Thursday 11 February 2021

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

It is a joy that church will finally be open again for worship on Sunday morning. In the present situation, however, we still need to be very careful, so we are currently restricting attendance at services to 20 people. All those seats are now booked for this Sunday. You can however listen to the service online as usual.

The service will be put online on Saturday evening. Thank you to Hector, Martin and Art for making this possible.

If you would like to attend the service on Ash Wednesday, 6.30pm, 17th February, or on Sunday 21st February, please ring the office by noon on Wednesday, 17th.

If you are attending a service in church, please wrap up warm!

Sunday Coffee Time
From this Sunday this will take place at 11.30am to allow those at church to get home first. We meet together on Zoom to share any reflections on the readings and sermon. Contact me for the link.

WHAT'S ON IN LENT

On Ash Wednesday, 17th February, we are holding another Prayer and Fasting Day. I will provide suggestions for reading and prayer at home and there will be three short meetings during the day via Zoom to pray together and encourage one another. If you would like to take part please let me know so I can send you the Zoom link. (If you cannot join the meetings but would still like to receive the prayer material, please contact me.)

Bible Studies
During Lent, there will be a Bible study every Tuesday evening, 7-8.15pm, via Zoom. We will be looking at five different Old Testament prophets. The first study will be on Tuesday 23rd February, looking at the prophet Amos.

Lent Reduce Plastic Challenge
Elizabeth Bussman, the Diocesan Environmental Officer, has produced a Lent calendar with a different tip for each day to help us reduce plastic waste which is so damaging for the environment. You may want to make a note of the things you already do, and those you want to try to put into practice. Together, we can make a difference!

Online Sale and Books
The online sale is now open for orders, so do take a look.
The book stalls will be up in the lower hall from next week for several weeks. If you would like to come to look and buy books, please contact Maria in the office, from next Tuesday, 16th.
You will need to arrange a time to come during her work hours, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday mornings. Everyone who comes must wear a mask and use hand sanitizer.
In addition, the book stalls will be open on Saturday 27th February, 10am - 12noon. Again, you will need to ring the office to arrange a time to come.

Many thanks to Allison and Maria for making this possible.

Repentance for our treatment of the environment
On Ash Wednesday it is traditional to receive the mark of the cross in ash on the forehead. This is a sign of both repentance and hope, as we recognise our mortality and sin, yet God's forgiveness and grace in Christ. During the service, we also say a litany of penitence which includes the following words:

For our waste and pollution of your creation
and our lack of concern for those who come after us.
Accept our repentance, Lord.

The poem below links the ash we receive on Ash Wednesday with the burning and destruction of trees and the damage that causes to our environment. We are called to both repentance and hope.

Ash Wednesday
Receive this cross of ash upon your brow,
Brought from the burning of Palm Sunday's cross;
The forests of the world are burning now
And you make late repentance for the loss.
But all the trees of God would clap their hands,
The very stones themselves would shout and sing,
If you could covenant to love these lands
And recognise in Christ their lord and king.
He sees the slow destruction of those trees,
He weeps to see the ancient places burn,
And still you make what purchases you please
And still to dust and ashes you return.
But hope could rise from ashes even now,
Beginning with this sign upon your brow.
(Malcolm Guite)

With love in Christ,
Helen