Dear All
What can I say? We are in an unprecedented situation indeed.
May God sustain you in and through all that we are experiencing.
Many Scriptures have
come to mind these past few days, but the one I want to share is some words of
Paul to Timothy – for I know the one in whom I have put my trust, and I am
sure that he is able to keep guard until that day what I have entrusted to him (2
Timothy 1:12).
It is difficult to hold
on to hope in an apparently hopeless situation, but that’s our call – and we can,
and should, have confidence in God.
I have avoided giving
advice in a general way up to this point because, mostly, it would have changed
before it was issued. However, I have
had a number of specific inquiries – and that’s fine. I, and the office, are very happy to respond to
your inquiries. By now, most of the
answers to your likely questions are actually out there, but they are not always
easy to find. There is a lot of information
on the main URC website. Lindsey, our
Mission and Training Officer, is preparing a list of resources and suggestions,
which will be on the website, but we will also email round, together with any
other key bits of church-related advice over the next few days.
Like many, I have been
cancelling most things I expected to do in the immediate future, and that is
clearly going to continue, and we don’t know for how long. Any meetings or visits up to the end of April,
and very likely beyond, will probably be postponed or cancelled – but if
anyone, for whatever reason, would like a personal conversation with me, do
email and request it. We can set up for
Skype, WhatsApp, FaceTime – or even the phone!
For the moment, at
least, we are keeping the Synod Office open, but with some home working, so it
may be that the person you wish to speak to is not there on a particular
day. However, we should be able to get
them to call you back, and to respond to anything reasonably quickly. Email might be best in many circumstances as
it should go straight to the right person.
It is really weird that
church services across the Synod have been cancelled indefinitely – but, though
church buildings may be closing, the Church is still very much open for
business. Especially, I want to encourage
you that we pray our way through this thing. The Presidents of Churches Together in England
have issued a National Call to Prayer.
They ask that at 7pm. this coming Sunday (Mothering Sunday) we light a
candle and put it in the window of our home as a visible symbol of the light of
life, Jesus Christ, our source and hope in prayer. I would encourage you to do that. One of my colleagues has suggested to her
Synod that we might all pause for prayer at 7pm. each evening, perhaps just for
a couple of minutes, to pray. Again, I
encourage you to do that.
Let me conclude for the moment, with a
prayer offered by the URC’s General Secretariat: Lord Jesus,
In the midst of a storm, You said, ‘Peace be still.’
Bid our anxious fears subside,
Sustain your church in faith, hope and love, Bring our nation through this tumult,
Grant wisdom to those with heavy responsibilities,
In the midst of a storm, You said, ‘Peace be still.’
Bid our anxious fears subside,
Sustain your church in faith, hope and love, Bring our nation through this tumult,
Grant wisdom to those with heavy responsibilities,
And healing and hope to
those who are infected. Amen.
Take care,
PAUL
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