week 9 update

Hello Colin here again – with greetings from Geoff & Stephen

As ever please feel no pressure to make your way through all of this. I was chatting with one minister this week who noted that they were inundated with things to read / advice etc and it could all be a bit overwhelming. I certainly don’t wish to add to that pile that can so easily become a burden rather than a blessing. One can also so easily end up feeling low-level panic/ pressure from all that Joe Bloggs down the road is doing, rather than sensing what God is calling YOU to right now and focusing on that. I can hear Geoff encouraging us to prioritise being ‘attentive to God’ – and while that sounds simple, if you are like me, you still find it hard to do. One of the gifts of this season for those who are not on the frontline is that we have an opportunity to do just that.

I have mentioned that I am finding the Pod Cast by Adrian & Bridget Plass a great way to start the day, spiritual wisdom mixed with a very soothing delivery and gentle humour. And followed by the more earnest Pray as you go, which seems a good balance. In Friday’s edition Adrian told one of his lovely stories and finished with ‘and when you are in the middle of a storm (and staying in a tent), hammer in your tent pegs’.  I was struck by that. It got me thinking about what are the things that I need to hold on to right now? I don’t just mean abstract truths, but also memories, people, practices, roots etc. Those things that have ‘held’ me in the past, that have fed, loved and nurtured me. The encouragement is to bash them even more firmly into the ground, so that when the storm comes …   SO, a question for you –  “What are your tent pegs?” Answers on a postcard.

Lastly, I have produced another video – word + song (entitle ‘hold out’) To access this please go to  https://youtu.be/F3PFpbQiHmg . If you want just the song go to  https://youtu.be/u7uTCXBx5JU
I suspect the way I have produced the song will make you smile  If you feel it encourages, please share with your congregations.

Blessings

Colin Pye

Dear friends,

I wanted to take this opportunity to thank you all for your love, support and care since January. Now that I am home I am having time to reflect on what has happened and all your prayers, thoughts, cards, messages and visits.  They have all been fantastic. Thank you again.

Among the many messages and prayers has been the reminder of God’s holding and faithfulness which has been so important to me to cling onto, and that continues in these very strange times we all find ourselves in.

As I continue to improve I am also pondering about the future and what is in store. I don’t know as yet but I want to assure you of my desire to continue to serve you as your Moderator to the best of my ability.

Thank you once again and may God bless you and keep you in the palm of God’s hands.

Carol

URC preparing for the new normal https://urc.org.uk/images/Communications/New-Normal-2020.pdf  – I have put this in again because I think it is A REALLY HELPFUL READ for leaders as we begin to reflect upon things opening up. Highly recommended.

New taskforce developing plan to reopen places of worship. Faith leaders and government agree to develop plan to enable phased and safe reopening of places of worship. www.gov.uk/government/news/new-taskforce-developing-plan-to-reopen-places-ofworship?fbclid=IwAR01YwPmRBXWHtz_uzrSJn7bM3MC36txIY70adkGlClwntr16KI7d2uEvto

A ‘recommendation from Geoff’ (a Thy Kingdom Come resource)
https://www.canterburydiocese.org/content/pages/documents/1588864070.pdf

Sarah Crane (Lead Chaplain MK University Hospital) “This week is Dying Matters Week. It’s more important than ever that those who are bereaved have the support they need. This new helpline, championed by the “The Good Grief Trust” is available to offer telephone support to those bereaved during the Covid-19 outbreak.” https://www.thegoodgrieftrust.org/
Online service planner https://churchserviceplanner.co.uk/

From the Fresh Expressions fold … DISTRIBUTED CHURCH: A SERIES OF WEBINARS WITH MIKE MOYNAGH exploring key themes from contextual mission & the lessons they offer to the wider church beyond lockdown

•         Tue 26th May: Starting a Fresh Expression
•         Wed 27th May: Listening for ideas
•         Thu 28th May: Nurturing community
•         Tue 2nd June: Exploring Faith
•         Wed 3rd June: The essence of church

Register https://freshexpressions.org.uk/events-calendar/
Poster: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1×5-LH-COnjiLKDGNDTespM-9zPm2_PMd/view?usp=sharing

An invitation from Patrick Barker (Park Rd Baptist Church) Candles in the dark “Four special gatherings to encourage Christian disciples to light up the darkness in the power of the Holy Spirit.” See flyer here https://drive.google.com/file/d/1MvfE7SJijG2wNg7OHsYJPL-f8OLpcoIZ/view?usp=sharing

CHUMS Mental Health and Emotional Wellbeing Service, supporting children and young people. Some useful leaflets on their web site http://chums.uk.com/ + other info

• Coronavirus (COVID–19) Guidance for Families Who May Not Be Able to Attend A Funeral
• Telling A Child / Young Person Someone Has Died from Coronavirus (COVID-19)
• Breaking the News to Children and Young People When Someone is Seriously ill With Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Baptist Insurance Company: Staying up-to-date during COVID-19
There is a range of resources, links to helpful advice and updates from ourselves on the Baptist Insurance website regarding COVID-19.
“We’re still here if you need us so please get in touch in the usual way.”
Find out more https://www.baptist-insurance.co.uk/coronavirus/

• http://www.amershamfreechurch.org.uk/media/ Amersham Free (audio)
• https://www.ampthillbaptist.org.uk/live: Ampthill 10.45am
• https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsB8DXSKSPly-m878wExkYw Aston Clinton
• Hope Church, Aylesbury (Tim Ninnis – is the lay pastor of a largely millennial’s church in Aylesbury) https://tinyurl.com/y7l7hwbu
• Biggleswade BC https://www.facebook.com/BiggleswadeBaptistChurch livestreamed 10.30am Sundays
• https://www.bromham.org/Articles/570071/Sunday_Worship.aspx Bromham
• https://www.wellstreetchurch.org.uk/discover/worship/ Well Street Buckingham
• https://burtonlatimerbaptistchurch.com/ talks online from Burton Latimer BC
• Chesham https://www.broadwaybaptist.org.uk/
• Chorleywood BC – http://cwfreechurch.btck.co.uk/
• https://www.facebook.com/croxleygreenbaptist/ + https://www.croxleybaptist.co.uk/          Croxley Green BC
• www.facebook.com/LifeChurchUK/ Life Church Cuffley
• https://desboroughbaptist.org.uk/media/ Desborough (audio)
• https://www.goldhill.org/stream/ Gold Hill 10am
• https://tinyurl.com/wkx27gh Great Ashby Community Church, Stevenage
• https://www.facebook.com/HaddenhamBaptistChurchBucks/
• Carey BC, Hemel audio messages available here www.careybaptisthemel.org.uk/media/
• https://www.facebook.com/hertfordbaptistchurch/ Hertford 10.30am and 6.30pm for 30minutes
• https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNzEHc8M9FOLX3MR6UzjelQ Park Rd, Rushden
• Union BC, High Wycombe https://www.unionbaptist.org.uk/worship-at-home/online-sunday-service.php
• http://oakridgebaptist.org.uk/index.php/category/sermons/ (audio)
• http://www.ths-baptist.org.uk/recording.htm  Tilehouse Street Hitchin now ZOOM
• https://www.facebook.com/holmergreenbaptist/?hc_location=ufi Holmer Green
• Houghton Regis BC FB page with links to ZOOM https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Baptist-Church/Houghton-Regis-Baptist-Church-168450089848975/
• Rockingham Road, Kettering www.rrbc.org.uk/media/
• Fuller BC, Kettering https://www.fullerbaptist.org.uk/
• https://tinyurl.com/thhjdt2 London Colney
• Long Buckby BC sermons available https://www.longbuckbybaptist.org.uk/
• https://www.facebook.com/lutonbaptist/?hc_location=ufi central Luton 10.45am
• http://stopsley.net/  Stopsley, Luton (You tube download service + ZOOM coffee time)
• https://tinyurl.com/w7zhwos Markyate BC
• http://spurgeonbaptist.com/virtual-morning-worship/ Spurgeons Bletchley 11am
• Loughton BC, MK https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-VaUegRhuQ
• Whitehouse Church MK https://www.facebook.com/WhitehouseChurchMK/?ref=py_c
• https://www.facebook.com/CtKKentsHill/?hc_location=ufi Christ the king Kents Hill, MK
• https://m.facebook.com/ShenleyChristianFellowship/?tsid=0.6780898774805706&source=result Shenley Christian Fellowship
• Newport Pagnell BC https://www.npbc.org.uk/ 10.30am stream
• Northall are using ZOOM http://northallbaptistchurch.org/contact-us/ you need to contact for code
• https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgSIF8zS63aDLTDajmP6qzQ Mount Pleasant Northampton
• https://www.northchurch.com/live Northchurch
• Olney BC http://www.olneybaptist.org.uk/sermons.html
• Princes Risborough FaceBook page daily prayers www.facebook.com/risborough.baptist.7
• https://www.facebook.com/ramridgebaptist/ Ramridge BC 10.30am Video to be posted
• https://www.millendbaptist.org.uk/ Mill End Rickmansworth
• Highfield Community Church, Rushden talks available here  – http://www.highfield-community.org.uk/sunday_talks.html
• https://www.speenchurch.org/sermons Speen Church
• https://www.stalbanspodcast.com/…/faith-in-challenging-tim…/ Dagnall Street, St Albans
• Bunyan Stevenage https://www.bunyan.org.uk/ where there is a link to the youtube service
• Marshalswick BC St Albans https://www.mbfc.org.uk/welcome.htm
• Stony Stratford Community Church https://ssccmk.online.church/ 10.15am Sunday
• Cornerstone, Thame are meeting on ZOOM http://cornerstonethame.org/
• https://christchurchwgc.org.uk/at-home/ Christ Church Welwyn Garden City
• https://www.facebook.com/sjrbcwatford/?hc_location=ufi St James Rd, Watford
• http://www.wymondleybaptist.org.uk/home.html ZOOM details on web site – We ask people to email or phone the church for the password in advance of the service.