Exeter Temple

The Salvation Army in Exeter exists to please God and make Jesus known.

We continue to pray for our world situation and especially for those working in key roles in our communities. Let us all hope and pray that these conditions will soon be a distant memory.

We recommenced worshipping in the Temple in Friars' Walk on Sunday 2nd May. As previously we will follow the strict guidelines for Covid-19 - socially distanced seating, hand sanitising, face masks to be worn throughout, no congregational singing and a small number of musicians to provide live music. No refreshments following the meeting. The meeting commences at 10.30am and is also livestreamed via the Corps Facebook page. If you wish to attend please notify the Officers who will ensure that the seating meets your requirements.

We hold a Zoom meeting every Sunday at 4pm. Please message the Corps Office and leave details if you wish to access this. 

We are now pleased to be able to continue our ministry in the City Centre selling our publications on Thursday mornings. Marks and Spencer have welcomed our return to their forecourt in the High Street. Payment can be made in cash or using the contactless machine. Their are some new members joining the team which is very encouraging.

Currently we are serving our community programme by providing takeaway meals on Saturday evenings from 6pm and Sunday lunches between 1-2pm.

Details of our Just Giving page can be found on the Donations Page, if you would like to continue to support our local work.

Due to the Covid-19 virus no activities are currently taking place in the Temple. 

We are praying that the following may resume in the coming months.

Tuesday evening Music rehearsals - Songsters 7pm Band 8.15pm

Wednesday evenings  Bible Studies. 

Thursday mornings 10.15 am KIT club, (Keep in touch) with coffee and/or breakfast at a local venue. Currently being held as Zoom meetings. Please phone the Corps number if you wish to access this.

We are now pleased to be able to continue our ministry in the City Centre selling our publications on Thursday mornings. Marks and Spencer have welcomed our return to their forecourt in the High Street. Payment can be made in cash or using the contactless machine. Their are some new members joining the team which is very encouraging.

Friday mornings 10am CONNECT club. A chance to meet and chat with coffee and a cake or participate in a wide range of activities and crafts. We hope to be recommencing this as restrictions are lifted.

Also on Friday evenings our BP sections meet and they will be revising their commencement alongside the relevant BP rules.

Saturday mornings. Sale of coffee and cakes as part of our building fund. Again we hope to recommence coffee mornings at St Stephen's in the High street in the Autumn.

Every week around 25 volunteers in our Community Team make meals and sandwiches, prepare goody bags, food parcels and make deliveries to those in need.  Currently, a total of 120 + meals are prepared and given out each weekend. We are still continuing to work throughout the lockdown offering practical support with meals and food parcels, and some clothing items, and spiritual support with a listening ear and a shoulder to lean on.

If you would like to help us financially please use our Just Giving page.

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/tsa-community-support-000118

Did you know that you can also raise money for The Salvation Army every time you shop at Amazon, at no cost to you?

If you shop through Smile.Amazon.co.uk you can nominate The Salvation Army as your chosen charity. Amazon will donate 0.5% on purchases.

Other retailers are available and we're sure many of you will want to shop local once lockdown is over but if you are purchasing from Amazon you can raise money at the same time.

Students who are studying at the University, Education or Medical Schools are very welcome to join with us. Obviously, during this period of pandemic our normal services are curtailed, but we invite you to call our Corps Officers who can share Zoom codes etc and we hope that we can meet you face to face very soon.

If you are aware of any students who have made applications for the next academic year, please extend our invitation to join us. Please check the Weekly activities module to access times of weekly meetings and reharsals. As well as being part of our regular worship it has been good to welcome students who have been able to offer voluntary services for meal preparation and Christmas gift donations. We thank them for this.

Sadly, we were unable to celebrate this event in the way that we would have chosen. However, the occasion did not pass us by. We wanted to praise and thank the Lord for the work that the Army has maintained in Exeter over the past 140 years.

On Sunday 25th April we were pleased that our Territorial Leaders, Commissioners Anthony and Gillian Cotterill, and our Divisional leaders Majors Stephen and Mandy White joined us in our Zoom celebration.

The meeting opened with a greeting from Commissioner Gillian and some of the Corps Team leaders spoke about the Corps History. BM Peter Woolway gave a potted history of early years and the attacks by the Skeleton Army that had been financed by local publicans keen to drive the SA out of the city. CS Nicholas Walton talked about the middle history of the Corps until present day. Finally, Corps Communications Secretary Jane Williams spoke about the future plans for the Corps and the exciting developments in the Corps and its community.

Both the Exeter Temple Band and Songsters provided music for the occasion that had been pre-recorded.

Commissioner Anthony addressed the Corps using Zechariah 8 v 1 - 8 as his text.

We are pleased to announce that we have been able to book dates at St Stephen's Church in the High Street for Coffee Mornings - 30th October and 13th November

Our Corps Officers, Majors Gordon and Margaret Fozzard, will be taking up their new appointments in Dublin from the middle of July. The Farewell Meeting for Gordon and Margaret will be Sunday 4th July.

We are pleased to announce that our new CO is to be Major Robert Elliott, currently working as a Divisional Mission Enabler at DHQ Exeter. Robert's Welcome meeting will be 25th July.

It has been good to welcome new soldiers and adherents to our roll in spite of the lockdown and the pandemic. We greet Mark and Stanley as adherents, and Gilly and Josh as soldiers.

As a Corps we are currently working through the Development of our Missional Journal. We aim to become a Dementia Friendly place of worship. In the first stages towards this, alongside the current Government Guidelines, we have improved signage for entrances, exits and toilets, have a designated Welcome team and photographs of the Corps Leaders. All Corps Council members and Senior Leaders have attended a Dementia Awareness training. Please contact the Corps Office by telephone or email if you have specific needs or requirements.