Blogs: Update for Sunday 29th Nov

This week

We so enjoyed being with you all last Sunday – and now, here we are at the beginning of the church year – Advent Sunday. We are delighted that Justin Montague will be leading our service this morning. Join us on Zoom or Conference Call at the usual time of 10.00am.

We hope to be able to sing Bernadette Farrell’s lovely hymn, ‘Christ be our light’. You might like to look up the words on the internet.

Please see the Resources page for more information.

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.

See the Resources page for details...

What’s ahead

It now looks as though our churches will be open for public worship from 6 December 2020. We have yet to receive official guidance from the Church of England. The Conference Call/Zoom service will continue at 10.00am, and a service of Holy Communion will take place at Loxbeare at 11.15am. Please book seats via the church office, by 11.00am on Friday. If you wish to use your church for private prayer, please contact your local church warden.

Online Services

Our Christmas Online Celebration is shaping up nicely. However, we could still do with some more photographs. 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. Don’t forget to let us know your favourite carols – otherwise it might just be full of the ones I like! Please let Dawn know your favourites! The Remembrance and Harvest services are also still available... (See News)

Don’t forget you can listen the Sunday service on the website, here. 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 past few weeks we have been 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.

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.

I have been praying this prayer:

Spirit of the living God, you have been with me today, and I thank you.
There was a sunrise and sunset, and I am grateful for both.
Family and friends are gifts of your grace.
The creativity to envision new possibilities and the strength to bring them into reality are signs of your action in my life.
Thank you, Lord God, for being with me today.
Amen

May you know the Spirit of the Living God this week.

With my love and prayers,

Steph