Thirtieth Emailing - Being Church in the Context of Covid 19

UPDATES AND USEFUL INFORMATION   (4^th November 2020)

 

Dear All

 

Greetings as we move into a new lockdown with all that means.  I hope the information and resources we provide each week continue to have helpful elements.

 

This briefing is posted on the Synod website and on the blog each week (though please note that this week it won’t go on to the website until next Monday), 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/

 

Best wishes

 

Paul

 

 

PLACES OF WORSHIP AND THE NOVEMBER LOCKOWN

Just for clarity, and I am writing, so far as I know before the vote, assuming the new lockdown ‘rules’ come into play next Thursday, one important implication for us is that church buildings may not be used for services, other than funerals, for the duration of this period of lockdown.  I realise that I am telling some of you what you will already know, but thought I should make sure the word is around.  Weddings/civil partnerships are not permitted.  What is permitted is defined in point 5 of the government advice -  https://www.gov.uk/guidance/new-national-restrictions-from-5-november

Buildings may be open for private prayer, though most URCs would not normally be made available in that way.

For still more information, please go to https://urceasternsynod.blogspot.com/2020/11/november-2020-lockdown.html

I might just add that, like other Synod Moderators, I very much warmed to the Welsh First Minister’s interview (on, I think Wednesday), when he said that he will be encouraging people to think about what is the right thing to do, rather than looking at rules and wondering how far they can be pushed.  I commend that attitude and ask all churches to follow that path rather than looking for loopholes and exceptions.  What we want is not to do what we can, but to keep people safe, and to model good practice.

 

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

This week Paul offers a Biblical/Theological look at Giving (Sharing Resources).

 

ALL AGE WORSHIP

Families at Home – Peace    (8^th November)

Resources for Remembrance

Story time for the under-fives – Peace

Peace

A gathering prayer

Rejoice in the Lord always.
Again we say rejoice.
Rejoice when all is going well.
Again we say rejoice.
Rejoice when storm clouds gather.
Again we say rejoice.
Rejoice in good times and bad.
Again we say rejoice.
Rejoice for the Lord is with you.
Again we say rejoice.
Rejoice for the Lord brings comfort and help.
Again we say rejoice.
Rejoice for the peace of God surrounds you.
Again we say rejoice.
Amen.

Singing together

Peace like a river

https://youtu.be/7it5W1FVtTs

 

Reflective music To listen too

Peace of God – Scripture Lullabies

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-nIrLGm4REc

 

Reading, watching and listening together

John 14:27

International Children’s Bible

²⁷ “I leave you peace. My peace I give you. I do not give it to you as the world does. So don’t let your hearts be troubled. Don’t be afraid.

 

The prayer of St Francis of Assis

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy.

O Master,
grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled, as to console;
to be understood, as to understand;
to be loved, as to love with all my soul.
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen.

Tusk Tusk - An  all age story for reflection  Read by Nicola

Tusk Tusk

Praying together

A meditation and prayer – Letting go and giving thanks

Make a fist and cross your arms think about something that upsets you or you are cross about. This could be something you are feeling yourself or something in the world.

As you sit, think about what your feeling might look like.  Imagine a colour, sound, taste, texture, and smell. Imagine the sensations of God coming in and turning those cross angry feelings into love.  Let yourself relax and unfold your arms.

Slowly unclench your hands and as you open your hand think about things to you want thank God for. As your hands are fully open lay them on your lap Be aware of your breathing in and out and imagine breathing in good things and breathing out bad.

 

A Prayer

Dear God help us to breath in of you,

Breathe in joy and breathe out worries,

breathe in peace and breathe out stress,

breathe in patience and breathe out impatience,

breathe in goodness and breathe out anger,

breathe in gentleness and breathe out hardness.  

Breath in calm and breath out anxiety.

Dear God, breathe through us today that we may know more of you.  

 

CHRISTINGLE – ON LINE?  AT HOME?

A conversation – Join Nicola on Zoom Friday 13^th November 2.30pm

Nicola Grieves is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83209719837

Meeting ID: 832 0971 9837

 

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

(email Lindsey training@urceastern.org.uk to register)

Walking the Way ‘Day’                  Saturday 7^th November                 10am-1pm    

A chance to focus our discipleship: looking up, joining in, reaching out.  A mixture of input, discussion and reflection, with breaks.

 

Trustee / Elders’ Training              Wednesday 18^th November          7.30-9pm            

An overview of our Call and responsibilities as trustees: suitable as an initial training or as a refresher

 

VISION AND CALL

The Fresh Expressions network are currently offering one-off Mission Shaped Ministry modules online, as either tasters or refreshers for those who may have done the whole course before.  Ideally they would like groups from churches to join, rather than individuals, as initiating and working through mission projects is inevitably a team exercise.  The Vision and Call module this week, led by Andrew Vertigan, was challenging and thought-provoking, and I would commend the other modules to church groups.

 

PARTNERSHIP WITH ZIMBABWE

Synod’s church twinning group met this week to share news and updates of our current support for one another.  As well as sharing regular prayer requests with one another, Christ Church Rayleigh have been able to provide their twin church Budiriro UPC with a borehole, solar pump and storage tank this year, in order to provide fresh water for the church and wider community.  What a blessing.  The Cornerstone in Southend has regular, prayerful, communication with the leadership – minister and Elders – and the Youth of Highfield UPC in Harare.  Maldon URC have good relations with the Clerk and his wife of Njube UPC, who are still without a minister, and have -in Bulawayo- suffered badly from this year’s drought: regular prayer in both directions helps to nourish this new twinning.  Epping URC share a prayer WhatsApp group with members of the congregation at Mbare UPC, and are able to give occasional financial support to the Church’s on-site school, which provides education to the very poorest in Harare.  We all spoke of how humbled we are by the churches’ concern for us all here in the UK, as they hear news of how the country has been affected by the virus and are sending prayers constantly.  We ask that you pray for our friends in Zimbabwe as they continue to face severe financial, social, health and climate challenges.  Do let Lindsey know if you want any updates on the situation and / or our Synod partnership, or visit the Synod Website page: https://www.urc-eastern.org.uk/mission-and-ministry/global-partnership (currently being updated).

 

CHURCHES WHO EMPLOY STAFF

On 31 October 2020—the day on which the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) was due to end—the UK government announced a one-month extension to the scheme in conjunction with a new “stay at home” mandate starting on 5 November 2020. The successor scheme to the CJRS, the Job Support Scheme (JSS), which was due to come into effect on 1 November 2020, has now been postponed until at least December 2020 (pending any extension to the lockdown timeline).

DETAILS OF EXTENDED CJRS

• The extended version of the CJRS, which originally began 20 April 2020, replicates the “furlough” measures that were in place between April and July 2020 in the United Kingdom (from August 2020, the scheme was amended by reducing the government’s contribution). It is slightly different as employees can now be furloughed on a part-time basis (this was only permitted when the government’s contribution was reduced). 
• The government will pay employees 80% of their salary for hours not worked (up to a maximum of £2,500). 
• Employers will only have to pay for employees’ National Insurance and employer pension contributions (for all of the salary, whether the hours are worked or not). Employees will be able to work part time and the employer will benefit from the CJRS for the hours not worked.
• Employers are entitled to top up their employees’ wages beyond the 80% figure if they wish to do so at their own expense. It is important for employers to remember that the scheme only covers hours not worked by an employee. Employers will be responsible for paying their employees for any hours worked according to the terms of their employment contract. As before, employers need to document the arrangements in writing.
• The government is due to provide updated guidance for employers on making claims under the extended CJRS shortly.

ELIGIBILITY

• All employers with a UK bank account and UK PAYE schemes are eligible for the CJRS.
• All employees who have been on their employers’ PAYE payroll since no later than 30 October 2020 can qualify for the CJRS.

Thanks to Morgan Lewis LLP for the full version of this information.

 

WEEK OF PRAYER FOR CHRISTIAN UNITY 2021

Material for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2021 is now available on the CTBI website: www.ctbi.org.uk/weekofprayer

This year resources are available for download only and printed versions will not be available to order. As you will see materials were prepared by the Monastic Community of Grandchamp in Switzerland. Their spirituality of prayer and silence is particularly appropriate during the current pandemic.

 

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 THE MODERATOR

Living God, Sustainer and Guide, as we enter a new period of lockdown, bless those affected by the virus and those affected by the implications of this new challenge in all sorts of ways.

Help all those who have difficult decisions to make to do so wisely.

 

Bless NHS staff and other key workers.

 

And help us to find the resilience we need as we struggle with the effects of the pandemic.

 

In these times, as always, help us to live in the light of your love.

 

In Jesus’ Name we pray.  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