The Bishop of Exeter was one of 300 guests who gathered in a marquee to launch the Bovey Valley Mission Community at Ilsington playing field on Sunday.,The mission community is a new partnership between Methodist, Baptist, Church of England and independent community churches.,St Peter, Paul and Thomas of Canterbury, Bovey Tracey; St Mary's, Hennock; St John's, Bovey Tracey; St Michael's, Ilsington; St John's, Lustleigh; St Wilfred's, Manaton; St Andrew's, Moretonhampstead; St John's, North Bovey, along with Bovey Methodist Church, Ilsington Methodist Church, Bovey Baptist Church, Lustleigh Baptist Church, Heathfield Community Church and Moretonhampstead Community Church are all involved.,The Bishop of Exeter preached at the service and school choirs from Ilsington and Bovey Primary schools performed.,The music was led by the choir of Ilsington Parish church and musicians from many other churches. ,Each of the churches represented brought photographs of their congregation to mark the start of this new era of cooperation.,The Rev Graham Hamilton, chairman of the Mission Community Council, said: 'The Mission Community is an extension of the good things that we have been doing together in Bovey Tracey for many years.,'We already run a joint children's holiday club and employ a youth worker, and we hope to be able to work together more effectively in practical social action and in sharing the good news of Christian faith, as well as meeting together to worship and encourage one another.',Almost £1,200 was collected for the East Africa Crisis Appeal.