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| | | Welcome to St Sampson’s Church Golant!
We are an active congregation with Services every Sunday (see below for this month’s Services) and a quiet, said Evening Prayer at 6 pm every Thursday evening.
We are blessed with a very talented little choir which practices every Thursday evening at 7.30 pm in Church and leads our worship on the 2nd and 4th Sundays. The choir really comes into its own for special Services such as Advent, Christmas and Easter.
In addition we have a small ring of 5 bells which are rung before the morning Services (ie 3 x a month). Practice is on a Monday night. Newcomers to both choir and bell ringers are VERY welcome! No previous experience necessary! Contact Church wardens: Carol White or Greg White in the village.
The times of monthly services will be shown below. For additional information please click on either of these two links |
Fowey Parish Church
Truro Diocese
A warm welcome awaits you at St Sampson's Church every Sunday. Morning Services are followed by coffee and refreshments.
| Apr.20th | Easter5 | | 6 pm | Evensong (followed by Annual Parochial Church Meeting) | Vicar | | Apr.27th | Easter 6 | | 9.15am
| Holy Communion with choir | Vicar | | May 4th | Sunday after Ascension | | 9.15am | Holy Communion | Vicar | | May 11th | Pentecost | | 6 pm | Holy Communion with Choir | Vicar. |
| May 18th | Trinity Sunday | 9.15am | Confirmation Service
(At St Finbarrus Church,Fowey) | Vicar | | May 25th | Trinity 1 | 9.15am | Holy Communion with choir | Vicar |
Please Note:
1. The Annual Parochial Church meeting takes place AFTER Evensong on Sunday 20th at about 6.30 pm. Everyone on the electoral role is invited to attend.
2. There will be no Evensong on 18th May as we will be joining in with the Fowey congregation for a service of Confirmation for one of our Church members.
| EVENING PRAYER is said on Thursday evenings at 6 pm (20 mins)… a confidential ‘listening ear’ is available until 7 pm.
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Vicar's Letter
Dear Friends Extremism. Irrelevance. The twin evils set to destroy the public image of religion worldwide. The first fuelled by minority elements amongst people of faith, and the second foisted upon religion by a majority of those of no faith, dismissing it as outmoded superstition. Into the breach steps Tony Blair – as our newly appointed ‘defender of the faiths’. The former Prime Minister has set up a Faith Foundation whose goal is not just the nurture of harmony amongst different faiths and the eradication of extremism, but also the enlightenment of secular western society in regard to its debt to faith, past and present. Naturally, Mr Blair is being reminded at every press conference that in the not so distant past he didn’t “do God.” But, despite tricky questions about syncretism and his belief in the supremacy of Christ, so far Tony’s attempts at conducting a cosmetic makeover of public faith have been met with much enthusiasm. And not without good cause – in his speech on faith and globalisation at Westminster Cathedral recently he outlined exactly why society should ‘do God’: “Religious faith is a good thing in itself, that so far from being a reactionary force, it has a major part to play in shaping the values which guide the modern world, and can be a force for progress.” And to that end another of the priorities of his foundation will be to encourage faith groups to help the UN meet its Millennium Development Goal of eradicating extreme poverty and hunger. Although Tony and his advisors – most notably Alistair Campbell – seemed to want to downplay the significance of his religious beliefs when in office, it has now become abundantly clear that faith is at the centre of Blair’s motivation. As he admitted in his speech, when asked if religion is important to his career:“It’s like asking someone whether their health is important to them or their family. If you are someone ‘of faith’ it is the focal point of belief in your life. There is no conceivable way that it wouldn’t affect your politics.” Whatever your political persuasion, I think Tony Blair’s initiative is to be welcomed, if only because it reminds us of our history. In the middle of the 18th century, the state of society – and indeed the Church of England – was far, far worse than it is today. Yet by the middle of the 19th century all that had changed. The cause? The tireless efforts of William Wilberforce and many others motivated by their faith as a result of the Evangelical Revival. Indeed it has been estimated that three quarters of charities and societies set up to work for a better society and ameliorate the situation of the times were of Evangelical foundation. Blair has got this right – it is faith that makes the difference.
With every blessingPhilip de Grey-Warter
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Gorgeous Golant Gardens !
During the Daphne du Maurier Festival Golant Gardens will open in support of St Sampson's.
Saturday & Sunday 10th & 11th May 2008
12.00-1700
Tickets: Fisherman's Arms Fore St Golant PL23 1LN
Price: £3.00
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The Church in late autumn viewed from the South
Cornwall has more saints than any other county! Saint Sampson is the only one whose life was recorded in some detail (Vita Saint Sampson c610-615AD). Many of the Cornish saints and others who travelled to Brittany and beyond landed from Ireland but mainly from Wales somewhere on the north coast of Cornwall and walked the " Saints Way" from north to south often stopping on the way to attempt to convert the heathen to Christianity. (The Saints Way from Padstow to Fowey via Golant is a popular route for walkers today who frequently make reference to their journey in the visitors book in the Church). St Sampson stayed sometimes in Golant and legends about him are depicted in some stained glass in the Church. He later travelled to Brittany ( see picture below taken from window by organ ) and eventually became Archbishop of Dol and the chief of the Seven Saints of that province.
Water flows continually into his Holy Well near the entrance porch which is sheltered by a rude arch of stonework, apparently of great antiquity; the water drawn from the well is still used today for baptisms.
The church has a star rating in Simon Jenkins book 'Englands Thousand Best Churches' which he describes as 'warm and welcoming'. Both the nave and south aisle have beautiful wagon roofs and are divided by clustered arcading. (since the book was published the plaster ceiling in the nave has been reinstated). Three granite arches in the nave are thought to be the remains of the original oratory. The pulpit, reading desk, bishops chair and a screen are superb examples of early 16th century carving depicting Saints and coats of arms of local families. A restoration and some rebuilding took place in 1842 at a cost of £534 when the screen which formed the chapel and the chancel at the east end was removed. The organ was installed about 10 years ago in 1992 and is a hybrid using some of the pipes from the two organs which were originally in St Michaels Church, Newquay during the 20th century. On the north wall is a huge coat of arms of James II in recognition of the Royalist sympathies which existed in this part of the county. The building is faced with granite and the battlement two stage tower is of the same material.
The stained glass is relatively modern except for two small portraits in medieval glass(St Sampson and St Anthony) in the north wall by the nave altar. Sir John Betjeman judged the pews in the nave to be the most uncomfortable in Cornwall!
Some of the real life drama of the love triangle of King Mark, Princess Isult(Isolde) to whom he was betrothed and his nephew, Tristan, was played out in the area and it is recorded that Isult attended the church and gave her wedding dress to be made into a priest's chasuble.
The South Aisle East Window
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