Dear Friends
Here is the latest news, once again everything is changing this week so do please also check in with the facebook page www.facebook.com/ccpitsmoor/ and website www.pitsmoor.church/ during the week.
A little word (from +Pete)
First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone, for kings and all who are in high positions, so that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and dignity. This is right and is acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour, who desires everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 1 Timothy 2.1-4
As it happens, this passage is appointed as an appropriate New Testament reading this coming Sunday, Remembrance Sunday. It reminds us that as Christians the scope of our concern in prayer extends far beyond church life. We are urged here to pray ‘for everyone’. After all, the scope of God’s desire is exactly that wide: our Saviour desires ‘everyone’ to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
We are asked to pray in particular for those who exercise government – that the way in which they do so might promote quietness and peace, to enable God’s people to live in godliness and dignity.
Today, following the US Presidential Election, we pray for the people of that nation, for its government, for quietness and peace, godliness and dignity.
New for this week
Services
No more services in Christ Church during November
10.30am on Zoom.
We are continuing our on-line services for the foreseeable future. The link is the same every week.
https://zoom.us/j/303159289?pwd=NXdpQkFJQWdLTlpIYTc2alZ6VUhqUT09
Meeting ID: 303 159 289 Password: 597076
Alternatively, for audio only, you can phone in to this number: 0131 460 1196, and follow the instructions.
This week’s reading is Matthew 25.1-13
Sara asks: This Sunday is Remembrance Sunday… so a rather strange question, what do you remember of God? What have you experienced of Him and what has that experience taught you about Him?
Celtic Spirituality focuses strongly on our experience of God and how that affects our beliefs about Him. I found a line which I used to start a poem (first verse on Face-book). You might find it helps you to frame your thoughts:
‘Oh, great God, I believe that in You is…. ‘(…. joy, peace, love, hope, challenge…. What? and why how has your experience lead you to believe that…?)
6pm on Zoom
A time of remembrance for those we have loved and lost. If you would like a name recorded and/or a candle lit please let Pip know asap.
It will be on zoom:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82779043023?pwd=SHVCcjVLMFJyYm9yYTNGaThWZVF4UT09
If we can get it to go live on the church facebook page that will be an alternative way of watching
Things to pray for
- Give thanks for the precious memories of all who have loved us
- for our nation as we enter lockdown & the citizens of the USA
- for all tempted to the horrors of extremism; that they might find a way to peace
An invitation to our first Ecclesfield & Hallam Deanery Prayer Event
Saturday 7 November 9.30am-12noon on Zoom
Join together with friends in our paired Deanery as we hear from Bishops Pete and Sophie, and Katie Bell, our new Diocesan Secretary.
This is a great chance to meet the new team, learn about how things are going in the diocese and pray together. The prayers will be led by members of our deaneries – if you’d like to be involved please let us know. This event is open to everyone, so do let others know.
The meeting is on Zoom. Please sign up via the Diocesan website, here is the link
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ecclesfield-hallam-paired-deanery-event-tickets-126534749843
We look forward to sharing this time with you. Pip & Matthew, Area Deans
Remembrance Sunday 8 Nov
We will have an act of Remembrance around the war memorial on our Zoom service.
In the evening, our service has had to go online. Names of loved ones to Pip asap please.
We are now shut again for the four weeks of national lockdown.
Digging deep & staying connected
In these challenging times Christ Church would like to explore ways of “Staying Connected” and how we might support each other in the coming months.
Some of the possibilities being considered are a Buddying system of support; a virtual coffee morning; a socially distanced walking group (pair). If you would be interested in any of these or have ideas of how we can help in other ways please ring Sara on 07591 411950 ( Mon, Thurs, Sun ) or Kate on 0114 2730551 to let us know – we can also give details and help about things already taking place like the Zoom services, prayer thread, What’s App group etc
A Call to Pray in the month of November
The Archbishops of Canterbury and York, have issued a call to pray throughout this renewed period of lockdown and you can find it here
You are invited to pause at 6pm (that is, just as the darkness deepens every evening) to pray for our nation and for the Light of Christ to shine upon it. The hope is that many of us will commit to a daily discipline, for the full 28 days of the lockdown, from Thursday 5 November to Wednesday 2 December.
Earlier week’s news
Previous editions of this news update are on the website if you can’t find it in your in-box.