Dear All

This weekend sees a big easing of the restrictions across the country except if you live in Leicester of course!

In recent months our parting words have been “Stay Safe” those words convey our wish to each other. They are also a reminder that the risk of infection has not gone away. As permission is granted to ‘open up’, if we move too slowly we are deemed cautious, if we move too quickly we are cavalier. Whatever action we take it must be considered.

The guidance from the Government sets the boundaries, the guidelines, but local context determines the detail and so there is variation in interpretation and application. Clarity and consistency not always obvious. Some churches will open, some will stay closed and say “Not yet” and all will be correct.

As we calculate capacity with 2 metre social distancing, consider ‘first come first served’ and/or booked seats, a register of attendees with contact details, one way systems, accept no singing or socialising and a shorter service, it is not opening for worship as we knew it.

The Government in its guidelines remind us that ‘people aged 70 or older, regardless of medical conditions, are encouraged to stay at home as much as possible and to minimise contact with others outside their household.’

Our personal decisions affect those around us, increasing and diminishing risk to ourselves and to each other.

In time, and with the hindsight of history, we will know if we got it right but we ask your prayers and patience as we continue to plan for the safe reopening of our churches.

Readings for the week commencing 5th July – Bread of Life

Remember you are never alone. We are never more than a phone call or email away. We Please keep in touch and keep safe.

Peace be with you   

Stephen

Dear All

I am sure many of you are asking does the Prime Minister’s announcement on Tuesday mean our church will be opening on the 5^th July. The simple answer, at the time of writing, is no because we are waiting for the Government to publish the detailed guidance of what is permitted. Denominational advice and guidance will follow, then the completion of Risk Assessments, signage, PPE etc and as we have observed with schools and shops etc this takes time and resource.

The Circuit Staff will be reviewing our draft plans for reopening the Circuit Churches against the new guidance  and we will update you in due course. Please pray for us in our planning to create COVID Safe churches.

This welcome announcement by the Government comes just before The Methodist Conference, our governing body, meeting virtually from the 25^th June to 2^nd July. This means all our senior staff are attending the Conference and initially it may delay the issue of guidance. Like all of us they only have 24 hours in a day and these matters cannot be rushed. It is important we show patience and pray for wisdom for our leaders.

The Farewell Service planned for 26th July has been cancelled. The Circuit Stewards are asking that anyone wishing to contribute to leaving gifts for Rev Sylvester and/or Caroline indicate to whom they are donating, make cheques payable to South Fylde Methodist Circuit and send them to Katharine Davies, 8 Royal Troon Court, Kirkham, PR4 2TF no later than 10th July 2020. They hope to advise how we mark their leaving a.s.a.p. Sylvester will conclude his work in the Circuit in July and Carolyn in August.

Readings for the week commencing 28th June – Sent by the Father

Remember you are never alone. We are never more than a phone call or email away. We Please keep in touch and keep safe.

Peace be with you    Stephen

Dear All

As well as our usual information I include a prayer written by Rev Paul Davis, Chair of the Lancashire District and Superintendent of our Circuit.

In this time across our county and country we pray for the following, for the

Leaders of our government at national and local level. Agricultural community, for farmers and farm workers and all who produce our food. National Health Service and all who work in it and all other key workers. Care Homes, their staff and residents. Airlines, and all who work in travel, hospitality and deliveries. Schools, colleges and universities, pupils, teachers and students. Homes of our loved ones we cannot be with at the moment. Isolated and the lonely and the unwell. Remembering of those we have lost. Encouragement as we emerge from this in a better shape to be servants of the gospel.

Gracious God, we offer these and all our prayers in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Saturday 20^th June is World Refugee Day

Readings for the week commencing 14^th June – The Glory of the Lamb

*Not everyone will have a *STF hymn book so we have put the first line of the hymn alongside so that you can look it up in another hymn book or google it or play it on You Tube.

If you would like some background on the readings and points to ponder please go to https://www.methodist.org.uk/our-faith/the-bible/a-word-in-time/  

You may want to read all three elements at once or others may prefer to space them out during the day – breakfast, dinner and tea. What works for you?  Some may need to set an alarm on their phone so that they don’t forget, while others will not be able to do anything else until readings are read and prayers shared. You will find a pattern that works for you and gives a framework for your day.

Following the recent announcement to allow churches to open for private prayer from the 15th June the Superintendents of the eleven Lancashire Circuits met to decide a unified response.

We have decided that at this point we will not be opening the Methodist Churches across Lancashire for private prayer even though we will have the permission of the government to do so.

There are several reasons for this: –

1. The Methodist Church in Britain has decided not to make any change to its position until after the Methodist Conference has met at the end of June so there is no change in the guidance from the Connexion.
2. Methodist Churches are places where we gather in community to worship and pray and not a place where we commonly go as individuals. We recognise there has been an increase in recent years for our buildings to be used for 24/7 prayer, but this has often been in specific locations.
3. The risk assessment for every church has not been carried out.
4. There are cleaning, distancing, and movement through the building issues that will need to be in place for when we resume to meet together, and these have not been resolved at this stage.
5. We need to ensure that those opening and managing our buildings are not those in the ‘highest risk’ categories, and we can’t be sure of that at this stage.
6. The Reinfection rate (R Number) in the North West is the highest in the country at the moment and we remain cautious about the spread of infection in our region.

Paul Davis 10^th June 2020

We hope to have more positive news soon and will keep you notified of any changes.