Post No. 8 - Tuesday 31st March
/Posts every Tuesday and Thursday by 12 noon and on Sundays by 10.30am
From the Rector
DEVOTIONAL
Verse for today: Psalm 20, verse 7: “Some put their trust in chariots and some in horses, but we will call only on the name of the Lord our God.”
Thought: This verse is a reminder that physical or material power ultimately is not as strong as spiritual strength. Certainly, powerful armies can subdue nations that are militarily much weaker, but in the longer scheme of things the spirit within people has time and again been seen to prevail against powerful dictators. It is God alone who is the author of peace and concord.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, grant us grace to look beyond the things of this world to the enduring strength of your glorious kingdom. We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
Pause for reflection
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NEWS
Church leaders both at home and abroad have been issuing statements of encouragement and challenge in the current situation.
In a joint statement last week, following a video conference, the leaders of the Church of Ireland, the Methodist and Presbyterian Churches, the Roman Catholic Church and the Irish Council of Churches paid tribute to everyone in the health and social care services and those in the frontline, for their courage in the battle against the Coronavirus (Covid–19) pandemic.
The church leaders also pointed out: “In the midst of this suffering, however, we can see many signs of hope. The speed with which local communities - involving churches, community groups, charities, businesses and other local community leaders - have mobilised in response to this unprecedented challenge has been a great reassurance to many.”
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Churches around the world say, ‘this is a time
to touch each other’s hearts’
The heads of ecumenical organisations from around the world have come together to say that “this is a time for pastoral, prophetic and practical Christianity” amidst the Covid–19 crisis.
The Conference of European Churches (CEC), together with similar regional ecumenical organisations from Africa, Asia, the Pacific, and Latin America, and the World Council of Churches, issued a joint statement urging “people everywhere to give highest priority to assisting in whatever ways we can in our collective efforts to protect life” and adding: “This is a time to touch each other’s hearts, by what we say, share, and do.”
“As regional church bodies, we stress in a united voice that we must follow instructions from our local authorities to fight this pandemic,” said CEC General Secretary Dr Jørgen Skov Sørensen.
The joint statement highlights the importance and urgency of adapting modes of worship and fellowship to the needs of this time of pandemic infection.
The leaders state that “as a global community of faith, we affirm that, even in the midst of our vulnerability, we trust in God, as God is our hope.
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The following message (abbreviated) has been issued by the Anglican Communion:
Anglican provinces around the world have joined Churches of other denominations to suspend public worship as the global Covid-19 pandemic continues to spread.
The Archbishops of Canterbury and York, Justin Welby and John Sentamu, called for Christians to be a radically different type of church as they announced the suspension of public worship in England. They said that this was not about “shutting up shop” but about adopting to a different way of worship. “Being a part of the Church of England is going to look very different in the days ahead,” they wrote in a letter to clergy. “Our life is going to be less characterised by attendance at church on Sunday, and more characterised by the prayer and service we offer each day.”
Many other Anglican provinces, including the Church of Ireland, have also suspended public worship in response to government requests to limit social interaction to prevent the spread of the disease.
Many provinces are arranging special services broadcast on local and national media, and streamed. online.
[Next post by 12 noon on Thursday 2nd April]