Rev Chris update for 7th March

Dear all,
I hope that you have had a good week. Again, we see a move in a positive direction with regard to the infection and death rates. Thankfully, the volume of funerals I am conducting has fallen significantly.
Our thoughts, and prayers, are this week with the Royal Family and Prince Phillip, and also very much with schools as they return as from the 8th March.
As we continue through lent please do join us for the course I am running on Wednesday evenings based on songs, and themes, from The Greatest Showman and how they connect with biblical themes. Don’t worry if you have missed any as each week is stand alone. The Zoom Code is on the Services & Events page.
Please note that there will be another Telephone Communion service on Wednesday 17th March at 10am for those unable to access the internet – I shall be using the theme of ‘Palm Sunday’ for that service.
As mentioned in last week’s notices the anniversary of ‘lockdown’ will be marked at St Nicholas Church. During the week 22nd – 26th the church will be open as usual, but the space will be developed to help those coming for private prayer to reflect on all that has taken place. We will be using images from the last year and if you have anything that you think would be appropriate then please send them in to stnicsparish@hotmail.com
I believe that many of us have found this last year extremely challenging, I know I have, and it is often hard to stay positive when faced with uncertainty, but my mind keeps coming back to these words from Matthew’s gospel;
“This is why I tell you: do not be worried about the food and drink you need in order to stay alive, or about clothes for your body. After all, isn’t life worth more than food? And isn’t the body worth more than clothes? Look at the birds: they do not plant seeds, gather a harvest and put it in barns; yet your Father in heaven takes care of them! Aren’t you worth much more than birds? Can any of you live a bit longer by worrying about it?
“And why worry about clothes? Look how the wild flowers grow: they do not work or make clothes for themselves. But I tell you that not even King Solomon with all his wealth had clothes as beautiful as one of these flowers. 30 It is God who clothes the wild grass—grass that is here today and gone tomorrow, burned up in the oven. Won’t he be all the more sure to clothe you? What little faith you have!
“So do not start worrying: ‘Where will my food come from? or my drink? or my clothes?’ (These are the things the pagans are always concerned about.) Your Father in heaven knows that you need all these things. 33 Instead, be concerned above everything else with the Kingdom of God and with what he requires of you, and he will provide you with all these other things. So do not worry about tomorrow; it will have enough worries of its own. There is no need to add to the troubles each day brings. MATTHEW 6:25-34
We all worry, some more than others but maybe the ‘worrying’ might be a bit more bearable with a small dose of perspective and a large dose of God.
Every blessing,
Rev Chris