Wednesday 24 June 2020

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

I hope you are enjoying the sunshine and the beauty all around us. Certainly, the Church House garden and the areas around the church are looking very lovely with many new plants blooming. Thank you so much to the Eco group and the gardening team who have worked so hard over recent weeks clearing away, weeding, planting and watering. When you are next at the church do have a look!

Kathy Hoag would certainly have appreciated the flowers and the gardens. We continue to grieve her loss, but also give thanks for her life and faith. Her memorial service will be tomorrow at 2.30pm in church. The burial service will be earlier in the day with the family only. Those of you who have asked for a seat for the memorial service, your seats will be in the upper hall, as the church is reserved for family and invited guests. I am sorry that numbers are limited. However, for those unable to attend in person, I am attaching my funeral talk, along with Peter Hawker's intercessions.

We will also have an opportunity to share our thoughts and memories of Kathy and pray for her family at the Coffee Discussion, 11.30am on Sunday, so please do join us if you would like to. The Men's Bible Study group will happen as usual at 10.45am, led by Dominic. If you would like the zoom links to either of these groups please do ask.

Tomorrow, our lectio divina meeting is at 10.30am. This involves listening to a short passage of Scripture several times with periods of silence in between. At the end of the silence there is an opportunity to share our insights together. It is a wonderful opportunity to meditate on some words of Scripture and allow those words to feed our hearts and minds. If you would like to join us, please let me know and I can send you the link. I will be taking the burial service at this time, so Brian will be leading the session this week.

Booking for the service this Sunday, 28th June will close at midnight this evening, via the link but if you want to ring the office to book a seat please ring before 1pm today as the office will be closed after that. There will be a service in the church and the hall. This Sunday, David will be leading and preaching in the church, and I will be leading and reading his sermon in the hall. If you are reading, leading the intercessions, operating the beamer, playing the piano, or you are the head sidesperson then a seat will be assigned for you. Everyone else, including the other sidespeople, needs to book their seat.

As we continue to grieve the death of Kathy Hoag and Shareene Potter, we commit them to God's love and pray for their families and friends.

Prayers

Welcome, Lord, into your calm and peaceful kingdom
those, who, out of this present life, have departed to be with you;
grant them rest and a place with the spirits of the just;
and give them the life that knows not age,
the reward that passes not away;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen
(St Ignatius of Loyola)

Almighty God,
Father of all mercies and giver of all comfort:
deal graciously, we pray, with those who mourn,
that, casting all their care on you,
they may know the consolation of your love;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen

With love in Christ,
Helen