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Pastoral Letter - May 2020

Dear friends,

Thank you to everyone who sent Christine photos of their Easter crosses. There's a lot of talent out there! The crosses are all beautiful, so varied and really creative. They have been put into a slideshow:



If you enjoyed being creative for Easter, why not do it again? Rhona North, one of our local preachers, has suggested we do something for Pentecost. How would you depict that? Flames? A dove? Something else? Let your creative juices flow and we’ll see what comes!

Looking to Pentecost prompts me to say a word or two about future plans. One or two people have been asking about possible timetables for a return to our buildings and collective worship. The Circuit Leadership Team is currently meeting fortnightly (by Zoom) and giving thought to this. The District Superintendents meet weekly (also by Zoom), which gives us opportunity to hear about life in other circuits during lockdown, and some of the plans being made for the future.

The common theme across the circuits is that we do not expect to be able to meet for worship for quite some time, and that, even when lockdown begins to be lifted it will not be straightforward, with each circuit and each local church needing to take note of our particular circumstances. In addition to the uncertainties around how restrictions might gradually be eased, and how the Methodist Church nationally might respond to this, factors for churches to consider will include:

  • the willingness and ability of preachers and worship leaders to attend to lead worship;
  • the willingness and ability of stewards and other office holders to take up responsibilities;
  • the willingness and ability of members of congregations to attend, in the light of likely continuing needs for those at risk to isolate;
  • the space, layout and management of our buildings with the likely need to continue some social distancing;
  • other practical issues around transport, serving communion, refreshments, singing, hymnbooks, etc.

Bearing in mind these factors, it seems likely that different churches will return in different ways at different times, and that there will be continuing need for shared material to be available, both online and on paper, for some considerable time.

There may also be some natural movement of those who are less at risk to gather for a time with others, not necessarily at their normal place of worship, and once we have some gathering, it may be possible to live stream for those still needing to isolate, or unable to meet for other reasons.

In the meantime, can I say thank you to all who are playing their part in keeping us connected, not least our pastoral visitors and pastoral secretaries, as well as those involved with magazines, facebook pages and websites. Also those managing our resources, both treasurers still paying bills and those keeping a watchful eye on our buildings. Your work is much appreciated.

And can I encourage us all to keep praying for one another, keep watching over one another in love, keep giving generously, both to our local church and other charities (Christian Aid Week this week), and keep open to God as we journey faithfully through this time of challenge and change.

As we come towards Wesley Day (May 24th) I’ll finish with the final words of John Wesley in March 1791, which you can find now in Andrew Pratt’s hymn in Singing the Faith 610. Wesley said, and we can sing, “The best of all is, God is with us!” Dying, living, locked-down, limited, separated yet connected, “The best of all is, God is with us!”

Blessings
Nick


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