Dear Friends
It’s the 1st birthday of lockdown! Our Zoom church baby is one!
Do please also check in with the facebook page www.facebook.com/ccpitsmoor/ and website www.pitsmoor.church/ during the week as things do change!
I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. John 10.10
That might sound a little hollow at the moment, but the full life Jesus speaks about is not connected with shopping or socialising or parties or status or looks or any of those other things we feel we are missing out on. He is speaking about both quality, in relationship with God, being fully known and loved; and in quantity, life for ever.
A full life, having wisdom, being valued, loved and loving is always seen in relationship to understanding who we are before God. No loss of ‘freedom’ and ‘rights’ can ever take that from us.
Things to pray for
- Give thanks for daily reminders of being known and loved
- For fortitude to keep going on (hopefully) the last stretch, as we hit the anniversary of lockdown
- For an end to the international arms trade and war
Services
In-Church worship suspended for the foreseeable future
10.30am Morning Worship on Zoom
We are continuing our on-line services. This link will be the same every week.
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89030249289?pwd=dTdneVo3L0RreVdSYm15MGF2OHlwQT09
Meeting ID: 890 3024 9289 Passcode: 238289
Alternatively, for audio only, you can phone in to this number: 0203 901 7895, and follow the instructions.
This week’s reading is: John 12.20–33
Prep for next week (Zoom only, no Facebook live)
Following on from so much fun in the Scratch Nativity, we are going for a Zoom All Age Worship Palm Sunday, a WEEK this Sunday! (28th of March)
Participation involves a scavenger hunt, some action songs, a craft activity, some prayer, and a little bit of thought and imagination! Please spread the word to all ages, especially the younger ones!
If you would sneakily like to get ahead with your scavenger hunt, please find: A queen’s head; something powerful; something soft and four-legged; something to wave and a coat AND something which Palm Sunday makes you think of!
And finally, if anyone would like a craft parcel dropping off, to take part in prayers or do a reading, please let Sara or Esther know.
Continued suspension of in-person worship
The PCC at its meeting has agreed to continue the suspension until Step 2 of the government’s roadmap comes in, currently 12 April. It was not an easy decision but has been carefully thought through with appropriate advice taken. This means Easter will be affected again this year, which will be a disappointment.
Plans for Holy Week and Easter will be communicated soon, we will be able to engage and make it meaningful, just not physically together.
Lent Course – continues Wednesday
This year during Lent we are running The Bible Course from Bible Society.
Every Wednesday at 7.30pm
The Zoom link is:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86379198829?pwd=Wkl3cmhSMVRNWE5yVzd2bWdoVTR4Zz09
Meeting ID: 863 7919 8829
Passcode: 928776
It’s a mix of video, discussion, and readings in the week.
Coffee break continues
Christ Church Coffee break – Monday mornings at 10.00am. Zoom coffee and catch up – about half an hour or so. Bring your favourite hot drink and something to dunk or nibble and join Ruth at 10.00 for a zoom coffee and chat.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82168523735?pwd=SVBER2RhUFN1dnBNa1ZnRzNOakxBZz09
Meeting ID: 821 6852 3735
Passcode: 948578
If joining by phone dial 0131 460 1196 United Kingdom (please be aware this is an Edinburgh area code)
Eco Church (ecochurch.arocha.org.uk)
Congratulations to us!
It is an exciting thing to have been awarded the Bronze Award by A Rocha, whose strap line is ‘Caring for God’s earth,’ and to be going for Silver.
Even more excitement: Great Tits are nesting in one of the bird boxes Mike made and erected (fed by Jemimah who keeps the feeders full – thank you Jemimah!) and Kate and Ali have re-seeded the wild-flower area.
We are hoping, when we can, to get a Church yard team together again, both to think and do. There is also scope for ‘community engagement’ and considering how to encourage us as individuals on our journeys towards care for God’s earth and people so horribly affected by Climate Change. If you feel God’s nudge towards getting involved in any of that, do let Sara know.… the Facebook pages have more details.
Earlier week’s news
Previous editions of this news update are on the website if you can’t find it in your in-box.