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Weekly News 21/3

21 March 2020 12:54

Aspects of life in our country and as a church family have changed quickly in the last week. As others have said, as Christians we have a distinctive role to play in times like these. Whilst I’m sure we want to love our vulnerable and key-worker neighbours by helping slow the spread of the virus, we can do so with a sure and certain hope in the Lord Jesus and with a faith and trust built on him and not our changing circumstances. Of course, that’s not always easy, and it may be harder before things get better. But he promises to be with us always, to the end of the age. So can I encourage us to ask the Holy Spirit to equip us to play our part in the most Christ-like way we can; filled with faith, hope and love.

Sunday Live and other online resources

This is the link to watch live on Sunday mornings (and afterwards if you can’t watch live): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOIWLS0-lwR3e8_XmFoOlAA

You might like to have your Bible with you to read Psalm 30 and the weekly news sheet is attached to this email. (If you go to Youtube before the stream has started you may need to refresh your browser close to 9.30am.)

Please bear with me if there are technical issues with any aspect of it. I have already learnt from last week’s experiment and there will be more to learn after this! If it cuts out completely, don’t worry. It will either return quickly, or at worst the service will be on there to watch almost as soon as it’s finished.

The other resources include weekly devotionals, Bible-reading apps and websites, articles on faith over fear, worship at home and with families, offers of practical support and more.
The link is: https://www.allsaintswick.org.uk/DispersedChurch

Using Zoom to keep in touch

A few days ago we tried using Zoom to allow people to meet online to talk and pray together. It’s something that I’d encourage homegroups and others to make use of if you can, to keep as much contact with each other as possible. I will host a weekly Zoom get-together at the time we’d usually have coffee after midweek communion. So if you’d like to join - on your phone, tablet or computer - re-open this email and click on this link between 10-10.30am on Wednesdayshttps://zoom.us/j/6690623114

It will prompt you to install the app if you’re using a phone or tablet from the Google Play or Apple store. If you’re on a computer it will install some free and safe software in the background and then you’re in! If you’re a homegroup leader or someone else who’d like to host a get-together, I’ve put more detailed instructions and help guides here: https://www.allsaintswick.org.uk/156/Church-Live

If that's not a possibility for you, and you're feeling a bit cut off, then why not make use of the directory and give someone a call and encourage them? https://www.allsaintswick.org.uk/members

And finally for now...

It may seem strange to say, but be encouraged. Offers of help and support have already outweighed the need, and as I've spoken to many of you I can see that we are a church that are not panicked and fearful... but trusting, wise and hopeful. If you are strictly isolating it would be helpful to know (if you haven’t told me already), just so that we make sure we keep in touch. And as the requests come in, I will contact those who’ve kindly offered to help others out. I’ll finish with the closing lines of our reading for tomorrow, and to say God bless.

You turned my wailing into dancing;
   you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,
that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent.
   Lord my God, I will praise you for ever.
(Psalm 30:11-12, NIV)