Due to the COVID-19 virus situation we are unable to get this edition in hard copy so please feel free to share/forward this around to those who (under the current circumstances) may not receive this. However, if anyone does require this magazine in a hard copy, please send an email with the postal address to melthamparishmagazine@gmail.com and we will try and get a copy to you as soon as we can. Similarly, people can be added to the distribution list by signing up for email alerts from the Parish website or liking the Parish page on facebook to receive notifications.
Though our church buildings are currently closed, the Parish of #Meltham certainly is not – online services are taking place! Whilst the restrictions are in place, we are experimenting with different methods of worship and learning what works well, and what not so, whilst also being mindful of what platforms we can use to enable a wide audience of people to join in – some who have no on-line tech at all, and those who do have tech limits like for example, limited bandwidth.
Tonight at 6pm, a live ZOOM service will take place led by Jacqueline France and others from the team at St Mary’s Wilshaw. You are invited to join the service using the link here:
Topic: Evening service – God of hope. Time: Mar 29, 2020 06:00 PM London
If you already have ZOOM installed you will go straight to the meeting when you click on the link. If you join before the host you will be asked to wait until the host joins.
If you do not have ZOOM installed (i.e. this is the first time you have done this) you will be prompted to install ZOOM when you click on the link. Once installed you will automatically join the service.
If you haven’t already got ZOOM installed on your device, please try to join a bit earlier to give yourself chance to get the app installed. Instructions can be found here:
You can hear Rev’d John’s offer his thoughts for Passion Sunday here. It is taken from the #Meltham Parish Communion Service which was put together for Sunday 29th March.
The whole service can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jIL2rcR_kGk&t=233s
PARISH OF #MELTHAM, WEEKLY NEWS BULLETIN: SUNDAY 29th MARCH
When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. “Where have you laid him?” he asked. “Come and see, Lord,” they replied. Jesus wept. Then the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” (John 11:1-45)
The natural focus of todays Gospel reading is Lazarus, his death, and Jesus’s ability to bring him back to life. However, our focus should always be on Jesus, on what he is doing and saying, and on trying to sense his nature which is the nature of our God.
Throughout this story Jesus’s focus is on people. His nature is to care for people. Not just for the “big things” but for whatever is important to the individual person. Jesus weeps not for Lazarus but for Mary, he sees her crying and feels her pain deep within his spirit.
Our God sees all the worries of the world and cares for the whole of his creation. It is right that we continue to pray for the problems of the world, but we should never forget that our Father in heaven is passionately interested in every detail of our lives.
You are his dearly loved child and he is deeply interested in anything that is concerning you, big or small.
Reverend John (Vicar)
Following recent guidelines from the Church of England and the government.
All churches will be closed for public worship until further notice.
This now includes private prayer and funerals.
Funerals can still be held at the crematorium and at the grave side with a maximum of ten mourners.
All weddings are postponed until further notice.
Website
Our Parish Communion will be posted on our website www.melthamparish.co.uk this will be pre-recorded but Rev John will be repeating the service at 10:30am so that it may be considered spiritually live. Please join in if your are able, or it will be available for retrospective viewing.
You are also invited to join a live evening service at 6pm through ZOOM led by Jacquline from Wilshaw. Details of this will be published on the website beforehand.
All social events and gatherings have been cancelled.
Good Morning! Here are details of how we can ‘join’ together for worship in #Meltham and beyond. Rev’d John has pre-recorded this Communion Service and encourages us to join him and others by starting to play at 10:30am (though you can view this at anytime!).
The link is via YouTube. Please note that although it is a video, it is actually just audio only, to allow you to also follow the service words in the attached PDF file.
IMPORTANT! – it’s recommended you view this whilst connected to WI-FI rather than using mobile data, but that’s up to you. We also recommend that once the video starts playing, click on settings and change the Quality to the lowest possible (144), so as to use the least amount of data and bandwidth (important if you have data limits!).
As previously mentioned, you may want to try and include those you know who don’t have an online capability by phoning them or vice versa whilst you are listening. For best results, call using a mobile phone and put it on loudspeaker near to the source of your sound (i.e. computer speaker). This may have limited success but worth a try! Again exercise caution if you have limited minutes on your call plan. The service is just over 45 minutes long.
As tomorrow is the 5th Sunday, we would normally be meeting together for worship at our #Meltham Joint Parish Communion at Helme Church. Due to the circumstances we are unable to do this, but we can still meet together in heart and mind and worship together online.
Rev’d John has put together a service for us to join in together at 10:30am on Sunday 29th March. This will be in audio form to try and make it accessible to as many people as possible, but without needing too much BANDWIDTH (you’ll hear more about that in the talk!).
Links will be posted later, but you may want to think about how we can include those who don’t have any on-line capability (of which there are many in our Parish). You might be able to arrange to phone them up and let them listen to it with join in the worship with you – just an idea. If you do this, you might want to do a test run beforehand by playing some music down the phone!
The aim is for us all to play the service starting at 10:30am tomorrow (don’t forget to change your clocks, so you’re not late!!)
There will also be an opportunity to join an online service tomorrow evening at 6pm using Zoom! This will be led by the Wilshaw team. More details of how to join this will also follow.
In #Meltham, people are being encouraged to join this too……….
Thanks to everyone who continues to commit to prayer together at 11am. We know everyone cannot commit to this time, but may find these prayers helpful at whatever time prayer can take place. Prayer can be hard work but as Christians this is what we are called to and is something we can do at this difficult time.
We hope to issue prayer list each Monday – if you need to know anything contact Rev’d Peter Rolls: p.c.rolls@hotmail.com 01484 340342
PRAYERS
Give thanks for how our local community
has risen to this new challenge we are all faced with. Help them and
strengthen them to continue to work together for this community.
We also ask that you give wisdom and
plain common sense to all those amongst us who do not seem to want to heed the
advice we are given.
Lord God of all Wisdom, we pray for our
leaders: the World Health Organisation, national governments, and local
leaders – those working in schools, hospitals, the food industry
and other institutions.
We ask you to grant them wisdom beyond
their own wisdom to contain this virus, faith beyond their own faith to fight
fear, and strength beyond their own strength to sustain vital institutions
through this time of turmoil.
Lord
of all Peace, we remember those living in coronavirus hotspots and those
currently in isolation. May they know your presence in their isolation, your
peace in their turmoil and your patience in their waiting.
Lord
God of all Comfort and Counsel, we pray for those who are grieving, reeling
from the sudden loss of loved ones. May they know your presence with
them.
Lord God who heals, we pray for all
medical professionals dealing daily with the intense pressures of this crisis.
Grant them resilience in weariness, discernment in diagnosis, and compassion
upon compassion as they care. We thank you for the army of researchers working
steadily and quietly towards a cure – give them clarity in their research and
an unexpected breakthrough.
We ask these things in the name of
Jesus Christ our Lord Amen
Bible Reference – Jeremiah 32.17
“Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great
power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you.” (Jeremiah
32:17 )
HAPPY MOTHERING SUNDAY! Sadly we cannot join together for our usual Mothering Sunday services. However, we are all no doubt thinking about our Mums, Grandmas and probably all those whom we care for, but are not able to visit or be with today.
Rev’d John has put together a condensed Mothering Sunday service which you may find useful to go through at your usual service time or anytime that suits. It contains the main service, reading and prayers.
You can also watch Rev’d John give us his thoughts through this short video sermon (don’t miss it – it’s probably the shortest talk he’s ever done! haha)
CHURCH SERVICES PAUSED DUE TO CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19)
It is with great sadness that we must pause our public worship for a while.Due to the current public health situation we must stop meeting physically for a while but, we must ensure that we continue to be united in both a spiritual sense and in love.
All our churches in the Parish of Christ the King, Meltham will be
closed for public worship until further notice.
We are hoping that at least one of our churches will soon be available for
safe, private, individual prayer or quiet reflection. Because of the
restriction on numbers, only two or three people will be able to use the church at any one time. Come in, light a candle; sit quietly; reflect and pray for God’s Peace to be with us all.
Weddings and funeralswill continue.
However, there are very strict number limitations, especially at
weddings – only 5 people will be permitted at the wedding – the priest; the
bride and bridegroom and two witnesses!Numbers permitted at funerals have not been finalised but those who are considered to be vulnerable should consider the government guidelines on public gatherings.
All social events and meetings have been cancelled.
We will shortly be developing new ways for people to engage in prayer
and worship. This will come in various forms; both digital/virtual and through resources that can be used at home.
Please be assured that I will continue to pray for you and, please pray for
each other.
God bless
Reverend John Dracup (Vicar)
Please look at our website www.melthamparish.co.uk
for services and prayer resources in the coming weeks or contact parishofchristtheking@gmail.com if you require further information.
You can find the full Church of England information here:
https://www.churchofengland.org/more/media-centre/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-churches
PLEASE PRAY in this week leading up to Mothering Sunday for all those who have cared for us in the past and care for us now.
READ THE GOOD NEWS – John 4, 5-42 – Thank God that we are blessed by receiving living water that is always there and quenches every thirst if we put our trust in God and not ourselves.
PRAYER AND WORSHIP IN THE COMING WEEK
Monday 16th March
09.30am Morning Prayer, Christ Church
Tuesday 17th March
09.30am Morning Prayer, St Mary’s
Wednesday 18th March
9.00am Holy Communion BCP, St Bart’s
10.00am Meltham Churches Together Prayers for the Community, St Bart’s
NEXT SUNDAY 22nd March – Mothering Sunday
09.30am St Bart’s, Service of the Word
09.30am St James’ Holy Communion
11.15am St Mary’s, Holy Communion
11.15am Christ Church, Service of the Word.
OTHER DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
Lent Groups – not too late to join
Mondays at 7.45pm – Pat Radford’s home
Tuesdays at 2.00 pm at St Bart’s
Wednesdays at 11am at the Methodist Church
Friday 20th March
10.00am-12noon St James’ Community Card Group.
10.30am-12 noon St Bart’s, Coffee and Chat.
7.00pm St Mary’s HD9 Club for high school age young people
Wednesday 25th March
10.30-3.00 Quiet Day at St James’ – bring a packed lunch
7.30pm St Bart’s PCC Meeting
Friday 27th March 7.00pm St James’ Ladies speaker and supper evening, with Corrine Scandling and Bolster Moor pie & peas. (or a vegetarian option). No charge, but a small donation welcome.
PLEASE NOTE THAT DUE TO THE CORONAVIRUS, SOME SERVICES AND EVENTS WILL BE CANCELLED OR POSTPONED AS THE SITUATION EVOLVES. UPDATES WILL BE POSTED ONCE PLANS ARE CONFIRMED.