Dear friends,
Following our decision as Elders and Trustees to cancel all formal church meetings and activities (as all other churches have done), we want to assure you that we are exploring how we can best maintain and even enrich our fellowship where face-to-face contact is going to be highly restricted.
We are thinking carefully about how we might still deliver preaching and teaching in some way: please bear with us. There are of course plenty of sermons on our website to listen to in the meantime and loads of good worship music on YouTube!
Let me recommend that people take advantage of the Community Group WhatsApp groups and also look to encourage and support one another by text and email. Be aware as well of the real value in actually phoning people and speaking to them, particularly the more elderly, those who are already housebound and also single people. It might be that you are able to hold virtual community groups or face to face calls using video-calling apps such as Skype or Zoom.
Contact has already been made with many of the older and more vulnerable members of our church family in order to ascertain what support networks they have or could have. Some have family nearby or neighbours who are willing and able to help. Some of course have existing friendship with other church members that will be invaluable.
We have also had offers of support from some of you for when the need arises – thank you! We really don’t want anyone to be left stranded when they might need shopping done for them or prescriptions collecting. We will be looking to co-ordinate this support as best we can in the next days and weeks as the situation develops – if you are willing and able to provide any support, or indeed need any, please let us know.
As many have said, this current health crisis stands to represent the singular greatest challenge this nation has faced since World War 2. While the challenge is great, so is the opportunity for those of us who love Jesus, to share His heart with those who don’t know Him. With our whole society facing up to the prospect of a truly tumultuous event, we can pray that people will be open as never before to the truth of our great hope in King Jesus!
Starting tomorrow I will be posting a thought for the day, working through the book of Isaiah. Some days there will be prayer ideas and worship song links from Mel to accompany these.
There will be further news of how we can cement our togetherness, serve one another and reach out to our community in the days to come. As soon as we have some more definition on these things we will let you know.
May we demonstrate the love of God to one another and others!
“To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy – to the only God our Saviour be glory, majesty, power and authority through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and evermore! Amen” (Jude 24-25).
Much love,
Ade
