Palm Sunday
Dear all,
Having never had much need for live-streaming or video conferencing, in the last week I’ve learnt how to use WhatsApp group video calls, Messenger video calling, Skype, Zoom and Facebook Live. I am now connected in places where I didn’t know I could have connections! Whilst none of this tech feels like a completely satisfactory alternative to meeting someone in the flesh, it does provide a way of being able to look someone in the eye and I’m grateful for that. The number of ‘real’ people I’ve spoken to this week has dropped to no more than a dozen (all at appropriate distance!) and it occurs to me that for many amongst us this is probably the norm. Coronavirus is teaching me something about how it feels to live in someone else’s shoes.
I have been trying to practice the discipline of ‘thankfulness in all circumstances’ this week (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18), but I admit it has been difficult at times. Clive Deverell stepped down as our Area Dean (my immediate boss) and this is a loss; we also had further advice that the number of people attending a funeral must now be cut from 20 to just 10, which will make it really difficult for lot of families to say goodbye. We keep praying that God will bring us through this period as soon as possible.
Take care and God bless,
Revd Phill
Sunday 5th April 2020
10:00 Morning Worship – telephone conference
Phone: 03300 945 940
Room number: 60527473 #
PIN: 2656 #
12:00 Morning Worship – live on Facebook
Phill Harrison will repeat the reading, the sermon and lead some short prayers.
Go to our Facebook page ‘Wroughton and Wichelstowe Parish Church’
Next Week
Good Friday – A reflection on the passion at 2.45pm live on Facebook
Sunday 12th April, Easter Day
10:00 Morning Worship Easter Day
Preacher: Phill Harrison
Intercessions: Dr John Godfree
Reading: Acts 10. 34-43
Reader: John Henderson
12.00 Morning Worship live on Facebook
Phill Harrison will repeat the reading, the sermon and lead some short prayers.
Go to our Facebook page ‘Wroughton and Wichelstowe Parish Church’
10am service by telephone
Our Sunday morning service is an audio meeting that people can dial into using just their telephones – no computers involved! Follow these instructions to join:
- To join the Sunday service first dial this number: 03300 945 940.
- When prompted, enter the room number, followed by # on your telephone keypad: 60527473 #
- Finally, enter the guest PIN: 2656 #
- You may have to listen to some announcements, but you will then be automatically joined to the conference call. Join in with the responses in the liturgy as you would normally.
Please try and dial-in at 9:55, as it may take a little while for everyone to be connected to the conference. Calls to ‘03’ numbers are charged at the standard national rate and are included in your ‘free minutes’ if you have a call-plan. Revd Phill has delivered service sheets and dial-in instructions to a number of people that we know don’t use email, or for whom we have no email address. If you know someone who doesn’t have email and would like to be included please let us know so that he can drop something through their letterbox.
The Let’s Team
The Let’s team are now on Easter Holidays. Our next session will be Let’s Talk – Live ‘Finding the Silver Linings’ on the 29th April. Wishing everyone a pleasant Easter time.
Church building closure
The Bishops have instructed that church buildings should now be closed for all private prayer – including by priests. This is a sad step and one that we did not expect. However, the motivation behind it is so that the church of England can be seen to be taking a lead in showing our communities how we must behave in order to slow down the spread of the Coronavirus. Whilst it is closed, the church will be floodlit as a visible reminder to the village (and the M4!) that hope shines in darkness – and that hope is Jesus.
Weddings and Funerals
It is no longer possible to hold any services in church buildings. Wedding can therefore no longer take place and all funerals will be at the graveside or in the crematorium chapel. The number of people able to attend is limited to just the following – Spouse/Partner, Parents/Carers, Brothers/Sisters, Children (and partners). The maximum number will be just 10.
APCM postponement
Our Annual Parochial Church Meeting was due to take place on Sunday 26th April. Due to current circumstances this has been postponed; a new date will be set in due course. This means that PCC members and officers (Churchwardens/PCC Secretary etc.) will have their terms of office extended until the date of the new APCM. A number of PCC places will become vacant at the APCM. Please prayerfully consider whether you might be able to support us by becoming a member of our church’s wider leadership team.
Spring Harvest
As you will know, a group of us were planning to go to Spring Harvest after Easter this year. Like all mass gatherings, it has had to be cancelled, but in so doing, it has created a fantastic opportunity for us all to join in with! SPRING HARVEST HOME will be available online via YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/user/SpringHarvest) from April 13th to 17th. . It’s a completely free online conference programme with content suitable for everyone in the family, all built around the 2020 theme of “Unleashed – The Acts Church Today“. There’ll be different things to tune into with Big Start, Bible teaching, worship, specialist seminars and some light-hearted viewing, and just like the real thing you’ll be able to dip in and out of whatever takes your fancy during the day. We’re planning to set up some sort of forum where we can find out who’s tuning into the same events as each other and can chat about the things we’ve learnt, and enjoy it together as a community (more details next week). For those of you who’ve never been to Spring Harvest, it’ll be a great opportunity to have a bit of a taster. So put the date in your diaries – what better way to spend the week after Easter than spending lots of time with, and learning about, our amazing God!
(Further information is available on the Spring Harvest web-site https://springharvest.org/spring-harvest-home/).
Parish Office
Our Parish Office has temporarily relocated to Janet Burchell’s dining room! The telephone number and opening hours remain the same: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday 9am to 1.30pm 01793 812050 (email: office@wroughton.com)
Parish Giving Scheme and envelopes
The parish giving scheme is still functioning, with all members of staff working remotely. If you need to contact them to amend your giving or for Gift Aid changes, please either ring them on 0333 002 1260 or email: info@parishgiving.org.uk. Please note they are not able to receive post at the moment. Any post is being securely stored by Royal Mail.
Giving envelopes with cheques in can be sent to the Parish Office (by post or put through the letterbox); they will be collected once a week.
Mission to Seafarers Knitting
Got time on your hands? Why not join the army of knitters and make hats for the Mission to Seafarers . These are given to seafarers who may have been recruited in warmer climes and then travel to colder areas. For more information please contact Janet Henderson 525856.
Filling Station Suspend Service
With regret, The Filling Station is suspending its support for the Homeless in Swindon to ensure the safety of both their clients and volunteers during the current crisis.
The Filling Station, which has operated every Thursday night in Swindon for over 20 years, supports around 50 homeless or “near” homeless people each week
Trustee Angus Macpherson said “The Trustees have had to make this decision based on national advice. We have had not received any specific advice from Swindon Borough Council Public Health. We know that many of the clients have underlying health problems, and bringing them together in not a responsible approach. The Charity has a long established working relationship with Threshold Housing Link which continues.”
We very much hope that we will see a strong response from Swindon Borough Council, with a strategic plan to support this section of our community. As an independent charity we will support such an initiative.
Funeral this week
Please pray the families and friends of Jean Leo, Barbara Fallows and Jeffrey Shuttleworth, as their funerals take place this week.
And finally, a prayer for this week:
Lord Jesus Christ,
you taught us to love our neighbour,
and to care for those in need
as if we were caring for you.
In this time of anxiety, give us strength
to comfort the fearful, to tend the sick,
and to assure the isolated
of our love, and your love,
for your name’s sake.
Amen.
The Parish Office, Priors Hill, Wroughton, SN4 0RT
Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday 9am to 1.30pm
01793 812050. office@wroughton.com
Revd Phill Harrison – 01793 812301 vicar@wroughton.com
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