Twenty-Sixth Emailing - Being Church in the Context of Covid 19

 UPDATES AND USEFUL INFORMATION   (7^th October 2020)

 

 

Dear All

 

Just a reminder – do let others know that this information exists.  Please pass it on to anyone you think might find it (or any part of it) useful, and who may not be getting it.

 

It is posted on the Synod website and on the blog each week, so there is no need to get the reminder email to access it.  All past emailings and related documents remain on the Synod coronavirus blog - https://urceasternsynod.blogspot.com/

 

Meantime, be careful and stay safe.

 

Best wishes

 

Paul

 

 

MOVING ON

 

As most of you will know by now, I am – somewhat unexpectedly - to leave my post as Eastern Synod Moderator at the end of 2020 in order to take up a three year appointment as Moderator of the National Synod of Scotland.

 This has come as a great surprise to me, as it may to you. I was fully expecting to remain as the Moderator of the Eastern Synod until retirement. However, I was asked to consider this relatively short term role in Scotland and, after prayerful consideration, met with the discernment group on Monday 28th September. That was an extremely positive meeting and I felt a strong sense of call.

 I have loved being the Moderator of the Eastern Synod and will be extremely sorry to leave earlier than planned. Of course, it has had its ups and downs but there have been far more good things than difficult ones. I have had some great people to work with – originally, and for some time, Peter Ball as Mission and Training Officer, and Henry Playle, as Children’s and Youth Development Officer, more recently Lindsey Brown and Nicola Grieves in those roles; great office staff, currently Jane Langford-Horder, Penelope Davies-Brown, Sue Drane, David Smith and Shannon Craig, and, previously, Linda Hack, Andrew Perkins and Gordon Heald. I have worked with three Synod Clerks, three Synod Treasurers, and four Pastoral Convenors etc. etc. – some great ministers, elders and church members. I will miss you all, but feel, despite the challenges of Covid 19, that I leave the Synod in a good place. God’s blessings on you on all your doing.

 

SYNOD MEETING

 

The October Synod meeting on Saturday (10^th) will be by Zoom, and will run from 10am to 1pm.  All welcome, as Synod meetings are not restricted to those who are members of the meeting.  

 

In order to join the meeting, please follow these instructions:

Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/99252416138?pwd=aHBFVWNQTWhGY0QrYTlZWUl5N0hUUT09

Meeting ID: 992 5241 6138 

Passcode: 326194

 

Dial in:            0330 088 5830

                        0203 481 5237

                        0208 080 6592

To join via the internet, you should just need to click on the link, though the password, if needed, as above.

To join by phone dial in on any of the above numbers – note: your normal call rate will apply.

When you call, you will be asked for the meeting id.

Key that in followed by # - so, 992 5241 6138 #

You will then be asked for your participant number. Ignore that, just press #

You will then be asked for the password. 

Key that in followed by # - so, 326 194 #

 

You should then be in the meeting.

 

AGENDA (slightly updated from the papers)

 

10am – Constitution of Synod and Opening Worship

          Ministerial Movements, Welcomes, Apologies

          Minutes of the previous meeting and any matters arising

 

10.20am – A new church – an introduction to Northstowe

 

10.25am – Moderator’s Address

 

10.45am – Church Lockdown Stories

 

11am – Revd. Philip Brooks – URC Secretary for Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations

 

11.20am – Thinking about Intergenerational Matters – Nicola Grieves

 

11.30am – Break

 

11.45am – Committee Reports

    (Executive, Mission Committee, Pastoral Committee, Resources Committee)

 

12.30pm – Link-up with Zimbabwe – Revd. Lydia Neshangwe

 

12.40pm. – Closing Worship

 

1pm. - Close

 

We would appreciate it if everyone joining the meeting could do so using their own name. Though it is not absolutely crucial, attendance records are helpful – and ‘Grandad’s iPad’ doesn’t really tell us who you are. Better still, if you can, please add in your church name.

 

The guest speaker will be the Revd. Philip Brooks, the URC’s Secretary for Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations. There will also be an address from the Moderator, some news on how some churches are coping with Covid and reminders of available resources. Papers will go out as usual, but we will also make the agenda and key documents available through this briefing next week and the blog and/or the website.

 

If you have any questions or issues you would like us to address at the Synod meeting, particularly Covid related, please contact the Clerk or the Moderator, not later than 12 noon on Friday 9^th. 

 

Some things may be more easily addressed in this briefing – and we do try to cover questions that are raised on the basis that if someone has asked it, others are probably facing the same issue, but have not gone round to asking.  

 

HOLY HABITS ROADSHOW – OR (AS THEY ARE) ONLINE TRAINING

Our new series of training mini videos is now under way.

 

This week Paul takes a Biblical look at the Breaking of Bread – you should find it easily (once it has been uploaded, hopefully, but not guaranteed, on Thursday morning), if you go to the Synod YouTube channel - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtYncbpZJ4PKBBrjrcXBHrw?view_as=subscriber

 

SYNOD YOUTUBE CHANNEL

To make it easier to find items on the Synod YouTube channel, the uploaded videos have now been sorted into playlists, so you should be able to find things more easily.

There are playlists for Story Time for Under 5s; All Age Worship Reflections; Holiday Club at Home; Worship Roadshows; and Holy Habits.

 

ALL AGE WORSHIP

Families at Home – Do not worry

 Story time for the under-fives - 

This is the day

Story Time

Singing together

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cccJhMVFrLs

When you are sleeping

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGUMr6bSLxU

Reading watching and listening together

Paul's letter to the Philippians, Chapter 4 verses 4 to 6

 Do not worry – All age reflection with Nicola

All Age Reflection - Don't worry

 

Praying together

This is the day that the Lords has made!

Psalm 118:24 -‘This is the day that the Lord has made we will rejoice and be glad in it’.

Some days are happy sunny days and other days are rather stormy but whatever kind of day we have we can remember that God made it and we kind find reasons to be glad.

 

Make a sun and a storm cloud.  You can do this using a paper plate or using card.  Use paints or felt pens to colour them in.  Cut strips of paper to go on the bottom each shape.  Hang the Sun and cloud in the window or somewhere where you will see them as you pass by.

Write on the strips of paper your prayers.  Write or draw something that has made you happy on the  strips of paper on the sun  and on the strips on the cloud write or draw something that has been difficult or has made you sad.

Spend some time looking at the sun and the cloud and thank God for the happy sunny days and then take some time to ask God to help you in the stormy times.

 

Bubble Wrap prayers   

Using some bubble wrap.  Take it in turns to tell God something that is worrying you can do this quietly or say it out loud.  Pop one of the bubbles and as you do give your worry to God.

 

 

 

 

 Creating together

Worry Dolls

Worry dolls are small handmade dolls made from matchsticks; or a clothes peg; or sticks; or lolly stick; or pipe cleaner; or card, each wrapped in clothing made from wool, cotton embroidery thread and small pieces of fabric.

We can tell your worries, sorrow and fears to the doll and place it under our pillow when we go to sleep. It is good to tell God our worries and a worry doll can help us to remember that we can tell God our worries anytime day or night.

Here are a few simple ideas made from match sticks, pipe cleaner, lolly sticks and clothes pegs. 

 

 

 

When you are wrapping the wool or thread dip the end of the thread in glue as you start to wrap and press down and then again to secure off the thread do the same again.  Using a glue stick is less messy as you can control the amount of glue.

 

 An alternative idea, paint a peg doll

 

 

 

Have fun creating!

 

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY: training, fellowship and more…

Synod Meeting online     Saturday 10^th October    10am-1pm

·       Synod Quiz Night online Monday 19^th October     7 for 7.30pm start           Register yourself / your team with Lindsey

·       Elders Training online     Tuesday 3^rd November   10 - 11.30am                     Sign up with Lindsey

·       Discipleship Day online   Saturday 7^th November  10am-1pm                         Sign up with Lindsey

·       Elders Training online     Weds 18^th November      7-7.30pm                            Sign up with Lindsey

 

JUSTICE MATTERS

Reset the Debt: The Joint Public Issues Team (JPIT) have now launched their jubilee campaign.  Get your church involved in campaigning for justice for those in our communities who have accrued unavoidable and crushing debt over the last 6 months.  Find resources, the report and stories which can be used in your services on the website:  https://resetthedebt.uk/

On the same day this campaign launched I read that Rolex (the luxury watch brand) have reported booming sales in the UK over the same period: we live in a very unequal society!

‘Money Makes Change’ Pledge

Is your church looking for ways it can make a difference through its money?  Watch this video, go to the resources page on the website and sign the pledge, which gives you a framework to look at how you connect faith, money and ethics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vU-Uo9LO-1g&feature=emb_title&fbclid=IwAR0ksOGSFqxp__ZkaaFsoXFcvTxD6_YP8TyI30zOy7N4Hyq_80uG5D3By9A

Legacies of Slavery

Please see the letter on this matter from our Synod Clerk, Keir Hounsome, which you will find at https://urceasternsynod.blogspot.com/2020/10/legacies-of-slavery.html

on the work that has been done so far by the United Reformed Church.  At this time we would particularly draw your attention to the new webpages full of resources related to this theme, and particularly relevant right now as we have just entered Black History Month, although don’t feel constrained to only use it in October!  https://urc.org.uk/legacies-of-slavery.html

 

KEEPING ALIVE THE RUMOR OF GOD – BOOK RECOMMENDATION

 

 

For information on Martin Camroux’s new book – including details of how to obtain a copy – please go to https://urceasternsynod.blogspot.com/2020/10/keeping-alive-rumor-of-god-martin.html

 

 

URC INFO

 

All the latest information (and links to resources) from the United Reformed Church is on the Coronavirus Advice page of the denomination’s website –

https://urc.org.uk/coronavirus.html

 

 

A PRAYER FROM REVD. JENNY MILLS – Secretary for Education & Learning

(Daily Devotions – 7/10/20)

 

Loving God,

we inhabit a a world that is the result of all that has gone before:

a world of good and bad, kind and hurtful.

As we seek to live authentic, God-focused lives,

we pray that we may choose our words carefully,

using those that build up and encourage.

We pray for strength as we share your love,

in many and varied ways, with the hurting world in which we live.

Amen.

 

 

 

Finally, just a reminder from Lindsey, Nicola and myself that we are still there for you and, if there is anything you think we might offer, or you just want a chat, then do contact us:

 

 

Our prayers and our best wishes,

 PAUL                      moderator@urceastern.org.uk     07534 274668

 LINDSEY                training@urceastern.org.uk          07801 352340

 NICOLA                  cydo@urceastern.org.uk              07515 721172

 

 STAY SAFE - PAUL