Revd David warmly welcomes you to the parish church.

Monday 25th January

Scripture

³ Now as he was going along and approaching Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. ⁴ He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?’ ⁵ He asked, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ The reply came, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. ⁶ But get up and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.’ (Acts 9:3-6)

Daily Reflection

This short piece of Scripture is at the very heart of Paul’s (Saul’s) conversion, the original “Road to Damascus” experience! We often use this as a metaphor, when someone has had a 180 degree change of heart, or a sudden insight. Here the resurrected and ascended Jesus speaks directly to his greatest antagonist, in an instant changing the whole course of his life. Few people can claim to have heard God speak to them in this way, but if we tune our hearts to listen, God speaks to us through his Holy Spirit every day, guiding us and telling us what to do, just as Saul was told. As we pray and read the Bible, we become more and more aware of God’s plans for our life, ‘plans to give you hope and a future’, as the prophet Jeremiah says.

Revd Ylva

Pastoral

Coronavirus (COVID-19) guidance for churches

Last updated: Wednesday 6th January

Our churches remain open for individual private prayer; but communal worship will move on-line.

The Prime Minister made an announcement on the 4^th January regarding England going into lockdown until at least mid-February but, surprisingly, places of worship being able to stay open for public worship as well as individual private prayer.

I have been in discussion with the Churchwardens of both parishes about this, and we - regrettably - have significant reservations about remaining open for public worship with the new, virulent strain of the Covid virus; these are as follows:

- The majority of our congregations are in a vulnerable category either through age or because of other underlying health conditions

- We are close to receiving the vaccine (probably over the course of the next 2-3 months)

- We have a duty of care for our congregations, for those "on duty" at services, for our parishioners, for our families and for ourselves

- The Ministry Leadership Team have reservations, for personal reasons, about their availability to lead/preach at live services; we therefore have a much depleted team to call upon

- We feel it is more sensible to reduce the risks for everyone by having on-line services rather than live public worship.

These reservations have been put to the two Standing Committees who have agreed, with heavy hearts, that with immediate effect we suspend public worship in the three churches in the benefice until the lockdown it ended. (We will review this mid-February; with the possibility of commencing public worship again from the end of February.) Bishop Rose and Archdeacon Andrew have been informed of this decision.

However:

- We will record a service and make it available, on-line, every Sunday morning (and reintroduce the time of fellowship, with coffee, on Zoom after the service)

- The parish churches remain open for individual private prayer seven days a week

- St. George's church will be heated for two one-hour periods every day (10-11am and 2-3pm) so that the church is more comfortable if people wish to make use of the space for private prayer. Revd Ylva and I will diary some of our time to be at St. George's Church and at the Mission Church if you wish to meet and talk

As this situation is going on far longer than any of us had imaged:

- We will look at arranging a form of on-line, weekly Bible Study; a sort of “on-line Home Group”. This will be available, on Zoom, to anyone who wishes to join in for Christian fellowship in this way. Watch this space!

- We will also review and update the on-line resources that are available on the church websites.

I know this will be of considerable disappointment to some. We are not taking this action lightly. Please remember that there will also be others who hold passionately to the view, “It’s about time services in church stopped!” The virus is serious; the country is in lockdown to try and break the spread of the virus. We need, as the local church, to be part of helping with that break so that – along with the vaccine – we can all get back to a more normal life sooner rather than later.

Please continue to look after yourself. If you want to talk, please pick up the phone and call.

God bless.

Revd David

If you come into church for private prayer please remember: "Hands. Face. Space......and no "mingling"!

Please hand sanitise on entry and exit. Wear a face covering. And maintain 2m social distancing from others not in your household or social bubble at all times....even after the service as you leave....."No mingling!"

And, please, you MUST NOT come to church if you have Covid-19 symptoms, or have been told to self-isolate.

We follow the guidelines issued by the Church of England. If you wish to read these in full, they are available here.

There are prayer resources available as you come into church. (Please take them away with you when you leave if you use them.) If you wish to read some scripture when you come to church for private prayer, please bring your Bible with you.

Keep safe. Keep well. Keep praying. And God bless you.

Revd David

RESOURCES for prayer, bible reading and reflection

Revd David Commander, Rector   01580 240658    revdavidcommander@gmail.com

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