Dear Church Friends,
Have you managed to keep cool this week? It has not been easy. Although it is wonderful to have the sunny, dry weather, most of us are not used to such high temperatures.
Following the move to Step 4 of the Coronavirus road map last Monday, you no longer need inform the Acting Church Secretary of your intention to attend worship each week, although we will still have to maintain a register of those who attend. The Church’s Risk Assessment will be under constant review. If there is a rapid rise in local infections, we may need to adapt the way we worship and to return to a shorter 20 minute service without any singing.
The Elders offer the following advice for those who are attending Sunday Worship.
For the time being the format of the service will change slightly.
From 25th July, we will not immediately return to a 1 hour service but ask worship leaders to aim for between 30 and 45 minutes duration, including 3 or 4 hymns, rather than the usual 5.
Although there is no legal requirement for worshippers to use a face covering in church, we feel that whilst in the Church and during worship it would be courteous, and respectful of the need to keep each other safe, if we continued, for the time-being, to wear face-masks.
We will resume singing our hymns, but again we feel it would contribute to keeping each other safe if we sing softly behind our masks. If singing behind your mask is uncomfortable or causes distress, you may remove your mask for singing, but please sing softly and do not project your voice.
We will set aside an area of greater distancing using the pews at the very back of the church as a ‘Safe Zone’, for those who are anxious about close contact. Please respect the need of some who might wish to retain social distancing. Elsewhere in the church, we request that people sit at a suitable distance from anyone not in their bubble. The clockwise one-way system will continue.
The offertory plate will not be passed round during the service. Please put your contribution in one of the baskets placed on the rear and side tables.
The hymn books, including large print books will be placed in the pews and remain there after the end of the service.
At the conclusion of worship, please wait for the stewards to invite each row in turn to leave the sanctuary, with those staying for coffee going straight to the hall and those not staying going to the main door. When leaving the church or moving into the Dawson Hall, please give people space and try to avoid any crowding.
I went on holiday on Monday – well a girl can dream! – actually I was invited to play golf at Knott End Golf Club, so it felt like a holiday! It is a beautiful course and on Monday the weather was benign, so everywhere was very tranquil and peaceful. The course is situated next to the mouth of the River Wyre estuary with a view across to Fleetwood. The lifeboat was moored in the river; the Knott End to Fleetwood Ferry made trips to and fro until the tide became too low to continue; the birds were singing; the Lake District mountains as well as the hills to the East were visible and although it was a hot day there were cooling breezes. In order to keep the sun off my head during the four hours I was out there, I did take the precaution whilst walking, to shelter under the umbrella attached to my trolley. Although I was tired afterwards, the experience of being in the natural world uplifted me once again and refreshed my batteries. Thanks be to the Lord.
For many weeks, I have been writing about how the natural world has healing powers and being outside is calming and therapeutic for people and I recently came across the following words written by Rachel Carson who was a biologist in the mid 1900s.
“Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts. There is symbolic and actual beauty in the migration of the birds, the ebb and flow of the tides, the folded bud ready for spring. There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature- the assurance that dawn comes after night and spring after the winter.“
Thoughts from Chrissy Greenslade
Sometimes things can happen which cause sadness, shock and pain,
They make us stop and wonder if we can face life again.
But deep inside God’s power brings strength and helps us through,
We’re guided in so many ways in everything we do.
When we’re confused and weary but we know we’ve tried our best
We’ll keep our faith, then we will find that God will do the rest,
For as his power’s within us, we can turn our lives around,
And find a new beginning where fresh hope and love abound.
We’ll face whatever happens, knowing that support is near,
With courage and acceptance, doubt and fear will disappear.
For hope and positivity will fill our days with light,
And we will find that, after all, the future’s looking bright.
Our Worship on Sunday 25th July at 10.45am will be led by Stuart Gay
There is no longer a requirement to inform the Acting Church Secretary of your intention to attend worship each week.
Our Worship on Sunday 1st August at 10.45am will be led by Val Atkinson and will include Communion.
If possible, please bring your own individual portion of bread and wine (squash or water) for communion services. There will be some individual prepacked cups with wafers available for anyone who forgets.
You are invited to Afternoon Tea
at Jim’s Manse
5 Elm Close
Poulton-Le-Fylde. FY6 8FU
Monday 2nd August 2pm-5pm
No need to book – just turn up. If the weather lets us down then please make your way to Elswick Church where we will have a roof over our heads!
Let us pray
Dear Lord Jesus, Be with us all as we continue to do Your work in our church. Refresh us with Your Holy Spirit and pour Your Love on us. Amen
Please join me in saying the Grace together.
May the Grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Love of God and the Fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all, now and evermore. Amen
God Bless you all Ruth
