A letter from Revd Charles Dale, one of our Area ministers. April 2021Time seems to have flown by since the last letter I wrote in July last year bang in the middle of Lockdown 2, with the hope of coming through that period and getting back to normal and here we are in Lockdown 3.! I think it is more important than ever to ask of oneself ‘how am I really coping and getting on both physically and mentally?’ Life certainly isn’t the same and we’ve gone through such a lot of changes since then and we have to get used to the new way of being and doing and adapting to a new norm. Thankfully for me, what hasn’t changed is my faith and trust in God, times of waiting on him and persevering in prayer and praise; enjoying the natural world around me (although Kingstone woods has been a tad muddy over the winter months!) and the love of my close family. These things comfort my soul. But you might expect that of me! However, I have found these times as challenging as anyone else, with lots of wilderness times.It has helped for me to reflect on Jesus and of his wilderness experience; of how he felt and what was going through his mind as he negotiated that time in a barren landscape, famished and full of the temptations of earthly life. This, after he had received that wonderful affirmation from God at his baptism as the Spirit descended on him as he came out of the waters to start his earthly ministry. Rather though, the Spirit drove him into the wilderness! I’m sure that experience was not what he was really expecting. Even more so as he entered what we now call Holy Week and the dark and tragic events that led to his cruel death on the cross. The events of the last twelve months weren’t what we were expecting either, with its restrictions and bereavements of all kinds.You may feel you are in a wilderness place as you negotiate the do’s and don’ts of Lockdown and the consequences of the pandemic; lamenting the days gone by and of untold personal hardships in your life. What are the things that have kept you going? What brings you comfort?As well as dry barrenness, wildernesses can though be places of development and growth. Much of the Bible and its times involve desert experiences with times, yes of testing and waiting on the Lord, but also of discovery and blossoming. The people of Israel wandered for 40 formative years, but they eventually crossed over into the Promised Land. Jesus had 40 days of testing and formation after which, as St Luke writes, ‘the power of the Holy Spirit was with him’, just as he was at the baptism. Jesus was strengthened and enabled for his ministry through these experiences, but throughout often went to out of the way places to pray, to continue to be refreshed by God, his Father.I take heart in the fact that, for Jesus, the wilderness and the dark tragic time of Holy Week culminated in something more glorious. That glory can be yours too, whatever you have personally lamented in these past times.Easter is a time when we celebrate Jesus’ victory over death, promising new life and hope for those who trust in him.One of the churches canticles is called ‘The Song of the Wilderness’. It’s set as an Advent song of praise, but I think is really appropriate for our times and of the promise of hope that is Easter. Its starts like this:‘The wilderness and dry land shall rejoice; the desert shall blossom and burst into song. They shall see the glory of the Lord; the majesty of our God.’On Easter Day, Mary stood weeping at the tomb, but Mary’s tears of sadness soon became tears of joy. To her was revealed the glory of the risen Lord. Whatever you have lamented and mourned these last twelve months, may your tears of sadness turn into tears of joy; may you too know the comfort and glory of the risen Lord.There are better times coming and we will be together again; times when your own wilderness and dry land shall rejoice and your desert blossom and burst into song. As you journey on may you be comforted and strengthened in the song: ‘Alleluia, Christ is risen.’ May your response be: ‘He is Risen indeed, Alleluia.’Blessings and peaceCharles
GRATWICH NEWSLETTERMARCH 2021 GRATWICH SERVICES IN MARCHSUNDAY 7th 7.00pm Evening Prayer via ZOOMPALM SUNDAY 28th 7.00pm Evening Prayer via ZOOMThere is also an Area Service at 10.00am each Sunday via ZoomHere is the link for the Area Service – it is the same each week https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88104504862 Meeting ID: 881 0450 4862Spring seems to be on its way, snowdrops and crocus out in flower, daffodils not far behind. At last the fields are dry enough to let our sheep and lambs out, lets hope the grass keeps growing (except the lawn of course!). The church in Gratwich are looking forward to being able to have an Easter Sunday service in St. Mary’s, not sure what time yet so watch this space! We are going to have an Easter themed Messy Church on 27th March via Zoom.Please join and let’s see how crafting and singing over Zoom worksContact Jenny for more details. (jenny477@btinternet.com Tel: 01889 502471)100 CLUB – February - drawn at the Zoom Service on 24th January 1st Jayden Hulin 2nd Cynthia Bailey 3rd Angela & Matt DowningThe next draw will be at the Zoom service on 28th MarchDOG FOULING - Please could anyone in Gratwich with a dog be aware of where it is ‘going to the toilet’ as there is still a problem with dog excrement outside the main church gates. There is a bin on the telephone pole at the end of church lane, please use it. Thank you.After the success of our Zoom Quiz we are having aCHURCH CRIME EVENINGIt should be a good evening – come and test your detective skills please book in with Jenny by 3rd April. Can you help solve the crime??Join Detective Inspector SolvitOn April 10th 20217.30pmVia zoom to interview the suspectsTeams of up to four can enterFairtrade Fortnight 22nd February – 7th March, 2021Fairtrade Fortnight started on 22 February 2021. This is an annual opportunity to particularly promote Fairtrade, highlight Fairtrade products and help people in the developing world who are less fortunate than ourselves. Fairtrade gives farmers and workers in developing countries a minimum price for the goods they produce and extra help for their community, enabling them to provide a better life for themselves and their families. Climate change is making things worse and Fairtrade is helping them deal with the effects of climate. The Covid 19 pandemic has made this an extremely difficult year for everyone and the usual ways of promoting Fairtrade Fortnight aren’t possible, but we can still do our bit in supporting people in the developing world by buying Fairtrade goods as and when and how we do our shopping. There is a range of excellent Fairtrade products in all our local Supermarkets, bananas, chocolate, wine, sugar, coffee, tea etc. Look out for the Fairtrade logo. Clergy Letter for March 2021 – by Rev. Chris BrownDear friendsI began this letter sitting at dad’s house waiting for the gas man to come and repair dad’s boiler, no heating but plenty of hot water Thankfully dad is in St Marys Mount at the moment and enjoying every minute. My thoughts drifted to where we are as a world at this moment. We have to stay at home, keep our distance and wash hands. Unfortunately this means contact with our communities is very limited. The few people we come into contact with, either by phone or electronic media, are absolutely delighted that we have bothered to contact them. As a member of the clergy team I am conscious of the restricted pastoral care we can give to our community, often when they are in dire need of it. Time on the phone or social media do not seem the same as a face to face conversation, it always seems to be lacking something. The same applies to our worship, I know that Members of the team do a sterling job creating online worship for our area congregations, even farther afield. Distant worship, distant learning and distant pastoral care, our contact with others becomes more remote. I sometimes feel we are all turning into a modern Robinson Crusoe cut off from the world and all alone.Our thoughts are concentrated on the future, when will this pandemic end, when will I be free to go out and mix with family and friends and when will we back to normal?For many there will be a time when, although free to come and go as you choose, the spectre of the virus and fear of contagion will be always there, hovering in the background. Some will experience a time of new beginning, building up new friendships and contacts. All of us in some way will have to build up our lives virtually (the pun is intended) from scratch. How that will shape our lives and communities we do not know. Can we carry on as before the pandemic? In some ways we as a church will be like the original disciples setting out to build the new church that Jesus empowered them to do. In a way we will be sharing the same questions as those disciples. What do we do? How do we do it? Should we do it this way or that way? Do we have enough people and resources to continue? Have people’s expectations or approach to worship changed, especially after experiencing different styles of worship on line. Have we as Christians changed inside after lockdown or self-isolation or shielding?As I said to the congregation at Marchington, at the end of my only service this year, be of good heart, God will see us through. As followers of Jesus we are used to having to wait on the Lord and this isolation should be treated as a time of waiting and a time of prayer that will reinforce our own inner belief in God and a time to prepare us to for the time we can gather again to worship and minister fully to all God’s people.All God’s blessings, Chris. For further information about anything in the newsletter, please contact:Rev. Charles Dale 01889 500428: email: revcharles.dale@btinternet.comJenny Talbot: 01889 50241 email: jenny477@btinternet.com
Dear friends,I began this letter sitting at dad’s house waiting for the gas man to come and repair dad’s boiler, no heating but plenty of hot water. Thankfully dad is in St Marys Mount at the moment and enjoying every minute. My thoughts drifted to where we are as a world at this moment. We have to stay at home, keep our distance and wash hands. Unfortunately this means contact with our communities is very limited. The few people we come into contact with, either by phone or electronic media, are absolutely delighted that we have bothered to contact them. As a member of the clergy team I am conscious of the restricted pastoral care we can give to our community, often when they are in dire need of it. Time on the phone or social media do not seem the same as a face to face conversation, it always seems to be lacking something. The same applies to our worship, I know that Members of the team do a sterling job creating online worship for our area congregations, even farther afield. Distant worship, distant learning and distant pastoral care, our contact with others becomes more remote. I sometimes feel we are all turning into a modern Robinson Crusoe cut off from the world and all alone.Our thoughts are concentrated on the future, when will this pandemic end, when will I be free to go out and mix with family and friends and when will we back to normal?For many there will be a time when, although free to come and go as you choose, the spectre of the virus and fear of contagion will be always there, hovering in the background. Some will experience a time of new beginning building up new friendships and contacts. All of us in some way will have to build up our lives virtually (the pun is intended) from scratch. How that will shape our lives and communities we do not know. Can we carry on as before the pandemic? In some ways we as a church will be like the original disciples setting out to build the new church that Jesus empowered them to do. In a way we will be sharing the same questions as those disciples. What do we do? How do we do it? Should we do it this way or that way? Do we have enough people and resources to continue? Have people’s expectations or approach to worship changed, especially after experiencing different styles of worship on line. Have we as Christians changed inside after lockdown or self-isolation or shielding?As I said to the congregation at Marchington, at the end of my only service this year, be of good heart, God will see us through. As followers of Jesus we are used to having to wait on the Lord and this isolation should be treated as a time of waiting and a time of prayer that will reinforce our own inner belief in God and a time to prepare us to for the time we can gather again to worship and minister fully to all God’s people.All God’s blessings.Chris..
