I hope you and your family are keeping well and following the current restrictions.In the light of the recent new COVID lockdown, the PCC has decided to pause Sunday morning services in Church for the time being. As you are no doubt well aware, infection rates in Halton are amongst the highest in the Liverpool City Region and in the country at large. We are very aware that the current legislation/advice/guidance from the Government and NHS is that we should all remain at home except for very specific reasons. Whilst Church services can continue under present arrangements, it was felt that we should not put you under any pressure to attend. We were also concerned about putting undue pressure on those who lead and help make the services happen. We shall continue with our Sunday Morning 10.30am service on Facebook as usual, as well as Prayer Book Evensong at 4.00pm, also on Sunday. Our weekday services of Morning Prayer also continue at 10.00am on Facebook. Never has our public worship been more public!For similar reasons, the Chapel will also be closed for private prayer for the time being.As I have said before, you do not need to have a Facebook account to watch the services. You can access them by going to https://www.facebook.com/daresburychurch. You may get various messages encouraging you to open an account, but you don't need to unless you want to. You have to be persistent! I know that people are watching the live services this way without any problems, including my wife who has allowed me to say to you that if she can, then any one can!The Church has no control over what messages Facebook puts onto your device's screen, and they differ depending upon sort of device and web browser you're using.I should also mention that Lilian Morris has died aged 96. She was a life-long member of the Church and lived all her life on the farms on Moss Side Lane, the remotest part of the parish on the far side of the Manchester Ship Canal and nearly on the banks of the River Mersey. She was a member of the PCC and a Trustee of the Milner Church Institute in Moore for many years, as well as involved with many local organisations especially the local Moore and Daresbury Historical Society, a forerunner of the present day Daresbury and District History Society. May she rest in peace and rise in glory.Tomorrow's service sheet is attached.If you have any concerns please do not hesitate to contact me on 01925 740348, or 07778 8599365, or vicar@daresburycofe.org.uk.With God's blessing, David
A Happy New Year to you and to all your family! I hope you are keeping well and have been able to have a break over the last week. The COVID pandemic has, over the last year, taken a great deal out of us - emotionally, physically and spiritually. Right at the beginning of the pandemic, I realised that first and foremost we had to stay together as a community if we were going to survive. During the last 9 months, we have learnt a lot about ourselves as individuals and as a Christian community. Above all we have learnt how important our faith is to us and that Daresbury Church only functions because we all work together. We have learnt and seen that no one individual or role is more important than another. Never have St Paul’s words about the body of Christ being made up of many interconnected parts been truer. Thank you everyone for the part you have played. I believe that we can start the new year in good heart, ready to face the challenges that will come our way because we know the God will be walking alongside us. In my last letter, I mentioned that Carols in the Car Park had raised £558 for Church funds. I am sure you would also like to know that to date the Christingle has raised £234 for the Children’s Society, and #selfiestable has raised £181 for the Room at the Inn Project. This means that over the last two weeks we have raised nearly £1000! Thank you! A tremendous achievement in all the circumstances. Both the Christingle and #selfiestable campaigns remain open until 11<sup>th</sup> January so it’s not too late to make a donation. Here are the links to the CAF donations pages:- Christingle https://cafdonate.cafonline.org/15349 #selfiestable https://cafdonate.cafonline.org/15295 This week, the Bible Study and Coffee Morning restart. As before both will be on Zoom. The Bible Study will be looking at the Esther in the Old Testament. We meet on Wednesday at 7.30pm and all are welcome to join. The meeting details are:- Meeting ID: 873 0988 5456 Password: 011017 https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87309885456?pwd=UFJwVkhSc0NkR0lYSFY0b3NaMHplQT09 The Coffee morning on Thursday will start at the slightly later time of 11.00am to give a bit more of a break after the end of Morning Prayer. Details:- Meeting ID: 830 5926 6740 Password: 791441.https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83059266740?pwd=ajZRRVFFSXRpMjJhTEU5bHp5NzhGZz09 This Sunday’s service sheet is attached. With God’s blessing, David
Just a very brief letter this week as I've spent most of today working on the Carols in the Car Park service. Don't forget to watch it on Facebook either through the app of through your web browser as it will be live streamed All of this has only been possible because of the many hours that have been spent in the planning and preparation by many people who have freely given of their time. In particular Mark Longstaff who has masterminded the event and brought it the together. Others to mention include:- Claire Longstaff, who has organised the musicians – our particular thanks to them for their music; our choir who have been practicing by Zoom over the last few weeks; Steve Lander who measured and marked up the car park; the Facilities Team who has looked at other aspects of our coming together in this way; Daniel Felix and Mike Evans for working out the sound system. My thanks to them for all that they have done.The news this afternoon has been somewhat disconcerting, but at this stage I do not think the new measures will affect our plans for the Christmas services as I have outlined over the last few weeks.The Christingle service is not affected as it will take place online. Details here as to how to take part and make your own Christingle https://daresburycofe.org.uk/christingle/Midnight Communion at 11.30pm on Christmas Eve at the moment is fully booked but will be available online through Facebook as for all our services as well as on YouTube later. There is the option of going onto the Eventbrite waiting list in case any reservations are returned. Our weekday services continue next week as usual. There will be a short service of Morning Prayer at 10.00am on Christmas Day Looking to what’s happening after Christmas, there will be no service in Church nor live streamed next Sunday 27th December. The weekday services at 10.00am will continue from Monday 28th, using some of the ideas in the “Comfort and Joy’ booklet you’ve been sent. My thanks to Alison Upton for organising the sending out of the Christmas Cards with the booklets. over 200 in all!Tomorrow’s service is attachedWith God’s blessing,DavidVicar
We are looking forward to welcoming you to Carols in the Car Park, a very different version of our usual Carol service. However, we hope you will enjoy it and take part from the security of your car. Here are a few hints as to how the service will work for those of you who are coming along: - · Ideally you should remain inside your car throughout; · Please have your engine turned off; · You can hear the service through your car radio. You will need to tune it to 87.8FM; · Alternatively lower your windows, but keep warm! You will be able to hear he service through the PA system; · If you want to get out and sing outdoors, please observe the social distancing rules. Individuals, households or bubbles need to maintain a 2m distance; · Unfortunately we are not able to open the toilets · The car park will open at 5.15pm and close at 6.20pm; please follow the guidance from the Stewards; · At the end of the service please follow Stewards’ directions; This service has only been possible because of the many hours that have been spent in the planning and preparation by many people who have freely given of their time. In particular Mark Longstaff who has masterminded the event and brought it the together. Others to mention include:- Claire Longstaff, who has organised the musicians – our particular thanks to them for their music; our choir who have been practicing by Zoom over the last few weeks; Steve Lander who measured and marked up the car park; the Facilities Team who has looked at other aspects of our coming together in this way; Daniel Felix and Mike Evans for working out the sound system; If you would like to make a donation towards Church funds please follow this link:- https://cafdonate.cafonline.org/12554#!/DonationDetails We are also encouraging support for two other causes close to our hearts. Our #selfiestable campaign supporting the work of Room at the Inn, who work with the homeless in and around Warrington, is proving popular. More details on our Facebook site .If you want to make a donation please follow this link:-https://cafdonate.cafonline.org/15295 Secondly, for many years we have supported the work of the Children’s Society who work with vulnerable children and young people. We have had to move our Christingle service online. We are encouraging people to make their own Christingle from packs which we have already prepared and take part in the virtual service on our Facebook livestream on Christmas Eve at 4.30pm here:- https://www.facebook.com/daresburychurch/. You can find more information here:- https://daresburycofe.org.uk/christingle/ . Packs are available at the gate as you leave.
