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Yesterday's Service...

I big thank you to all those who came yesterday, and attended our first service in well over a year! I think I counted about 40 people in total, so a nice number to start back with, whilst also not so many that we couldn't still "socially distance" to some extent. I know we said the the service would be recorded and put on YouTube...and our brand new "production team" are working on this and the video will be online soon. Keep your eye on our YouTube page or, better still, subscribe to the page so you get notified automatically when it is uploaded. In time we will get better at this, and the video will hopefully be uploaded on Sunday afternoon.

Yesterday was a great beginning as we started back meeting in-person - with some things being very familiar but many things quite different. As you know, lots of groups are juggling this same dynamic at the moment, whether that's businesses, community groups, schools, sports facilities, cafes etc...I don't believe that we are wrong to follow similar health precautions as a church family when we meet together (even though they are very restrictive of the way that we can interact)...indeed, I think the church should be exemplary in our ongoing commitment to protect ourselves and (more importantly), one another, whenever we meet together in a large group - especially in those contexts where it's likely that we'll welcome visitors joining us for the first time (as happened yesterday). I fear that churches services could so easily become "super-spreader" events and, beyond just protecting one-another, we also have a responsibility to guard and protect our local community and our family networks as well. So thank you for complying with our request yesterday that we sanitise hands at the door, wear face-masks unless seated, offer only "elbow-bumps" to others, and spread out in the church as much as possible.

It will take time for all of us to get used to meeting again in-person. I, for one, felt like I had forgotten how to preach!! My thoughts were very jumbled yesterday so if I made no sense at all then I'm very sorry...and if you were in any way encouraged through our Bible reflection yesterday then I'll take that as proof of God's grace and favour! I also completely forgot to bring the "Thanyou Book" for Peter into the hall afterward...so I'll give it another go next week!!

As I mentioned yesterday, as we get back into the habit of meeting regularly in-person, we will need to rebuild a number of the teams that serve the church...please see below!

Lighthouse...

Firstly, we need more people who are willing to spend perhaps one Sunday per month in our creche/pre-school/primary group, called "Lighthhouse". This is a small group of about 4-5 children that is held in the church hall and we have people willing to plan a morning of input and activity for them, but each week that person will need a helper. Would you consider offering to help in this way? You would need to do a small amount of paperwork so we can apply for a "DBS check" for you and, once every three years you would need to attend a half-day Safeguarding training event.

Teens Group...

We don't know what we are going to call our "Teens Group" yet - we just know that we need one! There are about 5-6 secondary-aged young people who have outgrown the "Lighthouse" group...we want to create a weekly space for them on Sunday mornings that is open and accepting, yet which also clearly helps to ground them in God's Word. We want to see them challenged and equipped to build their lives on His truth, not their truth (or anyone else's!). We would like to build a growing team of people who might, once a month, be willing to support another leader who we will have pre-prepared some activities and discussion for the group to engage with. Again, for Safeguarding, we would need to ask you to complete a small amount of paperwork, and attend a half-day training course once every three years.

Cleaning Team...

As we start making regular use again of the building, we would love to find a number of people who will volunteer once a month to run a vacuum-cleaner round the church and hall, then also dust/polish as required and mop the kitchen and toilet floors in the hall. You would need to confirm with Pam when in the week you were going to do it, then collect a key from her on your way (then return it on your way back). In the past people have doubled up with others to make this task a bit more manageable...so four/five groups of two people would be a great Cleaning Team as we return to our buildings.

Thankyou...

We don't want to even try to "hit the ground running" as we move back toward a more traditional pattern of church life. But there are some things that will become very hard work very quickly, if only a few people are helping. So please don't let yourself become over-busy...but at the same time if there are some ways, mentioned above, that you know you could help then please please let me know.

Godbless,
DAVE

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