Dear friends,

I’m writing on behalf of Irene and myself, to ask you how things are with you. It seems a long time now since we have been “locked down” and unable to meet ,and even though the lock down is being partially lifted, we still are so limited in how we can meet together, and we STILL CANNOT MEET IN CHURCH for worship and communion.

Under these circumstances I guess that we are all finding life still very difficult. So as I write these words I wonder whether you are missing us just as much as we are missing you? We are all finding out HOW MUCH we need each other, and how deprived we are by this enforced separation.

There is a phrase running in my mind just now, which I think expresses the danger for us in all this. What danger? The phrase is “out of sight out of mind” which expresses the danger accurately don’t you think? The danger that we risk losing each other the longer the separation continues. My mind is running on words just now, words like “hug” “smile” “Kiss” and “sharing”. Don’t you miss all these? I know that we do, and I’m sure that we’re not alone in that.

What can we do about this? For answer I bring you four more words, “Love” “Trust” Remember” “Pray.” REMEMBER how much these dear ones whom we miss, mean to us. LOVE them even though you cannot show it now, TRUST those whom you are missing, to do the same for you, and PRAY for each other daily.

Let us all REMEMBER each other, every day and never let them get “out of sight” and consequently “out of your mind.” We all know how much we LOVE each other, and as you remember and love those whom you are missing, TRUST them to do the same for you! AND pray for them.

Irene and I want you all to remember how much you all mean to us in these ways, and we pray that it is the same for you. Let’s all see if we can all stay close, in love, trust, remembrance and prayer, and may we all grow all the closer while we are all kept apart.

God bless and keep you all, and may He bring us all back together again, in church and elsewhere SOON!

Yours ever.

Richard and Irene

5th June 2020