Dear Friends,After a refreshing time of annual leave (though it felt slightly different due to the current circumstances), it is good to be back.Many thanks to all who have managed things while I was away, especially as it was a period in which government guidance changed. Currently these changes allow us to continue to hold communal worship with the precautions we have in place, if you want to keep up with the ever-updating Church of England guidance it is available on this link:https://www.churchofengland.org/more/media-centre/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-churchesLet’s continue to pray for wisdom and co-operation across the world as together we seek to care for one another and find healing, recovery and the eventual effective management or eradication of the virus for everyone.Two weeks away from my phone and email inevitably leads to a backlog of messages that I need to work through, and though I am keen to respond to any of you who have been in contact as quickly as I can, it may take a few days to get back to you. If anything you have sent me is really urgent – do feel able to phone or email again now I am back.God blessSamantha
THE 1662 Book of Common Prayer has arrived on Amazon smart speakers, helping users to say morning and evening prayer and to learn more about its history.On Thursday, Cambridge University Press, which publishes the Prayer Book, announced that Alexa smart speakers would now be programmed with a new “skill” — one of the voice-driven apps — called the Cambridge Prayer Book. The idea is to help people to pray and worship at home during the pandemic.Users can now ask Alexa to: “Say morning prayer”; “Say evening prayer”; “Pray the Lord’s Prayer”; “Give me the Apostles’ Creed”; and “Recite the Grace”.The services are read by clergy from St John the Evangelist, Cambridge, close to the publisher’s headquarters. In place of a congregation, responses are said by members of the Cambridge University Press choir. There is also a small selection of Bible readings.https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2020/18-september/news/uk/new-alexa-skill-to-help-say-the-office-from-the-prayer-book
Dear Friends,Today I have another happy introduction to make. For the last year of her formational training before ordination, Marilyn Sanders is joining on placement to experience and learn about our life as a rural Mission Community. She will be in church on Sunday and we look forward to getting to know Marilyn and her husband Steve over the coming weeks. In her own words Marilyn says:My name is Marilyn, I am married to Steve and we live in Barnstaple. We have three grown up children and I am currently training for Ordination at St Mellitus college in Plymouth. I have just completed my first year of training and begin my second year in early September. I am very much looking forward to getting to know everyone in the Lyn Valley Mission Community and serving Jesus alongside you, as I begin my placement with you shortly!' Let’s assure Marilyn and her family of our prayers for them as she responds to God’s call in her life and all that her training involves.God blessSamantha
