Bolton Methodist Church Through the Pandemic

Easter Morning 2021 dawned, it was the day we had been waiting for, for over a year. I woke up early to a hard frost and thought about all those who were preparing for sun rise services.

It was only the 2nd time this year that our building was opened up to worshippers. The Easter Cross and the Church had been suitably dressed for such a special day. Obviously, worship was very different from the usual; we were able to celebrate communion using covid-secure fellowship cups. It felt good to be back, as I reflected on the past year.

We have continued to stay in touch with each other by means of doorstep visits, phone calls and social media. When the rules allowed, we had a couple of social distancing walking groups organised by Margaret T. A monthly news bulletin is produced with news items, reminiscences, poems and of course prayers. David and Edwin looked after the building and Janet kept the finances up to date.

We have knitters and needle craft folk preparing shoe boxes filled with goodies destined for overseas as well as those struggling locally. We continue to support the foodbank which gave Heather and Stuart an excuse to leave the house to collect some very generous donations and briefly wave to people en route.

We put up displays in our windows situated in the porch, starting with Easter followed by Summer, Harvest time, Remembrance, Advent and Christmas followed with Winter, Lent. We remembered all Covid-19 victims in March then once again our Easter cross took centre stage. The window has been lit up on an evening for victims of the pandemic, but as we head towards the lighter nights the lights will be switched off and return again in the autumn.

Our latest project is knitted flowers to brighten up the neighbourhood, possibly to be followed by knitted hearts.

Heather A, Bolton

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Christmas Day Worship 2021

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The turn of the year As a new year approaches we tend to wonder what lies ahead, hoping always to shake off the past’s bad record and for something better to come, as if hoping could make it so. We wonder about next year because of course we don’t know what lies around the corner (however great the store of human knowledge, and however thorough our Googling). Search as we may, and it’s a royal honour to do so (Prov 25:2), some things are known only to God: times and seasons fixed by his authority are not for us to know (Acts 1:7), for the future is his. This is a time to remind ourselves of God’s omniscience: he does know (Rom 11:33). He knows the plans he has for us – plans to prosper us and not to harm us, plans to give us a hope and a future (Jer 29:11). And it’s time to remember also that God is not far-off and aloof, but a loving, heavenly Father who wants a close living relationship with each of us, day by day and breath by breath – he sent Jesus to bring us back to him. So ...

Bradford North Circuit

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