Lea and Garsdon Parish Newsletter April/May 2020
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Page 1 Who’s Who Church Ma�ers I write to you in the middle of an unprecedented week in which we are all having to adapt Rector Rev Steve Wilkinson 01249 723733 to new ways of life. I cannot reinforce enough the need for each one of you to minimise [email protected] contact with each other as we retreat to our homes as places of safety in order to fight off Curate Rev Mike Graham 510441 this invisible virus. For the first time since 1208 public worship services have been [email protected] suspended, and we cannot gather in our buildings for the foreseeable future Licensed Lay Ministers We are being asked to discover new ways of being church, and Bristol Cathedral has Heather Lee 829221 expressed this as “Church is not closed, Church has changed”. We can still support each Tony Yates 01249 723842 other, we can still contact each other, but we must adapt in our social interactions and in Jane Briggs 825996 the way we conduct daily life. Deb Evans 511158 SUNDAY WORSHIP Woodbridge Administrator Maggie Topp 511422 We cannot gather on Sundays, or any other day, so there are some different options [email protected] available to you for Sunday Worship: Churchwardens Lea Mark Edwards 01249 660017 TV: Today the BBC has announced that it will be broadcasting a Sunday morning service David Topp 510521 (evenings only) on TV starting this Sunday, although there are no details at this stage. There is also Garsdon David Briggs 825996 ‘Songs of Praise’ usually broadcast at around lunchtime on Sunday, this week at 1.15pm. Margaret Lewis 823247 Fellowship Groups Contacts Online via Facebook Live: For Sunday services we will be experimenting with Facebook Live – which allows us to Tuesday (Malmesbury) Rose Cole 824577 share a form of Sunday service with you. I, or others, will broadcast a short service from Wednesday (Lea) Dave Smith 826601 one of our churches which you can attend by going to the ‘Woodbridge Group of Churches’ Wednesday Ladies (Lea) Bridget Beardshall 822924 group on Facebook. You do not need a Facebook account to do this – just visit Friday (Milbourne) Jane Briggs 825996 www.facebook.com or via phone and tablet apps. This Sunday (22nd March) at 10.00am Youth Organisations Alison Withers 07966 964437 we will offer an online All-Age ‘Messy Church’ via this route, followed at 10.30am by a short service I’m calling ‘Virtual Sunday Worship’, which will offer the usual elements of PCC Treasurers confession, Bible readings, a short address, and the opportunity for prayer. Lea Brian Zehetmayr 01249 723701 I intend to offer Virtual Sunday Worship at 10.30am every Sunday for the duration of the Neil Seymour (Deputy) 825165 suspension. Garsdon Valerie Vincent 07787 377825 Weekdays: From Monday through to Saturday we are also offering the opportunity for PCC Secretaries Daily Prayer as a Facebook Live event at 9am each day, led by myself and others. Lea Judith Plevin 822928 Garsdon Liz Walker 823497 Note: Facebook Live events can also be viewed later. Gift Aid Secretaries Lea Clare Beazley 822240 BAPTISMS, WEDDINGS AND FUNERALS Garsdon Valerie Vincent 07787 377825 Child Protection Officer We are about to enter a time when these must operate under very different conditions from Lea & Cleverton Vacancy those which we are used to. We are still absorbing the impact of current restrictions, but Garsdon Katie White 07771 894055 large gatherings of people cannot be allowed. For the time being we are not able to offer baptisms except under emergency Page 2 Page 3 Who’s Who Church Ma�ers I write to you in the middle of an unprecedented week in which we are all having to adapt Rector Rev Steve Wilkinson 01249 723733 to new ways of life. I cannot reinforce enough the need for each one of you to minimise [email protected] contact with each other as we retreat to our homes as places of safety in order to fight off Curate Rev Mike Graham 510441 this invisible virus. For the first time since 1208 public worship services have been [email protected] suspended, and we cannot gather in our buildings for the foreseeable future Licensed Lay Ministers We are being asked to discover new ways of being church, and Bristol Cathedral has Heather Lee 829221 expressed this as “Church is not closed, Church has changed”. We can still support each Tony Yates 01249 723842 other, we can still contact each other, but we must adapt in our social interactions and in Jane Briggs 825996 the way we conduct daily life. Deb Evans 511158 SUNDAY WORSHIP Woodbridge Administrator Maggie Topp 511422 We cannot gather on Sundays, or any other day, so there are some different options [email protected] available to you for Sunday Worship: Churchwardens Lea Mark Edwards 01249 660017 TV: Today the BBC has announced that it will be broadcasting a Sunday morning service David Topp 510521 (evenings only) on TV starting this Sunday, although there are no details at this stage. There is also Garsdon David Briggs 825996 ‘Songs of Praise’ usually broadcast at around lunchtime on Sunday, this week at 1.15pm. Margaret Lewis 823247 Fellowship Groups Contacts Online via Facebook Live: For Sunday services we will be experimenting with Facebook Live – which allows us to Tuesday (Malmesbury) Rose Cole 824577 share a form of Sunday service with you. I, or others, will broadcast a short service from Wednesday (Lea) Dave Smith 826601 one of our churches which you can attend by going to the ‘Woodbridge Group of Churches’ Wednesday Ladies (Lea) Bridget Beardshall 822924 group on Facebook. You do not need a Facebook account to do this – just visit Friday (Milbourne) Jane Briggs 825996 www.facebook.com or via phone and tablet apps. This Sunday (22nd March) at 10.00am Youth Organisations Alison Withers 07966 964437 we will offer an online All-Age ‘Messy Church’ via this route, followed at 10.30am by a short service I’m calling ‘Virtual Sunday Worship’, which will offer the usual elements of PCC Treasurers confession, Bible readings, a short address, and the opportunity for prayer. Lea Brian Zehetmayr 01249 723701 I intend to offer Virtual Sunday Worship at 10.30am every Sunday for the duration of the Neil Seymour (Deputy) 825165 suspension. Garsdon Valerie Vincent 07787 377825 Weekdays: From Monday through to Saturday we are also offering the opportunity for PCC Secretaries Daily Prayer as a Facebook Live event at 9am each day, led by myself and others. Lea Judith Plevin 822928 Garsdon Liz Walker 823497 Note: Facebook Live events can also be viewed later. Gift Aid Secretaries Lea Clare Beazley 822240 BAPTISMS, WEDDINGS AND FUNERALS Garsdon Valerie Vincent 07787 377825 Child Protection Officer We are about to enter a time when these must operate under very different conditions from Lea & Cleverton Vacancy those which we are used to. We are still absorbing the impact of current restrictions, but Garsdon Katie White 07771 894055 large gatherings of people cannot be allowed. For the time being we are not able to offer baptisms except under emergency Page 2 Page 3 Church Ma�ers Church Ma�ers conditions. Pastoral Care in the Woodbridge Group We are contacting wedding couples, who are facing the reality that their ceremonies can continue but under very different circumstances from how they had planned it, unless they The Pastoral Group is willing to offer support and care to anyone in need in our postpone indefinitely. We have had a number of deferments into 2021 and several who Community. Visits can be arranged to anyone who is lonely, housebound or sick, intend to continue. Banns have to be read in a public service and cannot be read at the or just needing a friend to talk to. Please phone: moment so there is an alternative licence route that needs to be used. All funerals for the time being will involve either a simple cremation service operating Lea: Wendy Bennington 01666 825069 under the restrictions of the crematorium, or a simple burial service. In each case the Garsdon: Margaret Lewis 01666 823247 number of guests may be severely restricted, and we will offer the opportunity for a more Great Somerford: Anne Berry 01249 720530 extensive memorial service at a later date. We must prepare ourselves for a very serious Little Somerford: Vacant increase in the number of funerals which are to come and yet which most of us will be Brinkworth: Rosemary Tuck 01793 850999 unable to attend. Dauntsey: Vacant OTHER ACTIVITIES Woodbridge Churches on the Web I reiterate that we cannot encourage gatherings on church premises until further notice. Website: www.woodbridgegroup.co.uk to check out service times, news etc. Lea church, which is usually open daily will remain open for public access and prayer, but we must observe a 2m social distancing if we see other people there. Facebook: Woodbridge Group of Churches to catch up on what’s going on GOLDEN RULES Twitter: @sixchurches for what’s on The Bishop of St Albans has published the following Golden Rules: @woodbridgevicar to see what Steve’s up to One: Each one of us can think about how we can protect and support our neighbours. So much of the public rhetoric is sowing fear about the danger of other people. So, taking all the official precautions, offer help and reassurance to others – and don’t demonise anyone or any group. Two: Think about who may be suffering more than me. For those of us who are healthy there is much less to worry about but the elderly, the housebound and those with chronic health conditions may be very anxious.