AUGUST is a special time of year for Crediton’s St Lawrence Chapel and this year even more so as worship will recommence following closure due to the pandemic.

The garden is looking beautiful, with so much colour, thanks to the hard work and dedication of Jill Da Silva, the new benches are in place and the cleaning team have been busy.

In line with The Church of England guidelines, the church committee is pleased to say that the church will reopen for worship with a Patronal Evening Service, which will take place on Sunday, August 9 at 6pm. With the limited space and social distancing in mind, the committee ask those who wish to attend, to either email: [email protected] , or telephone Sandra on 01363 777013, or leave a message on the Church office answerphone on 01363 773226.

The church remembers the feast of St Lawrence on Monday, August 10.

He was ordained a Deacon in the Church of Rome by Pope Sixtus the Second.

When, in 258, Emperor Valerian issued an edict that all Bishops, Priests and Deacons be put to death, Lawrence was ordered to hand over all the riches of the Church.

He asked the Prefect for three days to gather them. He spent the three days distributing as much of the wealth as possible to the poor.

On the third day, when presenting himself to the Prefect, he lined up all the poor, crippled, blind and suffering and announced,“here are all the riches of the Church”.

He was martyred on August 10 that year.

It is known that the St Lawrence Chapel was in use as early as 1230.

There are many references to its use from then on. Falling into disrepair and losing its roof in the Crediton fire in 1743. After a lapse of 400 years, an historic day was October 8, 1941, when Holy Communion was celebrated once more.

Tomorrow, Saturday, August 8, would have been the annual St Lawrence Fair, which sadly cannot take place. This has always been the main fundraising event for the year, towards upkeep.

If anyone feels they would like to contribute towards keeping this beautifully historic building in good stead for generations to come, the Church office would welcome anyone getting in touch. The email address is: [email protected] .

Other services in the next couple of months, all at 6pm, are as follows: Sunday, August 16 – Sacred Space, Sunday, September 13 - Evening Prayer, Sunday, September 20 – Sacred Space, Sunday, October 11 – Evening Prayer and Sunday, October 18 – Sacred Space.