Tuesday 30 March 2021

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

I hope that we can all find some time this Holy Week to reflect on Jesus' passion and death and that we will be touched afresh by God's self-giving love in Christ.

During this week there are several special services and activities:

Diocesan Service, 11 am, Wednesday 31st March:
During this service, Bishops, priests and lay ministers will renew their vows. The service will be led by Bishop Robert and Bishop David will preach. This service will be streamed live here: Youtube link: https://youtu.be/vaxaSXrzERQ
Everyone is welcome.

Maundy Thursday, 6.30pm, 1st April: a special Eucharist as we remember the last supper and Jesus' washing of his disciples feet. There are a few seats left for this service.

Good Friday, 2pm, 2nd April: a service of readings, silence and prayer as we remember Jesus' death on the cross. There are a few seats left for this service.

If you would like a seat for one of these services please contact the office as soon as possible. Both these services will also be put online here.
Even more than usual, I want to say a huge thank you to Hector, Martin and Art for working so hard in putting all the services of Holy Week and Easter online. This is a very big job and we are all very grateful.

Good Friday Prayer and Fasting Day:
Material for prayer and reflection for this day is here. You can use this even if you are not fasting. If you would also like to join in the brief Zoom meetings to pray at 9am and 5pm, please let me know.

Good Friday Zoom Family Service: there will be a very short service, via Zoom, for families with small children at 10.30am. I have sent out the Zoom link. Let me know if you have not received this and would like to attend.

Services on Easter Day:
There will be two services on Easter day: one at 8.30am, and the other at 10.30am. Both services are now fully booked.
I am sorry that we have not always been able to give people a seat at their preferred service. We are trying to accommodate everyone. We have made a priority at 10.30am of those who are particular friends of the Agoba family (as we celebrate the baptism of Delali, Joana and Edem-David) and those who have a long distance to travel. Thank you SO much to all of you who have been so understanding about this. It is wonderful that with two services so many more people will be able to attend an Easter service.

The Easter Sunday service will be online by Saturday evening, here.

There will also be an online Family Service for Easter involving many of the families in the church. A huge thank you to Tricia and the Patton family for producing this. It will be available online by Easter Day at the link above.

There will be NO MEN'S GROUP and NO COFFEE TIME on Easter Sunday.

Below is a poem for Maundy Thursday.

Here is the source of every sacrament,
The all-transforming presence of the Lord,
Replenishing our every element,
Remaking us in his creative Word.
For here the earth herself gives bread and wine,
The air delights to bear his Spirit's speech,
The fire dances where the candles shine,
The waters cleanse us with his gentle touch.
And here he shows the full extent of love
To us whose love is always incomplete,
In vain we search the heavens high above,
The God of love is kneeling at our feet.
Though we betray him, though it is the night,
He meets us here and loves us into light.
(Malcolm Guite)

With love in Christ,
Helen