almost!) all of what I am doing here. I did not wish to wait until I had run out of energy or started getting more irritable, and as I said aloud on Sunday morning…
Triduum and Easter Day Talks
Sunday 20th April 2025
You can find here the talks that Fr David gave over the Triduum and an Easter Day homily.
Holy Week Talks
Friday 18th April 2025
We were delighted to welcome Revd Katy Gough who is an Anglican Prison Chaplain at Exeter prison for talks on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of Holy Week. Katy reminded us of a notice it is said was posted in Mother Teresa's office. You can it here.
Philip spoke of Foxes, Hens and Chicks on Lent 2
Thursday 27th March 2025
“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!” Luke 13: 34 Prebendary Philip Sourbut came to preach on 16 March. View his text here. Thanks to Chris Ensminger for the image
Parish Walks
Friday 7th February 2025
We have started a series of Parish Walks around St Thomas, either in organised groups or as a self-guided activity. This can have a prayerful or spiritual focus, or simply be a more recreational activity. For more information and a couple of leaflets, click here. Thanks to Jenny and Liz for starting this off.
Susannah Cornwall speaks on Advent 3
Tuesday 7th January 2025
The promise of Advent isn’t about restoration, but transformation. We cannot wait 'til the world is sane to raise our songs with joyful voice, for, to share our grief, to touch our pain, He came with Love: Rejoice! Rejoice! Read the full text of Susannah's sermon here.
Challenging Sermon for Advent 2
Wednesday 11th December 2024
We were privileged to listen to a challenging sermon for Advent 2 on December 8 from Revd Dr Eliza Getman, who is currently chaplain at Taunton School. Her subject was the Makin Review and the opportunity it offers to air some demanding questions. Please click here for the text of the sermon.
Ordination of Revd Carys Puleston
Friday 12th July 2024
I am delighted to report the Ordination to the Diaconate of the Revd Carys Puleston on 29 June 2024 in Exeter Cathedral. Further pictures in the gallery here, and Carys' contact details on the pewsheet. Fr David Nixon
Notes from Revd Eliza's sermon - Easter 3
Friday 19th April 2024
When Rev Sarah asked me to preach today - I responded with a question: May I talk about Gaza? I go to sleep and wake up everyday thinking about Gaza. I wonder how many more people have died. Al Jazeera reported 7 days ago that according to the Ministry of Health in Gaza : At least 33,137 Palestinians have been killed by the Israeli army in Gaza since the start of the war on October 7. Thousands more are missing under the rubble of collapsed buildings and infrastructure, and are presumed dead. This is not a war. A war presumes two equal sides attacking each other. This is a mass slaughter. When Ukraine was attack we in the western world were…
Holy Week Reflections
Wednesday 3rd April 2024
Mike Clark
We were all grateful for the talks given on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of Holy Week by Revd Mike Clark during the mid-morning masses. If you open the whole page there is a link below. You can read the text of the talks here.