To keep you posted….
I am sure that all of us have been keenly awaiting news about how we will be released from the lockdown restrictions. A simple reading of recent Government and Regional guidelines, plus the guidelines on good practice from our Bishops, makes it very clear that sadly we cannot resume our normal pattern of worship, probably for some time to come. I am sure this is not the news we would like to be hearing - but we have to stay safe.
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Behind the scenes, members of the Standing Committee of the Chaplaincy Council have been meeting on Zoom to plan a sensible way forward to ensure pastoral care and liturgical material in various forms for our spiritual growth and well-being continues, in what is proving to be a really challenging time for all of us.
At our most recent meeting (Fri 1 May), we all felt that as we have a clear duty of care towards everyone who comes to our churches, things should not be rushed. There needs to be further consultation and advice, and we need to wait for instructions from FEREDE (the Government Agency that regulates non-Catholic Churches), before we can agree on a date for our first service.
It is also very clear that we will need your full support and co-operation when we do meet, so that we can comply to the law in order for our services to take place. I am confident that you will all gladly play your part when the time comes – but it will not be easy! The requirement of two-metre social distancing, for example, will be a real problem in some of our centres, let alone arranging for suitable cleaning of the churches before and after we meet. You would rightly expect nothing less from those who have the responsibility for these things!
We will let you know as soon as possible about what services we will be able to offer, which I am sure will be a great joy and blessing for us all. Fr Nigel
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Pastoral Care in the Chaplaincy continues
Please be assured that while we may be unable to meet for worship or socially, pastoral care and concern for one another, is still very much part of our life together. Please make contact should you simply need a chat, prayerful support or just quiet reassurance at this difficult time. Our Reader, Caroline, and Churchwardens, John and Jen are also available:
Fr Nigel - 608 403 024 - vicar.costadelsol@gmail.com
Caroline - 697 867 377 - carriemachome@gmail.com
Jen - 622 252 074 - jennetsutton@gmail.com
John – 655 342 874 - Jrbafc@aol.com
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Sharing page on our website
Sharing - is the title of a new page on our website: https://www.st-andrewscofe-spain.org
Where we can share poems, reflections, meditations or stories to engage our spirituality.
We all of have different ways of engaging with our spirituality. Whether it is through formal worship, sharing Communion, worshiping through song or through words. This new page gives us the opportunity to offer each other those words of hope and companionship, during this time of lock-down.
It may be that you wish to contribute or to comment on a contribution by others. This can be done by sending an email with your words to: jrbafc@aol.com
We will try to update this page within 24 hours of receiving your input.
May this be a blessing to us all.
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Supporting your Chaplaincy during this difficult time:
As the period of lockdown continues and looks set to be extended for a further period, there is now some concern about our Chaplaincy finances. Jen & John, our Churchwardens, would encourage those who are able, to consider making a bank transfer for their stewardship giving.
We are so grateful to all who have made recent offerings by bank transfers – these will help us enormously. They fully support Billy Dawson’s (our Stewardship Officer) suggestion that all who use the Stewardship envelopes can continue to put their stewardship in them and bring them along when we are next able to gather together. But as the period of lockdown is now far longer than anyone expected, whether we meet together or not, there are still monthly bills to meet and as time goes on, the chaplaincy’s finances will be more and more challenged, therefore, they suggest that perhaps now is time to consider supporting our ministry by using a bank transfer instead, either to our Spanish or UK accounts
Spain:
Bank: Unicaja
Account Name: Iglesias Anglicana De La Costa Del Sol Este
Swift/BIC:UCJAES2MXXX
IBAN: ES39 2103 0194 6500 3001 0341
Please note these important changes to our UK account details:
UK:
Bank: Barclays Bank plc
Account name: Diocese in Europe Fund
Account number: 40317039
Sort code: 20-06-13
IBAN: GB16 BUKB 2006 1340 3170 39
Swiftbic: BUKBGB22
Please include the reference: CdSEast
It is very important that you include the reference CdSEast – otherwise any offering may get lost in this account, which serves every Chaplaincy in the Diocese!
Thank you for your continued practical support. Fr Nigel
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