Blogs: Update 22nd November 2020

This week

It was wonderful to see so many faces and hear so many voices again last Sunday! Here’s to being together again to worship God this Sunday - Christ the King! Join us on Zoom or Conference Call at the usual time of 10.00am.

You can find the connection details and Sunday service sheet on our Resources page.

Coffee Morning

We always have a great time when we meet for coffee and a chat at 10.30am on Wednesday morning. Everyone is very welcome.

You can also find the connection details on our Resources page.

What's ahead

Sadly, our churches will no longer be open for public worship. We will receive further guidance after 2 December 2020. If you wish to use your church for private prayer, please contact your local church warden.

Online Services

Plans are already underway for our Christmas Online Celebration. If you have any suitable Christmas photographs please send them to Dawn Williams at dawnannwilliams1@gmail.com – but be careful if they contain pictures of people unless we have their permission to print. We would also like to know your favourite Christmas Carols as we will be choosing some top favourites. Please let Dawn know your favourites!

Recording the service last week was very successful. You can listen to it here on the website. We will be recording every service from now on so you can catch up or listen again. We understand that a couple of care homes may well be using this facility. Our thanks to Stephen Roche and Dave Burton for making this happen.

Bible Study

The Bible study continues on Wednesday evenings at 7.30pm on either Zoom or Conference Call.

For the next couple of weeks we will be looking at the worldwide Anglican church and celebrating its diversity. ‘Living with a World of Difference’ celebrates what it means to be part of the Anglican Communion, which is the world’s third largest Christian community, after the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches.

There is a study booklet to accompany this series. Please let the office know if you are planning to join us and we can either send you or email the material.

Please visit the Resources page for connection details

Zoom details

When we first started using Zoom for the coffee morning, I set up a recurring meeting which meant that we had the same meeting ID and passcode every week. But then one day we were ‘Zoom bombed’! So, I made sure that the ID and passcode changed each week. However, Robert and I have decided that it might be worth trying the recurring meeting again, so providing we are not ‘Zoom bombed’ the numbers for Sunday Morning, the Coffee Morning and the Bible Study should remain the same.

Church Office

Steve will be working remotely. This is not without its challenges! If you wish to speak to Steve he will be available on 01884 821232 on Fridays 9.30am -12.30pm

Steph will be working from the church office. Do please email or leave a message on the answerphone if you need to speak to her.

A Month of Prayer

The Archbishops of Canterbury and York together with the Bishop of London are asking us to use this month of lockdown as a month of prayer. On Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday morning this week you are welcome to join us for Daily Prayer on Zoom and Conference Call at 8.30-9.00am. Robert and I will be joining with Justin Montague and Andy Humm (St Paul’s and St George’s) to lead this time of prayer.

It might be helpful, if you can, to find the service for Daily Prayer on the Church of England’s website or to download the App Daily Prayer on your phone, tablet or device.

Please check on the resources page of the website for the most up-to-date information.

Today Magazine

The Today magazine has gone to print and should be ready for distribution before long. However, it will be a shorter edition because we do not know which restrictions will be in place after 2nd December. We will be publishing a magazine supplement with all the necessary details, once we know what is permissible. Thanks to Dawn for her hard work and organisation.

Justin Montague

I am delighted that Justin will be joining us for two more weeks from 23rd November. It is a strange time to be doing a church placement, but we pray that God will really bless him in his ministry.

I heard these words this morning:

How can a young person stay on the path of purity?
By living according to your word.
I seek you with all my heart;
Do not let me stray from your commands.
I have hidden your word in my heart
that I might not sin against you.
Psalm 119

Well – I know I am no longer young, but I love the idea of hiding God’s word in my heart. This is something we can all do regardless of our circumstances.

May you know the love of God and the companionship of Jesus this week.

With my love and prayers,

Steph