It’s wonderful to be able to open the church this week for individual private prayer. I conducted a risk assessment provided by the diocese to ensure the church is as safe as possible for visitors. If you do come into church it will look a bit different! The pews and children’s area have been cordoned off, and you’re directed to only use the side chapel, which is easier for us to keep clean. Chairs have been removed to allow for social distancing.
I’m cleaning all the high-touch surfaces daily when I open up in the morning. There’s hand sanitiser to use when you enter and leave. We ask that there are only two people in church at any one time, or one household. If you’d like to use a Bible, bring your own, as we’ve been asked to put away books and leaflets. There are some prayer leaflets available, but these need to be taken home if you handle one.
Candles can be lit on the candle stand, but you might want to bring your own matches. Apologies but the church toilet is currently closed to help with infection control. The church is closed on Mondays for cleaning. A big thank you to those who have offered to do a weekly clean on a rota basis, in the short term whilst we are in this period of pandemic.
We’ll review the health and safety measures regularly, so do let me know if you have any concerns or can see where there might be improvements. Thank you to all those who have offered suggestions already. Do pray that all will continue to go well and that the church will be a safe haven for all. And I do hope some of you, might stop by to enjoy the peace of the little church on the beach.
Collect
Faithful Creator,
whose mercy never fails: deepen our faithfulness to you and to your living Word,
Jesus Christ our Lord.
Readings
Jeremiah 20.7-13, Psalm 69.8-11,12-17,18-20, Romans 6.1b-11, Matthew 10.24-39
Chris Petty’s funeral
A reminder that Sandy, Chris’s widow, welcomes you to join the webcast facility for the funeral service of Christopher Petty, which is to take place at 3:00 p.m. on Thursday 25th June 2020 at the H. D. Tribe Chapel, Broadwater.
The webcast usually goes live about five minutes before the start of the service. The order of service is here if you would like to print it out.
Password – petty25c
Prayers for Steve
Steve Emerson will be commissioned as an authorised lay minister by Bishop Martin on Wednesday 25th. This is in anticipation of his ordination which has been deferred from June 27th until October 3rd because of the pandemic. Please do hold him in your prayers in this next step in his vocation journey and we look forward to his ministry with us here at the Church of the Good Shepherd.
Afternoon Study and Fellowship Group
Wednesday 24th June, 3.30pm to 5pm
Where Love is the Way: the Jesus Movement Today
with Michael Curry
Michael Curry explores how the Jesus Movement has the power to turn the world upside down. Jesus calls us to strive for a world where no child suffers, no one goes to bed hungry, no one is abandoned and alone. A world where love is the way when we take the Jesus Movement seriously. Michael Curry is the primate of the Episcopal Church who electrified the world with his royal wedding sermon. This will be the last afternoon study group for a few weeks. Do come and join in. Here is the link.
10 o’clock Rock
See the activity sheet which is available to download for our children. Do share any of your Sunday school creations with us on the Facebook group. We’d love to see them! Thanks to Daisy.
A picture for our Gospel this week.
Revd Jess writes:
‘It was the last verse which started this iPad painting ... someone pulling tomorrow's troubles or worries on top of today's and getting compressed and invaded by them, so that they come between that person and the birds of the air, and the lilies of the field as representatives or metaphors for the kingdom of Heaven. The person on the right is considering the lilies of the field and the birds of the air, which is lifting them up.’
Thank you to Jess for sharing this with us.
And finally...
A big thank you to Chris Thompson who has provided a new colourful floral display in the sanctuary to greet visitors.
Do give me a call if you need any support, or just a chat.