A VILLAGE church is marking its centenary as it continues to be at the centre of community and multi-faith life.

Yelverton Catholic Holy Cross Church is appealing for parishioners to help support the 100 years by suggesting ways of marking the anniversary on the weekend of September 16-17.

The Parish Pastoral Committee agreed the church should mark the occasion and set up a sub-committee to work on ideas.

Sue Walsh, committee member and co-ordinator for the anniversary events, said: ‘It’s has been agreed that we should certainly celebrate our special anniversary — 2023 is our centenary year.

‘This is a great achievement for the parish and all who have attended it throughout the intervening years, whether clergy or lay people.

‘Discussions and plans have been underway for months now as to how we can mark the year in various ways, including socially, physically and, of course, spiritually.

‘Many ideas have been floated and are either in the pipeline or up for further discussion.

‘The one certainty is that we will hold a celebratory centenary weekend in September for the Feast of the Holy Cross.’

She said all parishioners have a part to play by supporting events, providing photos taken at Holy Cross or memorabilia from across the years — including memories.

Worshippers and other parishioners can also get involved in fundraising, organising an event or contributing in other ways.

Sue said: ‘Our congregation have been given their first monthly bulletin which shows what we are trying to do and why we need their help.

‘Although a small sub-committee has been formed, the success of the events very much depends on how much support and enthusiasm people are prepared to give too. We definitely need everyone’s help.’

Ideas include, volunteering to be a listener to collate memories, working on a huge applique wall-hanging parish map over a holy cross, be a prayer partner, and help with a parish walk and cycle ride. Updates will appear in the bulletins and the normal newsletter.

One event is by parishioner Bernard Mills who gives a talk in the Church of England St Paul’s Hall in the Yelverton on the history of the local railway on Tuesday, February 28, at 7pm.

The birth of Holy Cross Catholic Church in Yelverton is marked with a commemorative plaque in the Holy Cross church in memory of Lord and Lady Seaton who enabled the building of the church which opened on Easter Sunday in 1923. The couple became Catholics in 1908 at their home in Buckland Abbey.