To:Members of the benefice of 4,Sharnford RoadSapcote, Sharnford and Wigston Parva Sapcote LE9 4JN 4 June 2020Church is Changing, what’s happening?Three weeks ago ago I sent you details of our Ascension Day worship together with Thy Kingdom Come information. Thank you to everyone who took on board the message and supported the Thy Kingdom Come prayer initiative. Also I reminded you of the new Church of England prayer line (0800 804 8044) and our Wednesday 7.30pm Bible Study Zoom meetings (ID 81762098875 - password obtained from host, Dave Harrold, tel: 07786985932 or email: daverharrold@aol.com ). Below are details of two more local videos followed by my thoughts on what might happen later this year if lockdown restrictions ease further.My latest worship videos are available now on YouTube. Please enter the YouTube site andsearch for “worship with rev mick on trinity sunday” or click here. The songs and talk from the video areattached with this letter for everybody. In addition I have teamed up with Richard Dixon, ourevangelist with permission to officiate, to produce a further video. Again please enter the YouTubesite and search for “worship with rev mick once you’ve seen this” or click here which is aimed at those whoare less familiar with Christian worship, to explain why we do what we do.People are starting to ask me when our buildings might open. We were hoping to have aGovernment announcement about this at the end of May but it didn’t happen! Our bishops wroteto us about this explaining that the delay may be due to the ‘R’ value being too close to 1.Reading between the lines it looks like that there may be phasing ahead if restrictions ease egPhase 1: Church buildings open for private prayer with social distancingPhase 2: Church buildings open for worship for very small numbers with social distancing.Phase 3: Church buildings open for worship for numbers allowable within social distancingAll of the above are subject to Government/Church authorities approval and to the localcompletion of assessments/systems/signage. This means that different church buildings couldopen for different purposes at different dates- nationally and locally. I am aware that some of ourmembers will not feel able to join in any phases, such as 1-3, due to underlying health conditionsor due to shielding others with health conditions. Therefore I am hoping to offer gardencommunions (home communion in a garden!) for those affected in this way (I will discuss thiswith you on the phone first). If there is a phase 2, guidelines may allow us to hold outdoorworship, in order to cater for a larger number more safely. Eventually we hope to put out some ofour worship on Zoom which can then be heard live by anyone with a phone - details to follow.For now our church buildings continue to be closed. I continue to work, pray and worship fromhome and I am usually available on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday. Please get hold ofme on the phone 01455-272215, especially during the day, or by email micknorman@msn.com.Please continue to ask for help whenever you need it, and encourage others to do the same.With love and prayersRev Mick
A hard copy of the message appears below and a DOWNLOAD link to the song words is top right.For access to the service go to the Youtube site and search for “worship with rev mick on ascension day” or click here Ascension Day Message– Thursday, 21 May 2020Acts 1: 1-11In recent times Ascension Day has been one of the more neglected dates in the Christian calendar. And yet some of the older residents in our villages can still recall how it was celebrated each year by their local Church of England primary schools – often with a special time of worship at their local church building.This is such a pity because with the loss of this celebration it has created a gap in our understanding of Jesus. Our reading from Acts Chapter 1 is a reliable historical record of the way in which Jesus ascended to heaven. Following Jesus resurrection and numerous appearances to many people, “Jesus was taken up before their very eyes and a cloud hid Him from their sight.” Acts 1 v 9. In short, Jesus returned to heaven. One of the main reasons that Jesus returned to heaven was to pray for his disciples, past and present. Jesus is praying for us.For me personally I have found this to be a great help over the years, and especially in February/March this year (2020). On February 16th this year I was struck down by a respiratory virus which may or may not, have been Coronavirus. For eighteen days I had what I can only describe as a dead feeling behind my eyes, a complete loss of energy – as though I had been knocked out by a boxer – and other flu like symptoms. I was off work for three weeks and I self-isolated for over two weeks because I did not have the strength to see anyone or do anything. The medical advice was to take vitamin D, drink plenty and wait for my body to fight off the virus. As Paul McCartney wrote in his song “Let it be”.During that time I prayed, but found prayer hard going when weak. However, when I was lying on the settee, or on the bed, there were times when I remembered that Jesus was praying for us. “Jesus lives for ever to plead with God for them” Hebrews 7 v 25. Not much else would bring me comfort, strength, consolation or a smile, but confidence in Jesus’ prayer.What else did I learn during this time? Perhaps the most important sense was hearing. I loved to hear quiet music that was calming and soothing. I loved to hear the voices of those I loved. I also loved to hear that three-word question “How are you?” That experience changed my life and then the Coronavirus lockdown came. I now spend a lot of my time asking people “How are you?”Finally, Ascension Day has been revived in recent years as the first day of Thy Kingdom Come. This is a call to pray for the ten days leading up to Pentecost. It has grown rapidly internationally over the past few years. Please join with me, and millions of others worldwide, in prayer over the next ten days, and in so doing, join in with the prayers that Jesus is praying for the people of the world that He loves.Rev Mick Norman Rector
A fortnight ago I informed you of the new Church of England prayer line (0800 804 8044) , thedetails of Sunday Bible readings for May/June, our new Wednesday Zoom meetings and a videoupdate. It has been great to see some of you on Zoom and lovely to hear of others also reading theBible readings. Below are details of another local video, and also of our contribution to thegrowing international prayer movement, Thy Kingdom Come (TKC).My latest worship video is available on YouTube. Please enter the Youtube site andsearch for “worship with rev mick on ascension day” or click hereThe talk for this is given after the letter and the songs are also attached below.This year Thy Kingdom Come (TKC) runs from Thursday 21st May (Ascension Day ) to Sunday31st May (Pentecost). A box full of resources to help us to pray will be outside All Saints ChurchSapcote, outside 4 Sharnford Road, Grace Rd, Stanton Road, Lime Ave (all Sapcote), outside St.Helens Church, Sharnford and outside Hirfron, Brookfield, Sharnford from Wednesday 20th May. In each box there will be TKC prayer journals and TKC family prayer adventure maps available. Try Praying resources will be added later. Please come and collect your prayer resources! If you would prefer to have one of theseresources delivered through your door please contact Jim Matthews on 07905-932988 or myself(01455-272215) with your request. Thank you Jim for your help with this.Jim has also signed us up to be part of the TKC national 24/7 prayer initiative. This involvessomeone from one of our churches praying from 5-6pm each day during 21-31 May as part of anational rota. If you would like to pray for one of these hourly slots please contact Jim. He also has ideas for prayer for the hour. Further prayer resources and ideas are available on the Thy Kingdom Come website.Our church buildings continue to be closed. Although permission has now been given for clergyin Leicester Diocese to live stream worship on their own (or to pray on their own) in ourbuildings, I am continuing to work, pray and worship at home. As you know I work part time andam usually available on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday. At the moment it is very easyto get hold of me on the phone 01455-272215, especially during the day, or by emailmicknorman@msn.com.Please continue to ask for help whenever you need it, and encourageothers to do the same.I continue to pray for our churches and our local communities every day, and I invite you to joinme in praying at home whenever you can and especially during Thy Kingdom Come.With love and prayersRev Mick
Dear Church family,How are you coping? For the three of us in the Matthews’ household, it varies from day to day. Some days I am in school with the children of key workers and on other days I am working from home planning work for my class to do at home, or I am responding to texts from staff and emails from parents. Jim has been out at foodbank most days for quite long hours. Rachie, our daughter is always at home at the moment, other than going for walks. But we all need our personal space and when the weather is good, this is easier to achieve. There are days when Jim and I are out, then Rachie gets some personal space.This week I have noticed that some parents are struggling and I felt God give me this message for them: Your family situation is unique and I believe you are all doing the best you can in the current circumstances. Please don’t compare what you are doing with anyone else - you are the expert on your child and childhood needs to be a magical time.However, for other adults in different situations, there is too much personal space happening. Loneliness or a feeling of being alone can creep in. Whatever our circumstances, we need to hold on to the fact that God is in control and that He alone can bring order out of chaos. It is at times like this that we need to draw close to God and I have always found great comfort from Psalm 23 ‘The Lord’s my Shepherd, I’ll not want.’Following on from Mick’s splendid videos, we have co-ordinated another video from members of the Church family and you can view this through the link here .Words for the songs can be accessed from the DOWNLOAD link, to the top right of this article.The theme and title of this video is The Shepherd and His sheep. As well as the contributions from members of All Saints Church, Jim and I have had the assistance of Rachie our daughter, in videoing our parts. There was one particular moment where I fluffed my lines and then got the giggles. Fortunately, we have been able to edit out this part as well as the part where Rachie tells me to start talking and I gawp like a goldfish.I can’t imagine how I could cope without God in my life. What a blessing it is to have a relationship with Him. This video is a first for many of us and we pray that God will bless you through it. We have been richly blessed in making it. May you know His peace and comfort at this time.Yours in Christ,Jill MatthewsPart of the Church family in the benefice of Sapcote, Sharnford and Wigston ParvaPlease remember that we are still running the All Saints prayerlink. If you would like to be part of the prayerlink or if you have prayer requests, then please contact us on allsaintsprayerlink@hotmail.co.uk Prayer requests are confidential to those members of the prayerlink but anyone can send in a request at any time. Pray anywhere, anytime, for anyone about anything!Psalm 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.I Thess 5:16-18 Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
