“Life is what happens when we are making other plans”
This quote, by Allen Saunders, was a 'Quote for the Day' on 20th April 2019. It resonated then and it is especially applicable now as we find our plans and our lives 'on hold' and confront all the effects and implications of the Coronavirus epidemic. As with any unexpected and unlooked-for change in life, it's not what happens but how we respond that matters. It's how we adapt and change that is the challenge, and for us all we will be adapting and changing to the many different situations and circumstances we now face.
This is the challenge we face too, as we seek to communicate with our church family in all the ways that are available to us; whether we are in family groups working from home connected via the internet or whether we are isolated at home alone with only the use of a landline.
Meanwhile the day to day running of the church continues. The ministry team are working hard to continue to connect with the whole church family. They continue to bring us services online, as well as provide Daily Reflections through the website and on social media. Packs have been made for, and distributed to, those in our church family who find accessing church online difficult. Pastoral care continues through personal contacts within the church family, homegroups, and the work of the Pastoral Care team. There is a clergy in residence phone for those who need to contact one of the associate vicars (07752 261693). Do ring this number to speak with either Dan or Beth. If you need to leave a message, they will get back to you that day or the following morning.
The governance of the church continues. PCC, PCC Exec and other standing committees continue to meet and conduct the business of the church though they, like others, are having to find new ways to do this.
Some things, however, are going to have to wait. The Annual Parishioners Meeting (APM) and Annual Parochial Church Meeting, both due to take place on Wednesday 20th May, have to be postponed until further notice. The current PCC members and Churchwardens continue in office until the APM and APCM, which we hope will be no later than the autumn.
We are working hard to address some of the challenges resulting from the current pandemic. In particular the impact on the church finances largely resulting from the loss of income from the Halls as they remain closed. Some members of the All Saints staff team have agreed to Furlough Leave, which is a government scheme to support businesses to retain staff during this crisis, and this covers a portion of the lost income but it does mean that these staff members are not working at the moment. Rachel, our Operations Manager continues to work, as does our Finance Office, Janet and Mike our Estates Caretaker. Beth, Dan, Alistair and Rosie continue their ministries.
Our prayer is that no-one is left out or 'forgotten' at this time. Please get in contact if you are aware of anyone to whom this applies.
While the church building remains closed, for the foreseeable future, we want to continue as Church together in all the ways that are open to us.
Please do stay in contact.
‘The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you’
Numbers 6: 24-25
Thy Kingdom Come
21-31 May 2020
The days between Ascension and Pentecost have always been special days for the Church. For the last few years Christians all around the world have joined together under the banner Thy Kingdom Come, praying that people will come to know God’s saving love in Christ. Here at All Saints we have engaged in 24-7 prayer and gathered for prayer and worship at the joint Beacon service at the Cathedral.
This year will be very different and yet very similar. Similar in that we will be encouraging each other to commit to pray over these 11 days, and to connect with others around the Diocese. We are planning to begin this on May 21st with an online prayer service on Ascension Day.
We will then join with Thy Kingdom Come daily reflections online, and there will be activities for children and youth. The members of our church family who do not have internet access will be posted a booklet of daily readings and prayers. Like last year, we will be doing a 24-hour prayerathon. On May 31st we will be celebrating Pentecost, as All Saints, and with the Beacon Service at which Bishop Sophie will be preaching.
Plans are coming together…so look out for more information soon.
From our Parish Representatives
There are so many people and situations to pray for at this time: personal, national and international, but can we please encourage you to continue to pray for the vacancy at church and our future new incumbent.
Many of us were understandably disappointed when we couldn’t advertise our vacancy at the start of the New Year as we had hoped. Of course God already knew then what was about to happen before any of us had even heard of Covid-19 or social distancing .
The timing was in His hands.
When we finally come to a point in time when the Diocese give us the green light to advertise for a new incumbent, we will most likely need to review all our existing documentation.
It is quite possible that in the light of this challenging and unusual experience, we may decide we want a slightly different emphasis on the person specification. Or maybe we won’t?
Whoever comes, as the next vicar of All Saints, will find us in a different place post Covid-19 than had it never occurred.
God is in control and He will be working in the life of our future incumbent as they experience this season, just as He is working in all our lives - individually and as a church family. The timing remains in His hands.
Michael Gordon & Alison Fletcher
Parish Representatives
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, has launched a free national phone line as a simple new way to bring worship and prayer into people’s homes while church buildings are closed because of the coronavirus. Daily Hope offers music, prayers and reflections as well as full worship services from the Church of England at the end of a telephone line. The line is available 24 hours a day on 0800 804 8044 . It has been set up particularly with those unable to join online church services during the period of restrictions in mind.