Dear All Saints and St Marys
September always brings a sense of a new beginning, and more so perhaps this year as schools return. As churches we have over the last two months been able to slowly open for worship. Through a combination of private prayer, services of the word and Holy Communions. We have been hopefully able to offer some opportunities and spaces for people to pray and feel spiritually and physically connected together.
There are still a number of our congregation and beyond who are still unable to be with us and so we will continue to use the live streaming, zoom coffee and chat. We will inevitably live in a bit of a mixed economy for a while. Thanks to everyone who is sharing what they have missed about worship and what perhaps Covid has also taught us. My thanks also to everyone that has made the technology “work”. The Diocese of Bristol and the National Church of England website are still providing lots of resources for worship at home so the following links may be of interest as well as the Daily Hope Phone line.
My thanks to you all for being hugely patient and understanding. Two things have struck me that are hopefully things that we can work on in the coming months. One is singing. The other is our children’s work. In terms of singing, then “small” choirs are now allowed to re form and provide some musical elements to worship. Congregations cannot sing still, but nevertheless this is a step forward that is exciting.
This week at All Saints there will be a small choir to sing a few hymns for us at the 10.30am Service of Holy Communion. We are hoping that the same will be possible for St Marys also at some point in September.
In terms of children’s groups during services, now that schools have returned, we need to do some work on how we can meet safely and I intend to meet with the leaders shortly about the future possibilities. We may even find we do much more outside, children and adults!
At St Marys, we have evening prayer this week at 6.30pm. The organ work is going well, and are looking at the pipes to start being reinstalled towards the end of September. We are very close to our final fundraising total. Thanks to everyone who has made enormous efforts for this project.
Annual Parochial Meetings (APCM’s) are also being arranged for October. If you wish to be added to the electoral roll or know about this procedure then there will be information about that in church or contact myself or the PCC secretaries who will be able to advise who to talk to.
Services for this Sunday
All Saints 10.30am – Holy Communion – Revd Janey is leading, Revd Lizzie is preaching and celebrating.
Zoom Coffee and Chat 11.45am
St Marys 6.30pm – Evening Prayer – Mark Simms LLM is leading. Revd Lizzie is preaching
Generations – Meet at 7.15pm at All Saints.
Please find attached
Church at home resources
Evening Prayer Service
Topic: Coffee and Chat Time: Sep 6, 2020 11:45 AM London Join Zoom Meeting https://us04web.zoom.us/j/3844812381?pwd=QW1CcW1TMmhudHA2LzAxTk0rU2NSQT09 Meeting ID: 384 481 2381 Passcode: 404900
With my love and prayers this week.
Revd Lizzie
Revd Lizzie Kesteven
Vicar of All Saints and St Marys Churches Fishponds
07973917720
01179650856