Rev Chris update

Rev Chris update – 30th August, 2020

Dear all,
This week ahead is going to be a big physical and psychological milestone in the life of our nation as the schools return from the summer break and, for the majority, since the beginning of lockdown. There will be a range of emotions amongst families and school staff alike as a step is taken on a road that must be travelled for the sake of the education of our children. Please have them in your thoughts and prayers.

We are all travelling on a road with a great deal of uncertainty and with the need to be able to adapt accordingly as challenges present themselves. In these times it is worth holding onto the words from the bible that Jackie quoted in her Encounter service last Sunday;

Whether you turn to the right or the left, you’ll hear a voice behind saying “This is the Way, walk in it”.
Isaiah 30, verse 21

Attached is this weeks Prayer Space and the service schedule until the end of September with the booking details.
As it is now possible to hold physical meetings, in accordance with the relevant guidelines, both of our churches will be having their annual meetings (APCM’s) that were postponed from earlier this year – here are the details;

ST NICHOLAS APCM – Monday 12th October, 7.30pm, in church
Agendas and reports were circulated in March but if you need further copies please let me know.

ST ANDREW’S APCM – Monday 19th October, 7.30pm, in church/halls
Agendas and reports will be circulated shortly.

These meetings will review 2019 briefly as I feel it is important that we take most of the time to consider how things are moving forward in view of the current circumstances. If you intend to come to one of those meetings
please do so having considered the questions that I have been asking for some weeks;

• What have we noticed during the last few months?
• What are we learning though this time?
• What do we need to let go of and what do we need to pick up?

Because of social distancing there is limited space available so please book to attend as detailed below. When attending face coverings are to be worn.

BOOKING PROCEDURE FOR APCM’s (both St Nicholas & St Andrew’s)
Telephone: 01622 299715 and leave a message
Email: stnicsparish@hotmail.com

When leaving a message, or emailing, please provide your telephone number and the number of people attending in your family group/bubble and state which APCM you will be attending.
These details will be kept for Test & Trace purposes and will be destroyed after 21 days.

In the meantime, as the summer holidays draw to a close I am sure many will be out and about making the most of this bank holiday weekend. I will be doing just that as my service for Sunday will be from a location that I am sure you will all recognise. To accompany what I will be talking about please do listen to the song on the following YouTube link – it includes the lyrics which are very poignant;

Blessings, Rev Chris

MONTH	DATE	ONLINE (Facebook/website)	CHURCH (booking required)
August	30	10am Morning Worship
September	4		11am Faith Explorers @ St Nicholas (Inside) 10-12 Tuesday Café ON A FRIDAY @ St Nicholas (Outside)
	6	10am Morning Worship	8am Communion @ St Nicholas 10am Communion @ St Andrew’s 5pm Oasis in the Afternoon @ St Nicholas (Outside)
	13	10am Morning Worship	10am Oasis Communion @ St Nicholas
	19		11am Messy Church @ St Nicholas (Outside)
	20	10am Harvest Oasis Parade Service	10am Harvest Service @ St Andrew’s
	27	10am Morning Worship	10am Harvest Communion @ St Nicholas
		6.30pm Encounter Worship

BOOKING PROCEDURE FOR SERVICES IN HELD IN CHURCH (both St Nicholas & St Andrew’s)
Telephone: 01622 299715 and leave a message
Email: stnicsparish@hotmail.com
When leaving a message, or emailing, please provide your telephone number and the number of people attending in your family group/bubble.
These details will be kept for Test & Trace purposes and will be destroyed after 21 days.

Please do be aware of the following for services in church;
• The wearing of face coverings is now MANDATORY
• You will be greeted at the outer door by a welcomer who may ask you to wait, socially distanced, until it is clear to enter, at which point you will be asked to sanitise your hands.
• A further welcomer will be at the inner door who will direct you to an appropriate place to sit.
• The service will last 30-45 minutes, including communion, and the hope is to have music, but there can be no singing.
• If you wish to receive communion please do so as instructed by the priest. Communion will be provided in ‘one kind’ (bread/wafer) only.
• The toilets will be available with clear guidelines given as to their use.
• At the conclusion of the service you are welcome to remain in your seat for private prayer, otherwise please leave, as directed, ensuring that you continue to maintain social distancing.
• Unfortunately, it is no longer possible to provide lifts to church – only those within the same household can car share.