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Dear Friends,
Last week I was able to refer to the government announcement that church buildings are now permitted to reopen -
What this means, at the moment, for our Benefice church opening is:
Lee Brockhurst: Sundays 08:00 to 16:00
Weston under Redcastle: remaining closed
Wem: Mondays and Fridays 09:00 to 15:00
A such we mirror Bishop Michael's words:
"I want to reassure you that, while I hope that you will make the most of the available opportunities to share the love of Christ with your community, I do not expect all church buildings to re-
Most of you will also have heard the announcement (long expected) regarding a further relaxation of government restrictions on places of worship, for ourselves this means:
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For funerals and weddings as each case, and parish church, will be and are different please make no assumptions without checking with myself first.
With regard to the churches resuming worship the Church Wardens and myself will be talking this through in detail to ensure that we do so in the best and safest way possible across the Benefice. Once we know we will let as many as possible know as soon as possible, as I write we are awaiting further guidance, as it says as I type, on the up to date C of E website: "Following the Prime Minister's statement on 23 June, we are awaiting publication of the detail of the Government's guidance before updating our advice." 16:00 26 Jun. Clearly we will base our reopening iaw intelligent use of this guidance and follow absolutely the spirit of Bishop Michael's statement of Wed 24 which is attached.
As a relaxation of other elements of lockdown continues please maintain the highest degree of care for yourself and others that I'm sure we all have throughout the pandemic especially, but not only, if you are in a vulnerable group or shielding. We should all take note of +Michael's pastoral words about care as we return to worship together.
THIS SUNDAY: as said, is the Third After Trinity .
Please find attached the readings and a Homily for this Sunday (courtesy of Redemptorist publications).
LICHFIELD CATHEDRAL -
08:00 The Eucharist (traditional language)
10:30 Choral Eucharist for the Third Sunday after Trinity
OR
Access the C of E website to find details of this week's service which you can also watch during the week, it is available from 09:00. The past two weeks have been quite memorable in different ways, why should this week's be any different? 09:00 -
THIS SUNDAY on BBC
Radio Four: 08:10 'Looking to the future hopefully.'. With John Bell of the Iona Community
BBC 1: 11:45 'Sharing and Giving.' Looking at what happens when we strive to be the best we can be, sharing stories of people who by playing to their strengths are making a real difference to their communities, including artists of different faiths who are finding common ground. The first in a new series.
13:15. Songs of Praise. From the coast on the N of Ireland, a sharing of faith stories from along the coast along with a mixture of traditional and modern hymns.
The Eucharist will be celebrated for the whole benefice at 09:30 (in St Peter's Lee).
It will also be celebrated for the whole Benefice (in SS Peter and Paul's, Wem) on Mon 29 at 08:30 for the Feast of SS Peter and Paul, Apostles
Collect for the Feast of St Peter & St Paul
Almighty God,
whose blessed apostles Peter and Paul
glorified you in their death and in their life:
grant that your Church,
inspired by their teaching and example,
and made one by your Spirit,
may ever stand firm upon the one foundation,
Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever.
Please find attached our Diocesan and Local Prayer Diaries for the coming week.
FOODBANK
Many thanks to all who are continuing to support our local Food Bank which performs a wonderful work in helping to alleviate the blight of food poverty made even worse by the impact of the pandemic. Many will still not be able to drop resources off at their centre (Bargates Hall, Whitchurch 09:30 to 11:00 Tue and Fri) and our churches are insufficiently open nonetheless we can still support quite easily. Firstly: the Wem Co-
PRAYER DAY
Many thanks indeed to the team who made this all we wished it to be given our restrictions. If anything the ZOOM meeting to conclude the day was particularly special given our physical seperations -
MAGAZINE
This will be forwarded electronically in the next few days, thanks again to all who contribute to this and to Pam for her diligent work (not least correcting my syntax and typos!).
Take care, stay safe and enjoy our summer weather safely, every good wish,
Nick
N P Heron
Rector of Wem, Lee Brockhurst and Weston-
01939 232550
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Dear Friends,
I hope that this finds you well, content and that the past week has been as good as it might have been under our continuing very different circumstances. Equally I trust that you were able to take time aside on Pentecost Sunday and that either the suggested media connections offered or indeed your own internet searching provided a helpful focus. For this coming Sunday, very significantly Trinity Sunday, please see below.
Firstly some words from our Diocesan Bishop:
In a new introduction to the coronavirus section of our diocesan website: www.lichfield.anglican.org, Bishop Michael says:
"As lockdown eases, and as restrictions on the use of church buildings are gradually lifted, I encourage you to read through the new and regularly updated guidance, as it arises, and together to assess what this will mean in practice for you locally, in your parish.”
"I want to reassure you that we do not expect you to do more than you are able to, taking all local and personal factors into account, whilst making the most of the available opportunities to show and to share the love of Christ."
New advice, we are told, will be emerging soon on such areas as funerals and the planning of re-
I trust we have all been shocked by the recent developments in the USA, will have seen the tidal wave of reaction around the world and I know some of you were greatly touched by the Radio Shropshire interview on Wed of this week with the Vicar of St Chad's Shrewsbury -
"God is walking with those who are suffering...God is inspiring us to do things differently."
“We don’t just stand in solidarity with those who are hurting in the US but in the UK we can also be people who ask questions and wonder about the kind of people we want to be."
This Sunday as said, is of course the Major Feast of Trinity Sunday a significant day in our Church Calendar.
Please find attached the readings and a Homily for this Sunday (courtesy of Redemptorist publications).
LICHFIELD CATHEDRAL -
0800. The Eucharist (traditional language)
1030. Choral Eucharist for Trinity Sunday
OR
Access the C of E website on: www.churchofengland.org to find details of this week's service which you can also watch during the week, I'm sure it will be well worth watching or catching-
0900. This week the service will be a Farewell Service for the Archbishop of York
THIS SUNDAY on BBC
Radio Four: 0810. 'The Comfort of the Trinity'. Sunday worship from N Ireland, a reflection on how the Trinity comforts us in our troubles. With Jonathan Rea Creative Chief executive of New Irish Arts.
BBC 1: 1045. Sunday Worship from Sr David's Cathedral Pembrokeshire, led by the Sub-
1315. Songs of Praise. How faith and music can help us through the darkest of times with (it says in the schedules) 'memorable stories of faith and music coming together' and also interviewing Bishop Dr Joe Aldred about the Christian response to the death of George Floyd in the USA'.
The Eucharist will be celebrated for the whole benefice at 0930 (in St Peter & St Paul's, Wem).
This Sunday is also Environment Sunday, which fits very neatly with Trinity Sunday (but here is not the place for a sermon!) so please find attached A Rocha prayers reflecting this; you may also wish to pray on this Sunday -
A Collect (or prayer) for Creation
Heavenly Father,
You have taught us, through your servant St Francis,
That all creation is your handiwork.
Grant us your grace that we may
Exercise wise stewardship of this Earth;
Tread lightly upon it;
And cherish its resources;
That our children may enjoy its riches, throughout all generations,
And your name be glorified through all that you have made.
Amen.
Also find attached our Diocesan Prayer Diary and our Local Prayer Diary for this coming week.
Thursday is the hallowed Feast of the Visit of Corpus Christi (or the Day of Thanksgiving for the Institution of Holy Communion) and the Eucharist will be celebrated for the Benefice at 0830, again in SS P and P's. Friday is the Feast of Barnabas the Apostle (transferred from Thu) the Eucharist will be offered for the whole Benefice at 0830 in St Luke's Weston.
A prayer for Corpus Christi
All praise to you, our God and Father,
for you have fed us with the bread of heaven
and quenched our thirst with the true vine:
hear our prayer that, being grafted into Christ,
we may grow together in unity
and feast with him in his kingdom’
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
I understand that some of you may not have received last weeks parallel email, if so may I apologise however those who didn't were most certainly on the (BCC) address list -
Continue to take care, keep in touch with one another.....and stay safe; with every good wish,
Nick
N P Heron
Rector of Wem, Lee Brockhurst and Weston-
01939 232550
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Dear Friends,
Following the momentous Feasts of Pentecost and Trinity Sunday please see underneath some connections for online and media worship for this coming Sunday, the 2nd After Trinity. May you find these helpful and may this email find you connected with others, as well as possible and bearing up during this fluid period of lockdown.
It seems right to begin again with some words from Michael our Diocesan Bishop:
"I welcome the Government’s announcement that church buildings are now permitted to open for individual private prayer from next Monday, 15th June. This is another step on the journey towards the full re-
I want to reassure you that, while I hope that you will make the most of the available opportunities to share the love of Christ with your community, I do not expect all church buildings to re-
Church buildings that do re-
In addition to this potential development with effect from now church funerals are again (thankfully) permitted. As you will expect this is subject to physical distancing, certain other safeguards (for instance no hymns) and such funerals will be only for close family members -
What this means for our Benefice apropos church opening rightly depends on each parish's very local, specific needs and resources. Whether there will be a requirement for this to be 'supervised' will make a difference, very frustratingly to date, I have not been able to find any further government advice.
Further details of Michael's words and developments regarding the Church's response to the pandemic can, as always, be found via the coronavirus section of our diocesan website where you will also find links to the National Church developments : www.lichfield.anglican.org, You may recall my words of last week that it is "not wise to start to build up hopes of an imminent return to 'church as normal'" nonetheless I was heartened to read that when worship does recommence the Eucharist may continue (I can't tell you how cross I would have been if not). Please find attached draft Advice issued by the House of Bishops Steering Group.
As a relaxation of other stages of lockdown begin please do continue to exercise the highest degree of care as you doubtless have throughout the pandemic for all that some things are easing that care and concern for others remains essential .
THIS SUNDAY: as said, is the Second After Trinity .
Please find attached the readings and a Homily for this Sunday (courtesy of Redemptorist publications).
0800. The Eucharist (traditional language)
1030. Choral Eucharist for the Second Sunday after Trinity
There is also an extraordinary powerful (and on occasion personal) Address from the Dean which I cannot recommend highly enough -
OR
Access the C of E website to find details of this week's service which you can also watch during the week, it is available from 0900 although as yet details have not been announced.
THIS SUNDAY on BBC
Radio Four: 0810. Mass for Corpus Christi. Cardinal Vincent Nichols celebrates Mass for Corpus Christi live from Westminster Cathedral
BBC 1: 1045. Sunday Worship from Holy Trinity Church, Platt, Manchester, led by Youth and Children's Minister Sarah Bradley -
1315. Songs of Praise. 'Worship in the great outdoors'. Aled Price revisists people who find spiritual inspiration in the great outdoors, including Cumbria, the Yorkshire Dales and Perthshire. There are some absolutely cracking hymns!!
The Eucharist will be celebrated for the whole benefice at 0930 (in St Luke's, Weston).
WEM PARISH DAY OF PRAYER (see also the previous (11th Jun) update)
Saturday 20 June from 0700 to 1900.
A day, just as in previous years, to especially pray -
Please find attached our Diocesan and Local Prayer Diaries for the coming week.
THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK
Picking up on Dean Adrian Durber's words in his address, a timely thought for this week:
“No one is born hating another person because of the colour of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite”. Nelson Mandela
Let St Paul correct all our fears about race and difference: “When Christ who is your life is revealed, then you will also be revealed with him in glory…In that renewal there is no longer Greek and Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and free; but Christ is all and in all!” (Colossians 3:4-
Do have the best week that you can, be grateful for it and keep safe, every good wish,
Nick
N P Heron
Rector of Wem, Lee Brockhurst and Weston-
01939 232550
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Dear Friends,
As you might recall from the details in the Parish magazine our Parish Day of Prayer will still very much be held on Sat 20 Jun and last from 0700 to 1900. This will be in every way as important and meaningful as those held in previous years, the only difference being that we will be praying in the comfort of our own homes. Very soon 'stations' reflecting the focus of our prayers and intentions will be sent for you to access electronically, as Thelma Pugh wrote we will be praying:
" For our world; politically and environmentally
• for our nation; the needs and impact of the coronavirus pandemic
• for our community of Wem
• our benefice; for guidance when we emerge from ‘lockdown’
• for your own individual concerns."
When we have used the church we have had a rota of people in situ praying through the day, it would be spot on if we could do the same for this Prayer Day only from home, thus knowing that throughout the day there will be a solid 'wave' of prayer. We are looking for two people each hour so there is an assurance the day is covered. Could you please pass your names to Thelma (with your time/s), please either call 01939 232273 or email thelmapugh0@gmail.com
It may be that we can close the day with a short reflective ZOOM service at 1900, if so you will hear early next week.
With every good wish, stay safe,
Nick 🌈
N P Heron
Rector of Wem, Lee Brockhurst and Weston-
01939 232550
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Dear Friends,
As you will have read in the media and my last bulk email the government has said that churches can now open to the public for private prayer. This is doubtless something you will be delighted to know -
As you must expect in the current pandemic there are certain constraints on this iaw the risk of transmitting the virus:
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Monday: 0900 to 1500
and
Friday: 0900 to 1500
This will ONLY be possible to sustain if we can establish a team/rota of cleaners from our congregation, it need not take long and many hands will make lighter work of this. We are looking for the gift of no more than an hour of your time, hopefully not very often, on a late Saturday afternoon. Please speak to either Elaine, Chris or myself.
It is really important to note, quoting directly from the C of E website:
'Anyone is welcome in our churches so long as they are there for the current legally allowed purposes. However there are certain groups who are more vulnerable, and government has provided guidance on these including: • People over 70 • Individuals who are extremely clinically vulnerable/shielding'
If you fall into one of these categories do please consider very carefully whether the time is right for you to be coming into church at present
With every good wish, stay safe,
Nick
N P Heron
Rector of Wem, Lee Brockhurst and Weston-
01939 232550
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Dear All,
Each year for several years now we have had a Parish Day of Prayer. We will absolutely not, as you see, be deterred from holding a prayer day due to our current restrictions; rather we trust that from the comfort of our own homes there can be every bit as much, indeed more, prayer throughout this special day for us all. A Prayer Day is what it 'says on the can' or indeed as Thelma wrote in our current magazine:
SATURDAY 20th JUNE
SS PETER & PAUL’S
PARISH DAY OF PRAYER
7.00am – 7.00pm
Location of your choice, within lockdown restrictions
Please do consider committing some time during the day, to praise God and pray
With the restriction of our church building being closed, we are working on providing inspirations using other means than the Prayer Stations of previous years.
If you are able to commit to a particular hour, please contact Thelma Pugh so we can ensure that prayer is continuous throughout the 12 hour day thelmapugh0@gmail.com Tel: 01939 232273
Please find attached an introduction to the day and links to the stations, the 5th station joyously ends with the UK Blessing which you may recall from an earlier email. Very many thanks to the team of Thelma, Sue, Katharine and David who have brought this together.
Thelma mentions creating a rota for prayer throughout the day (just as we did in church) it will be quite something to have a continuous 'wave' of prayer across the parish in so many different homes throughout the day. The early slots are covered; we would like some slots filled from 0900 -
At 1900 there will be a short, 15 min, ZOOM conclusion with a reflection and Act of Prayer. Should you be able and wish to be included in this please email myself as soon as you can and no later than 1700 Fri, this will allow time for my liaising with David (Murray) who will host, to send your invitation. [If you are unfamiliar you need to install the app (which is easy) and as you join please do so on mute and video initially not enabled -
Do please feel able to join and be a part of this united day across every part of our parish, praying for our community, World, our own part of it, the Church and one another.
With every good wish, stay safe,
Nick
N P Heron
Rector of Wem, Lee Brockhurst and Weston-
01939 232550
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Dear Friends,
I hope this finds you well and that the past week has been as good as it could have been. Sometimes in this strange period time seems to do funny things and some weeks just fly by, so here we are at the week beginning the Second Sunday after Trinity, 21 Jun.
Connections to online and media services for this Sunday are, as always, detailed underneath equally you may (with, please, discernment) trawl online for other services -
Last week I was able to refer to the government announcement that church buildings are now permitted to reopen -
"I want to reassure you that, while I hope that you will make the most of the available opportunities to share the love of Christ with your community, I do not expect all church buildings to re-
Church buildings that do re-
What this means, at the moment, for our Benefice church opening is:
Lee: Sundays 0800 to 1600
Weston: remaining closed
Wem: Mondays and Fridays 0900 to 1500
As announced last week church funerals are again (thankfully) permitted. As you will expect this is subject to physical distancing (therefore numbers may be critical), certain other safeguards (for instance no hymns) and such funerals will be only for close family members -
As a relaxation of other elements of lockdown continues please maintain the highest degree of care for yourself and others that I'm sure we all have throughout the pandemic especially, but not only, if you are in a vulnerable group or shielding.
THIS SUNDAY: as said, is the Second After Trinity .
Please find attached the readings and a Homily for this Sunday (courtesy of Redemptorist publications).
LICHFIELD CATHEDRAL -
0800. The Eucharist (traditional language)
1030. Choral Eucharist for the Second Sunday after Trinity
OR
Access the C of E web site to find details of this week's service which you can also watch during the week, it is available from 0900. This week's details are not as yet directly available, however I understand from the Diocesan bulletin that it will be:
0900: 'Ending the sin of racism'. The national Church's weekly streamed service at 9am this Sunday will have a Windrush theme ahead of Windrush Day on Monday, 22 June. Details will be available soon at: www.churchofengland.org
From the Church of England website:
On Monday 22 June at 11am (Windrush Day) bishops, clergy, cathedrals and parishes across the Church of England are encouraged to keep a two-
THIS SUNDAY on BBC
Radio Four: 0810. 'Images of Fatherhood' led by Ben Lindsay with Guvna B and Lord Hastings. The schedule outlines what promises to be a very inspiring and thoughtful service. Ben who leads the service is a London Pastor who runs a charity working to prevent knife crime, Guvna B is a grime artist who reflects on losing his own and becoming a father himself, Lord Hastings will share his experience of becoming a father figure to young men in prison through his prison ministry. The Gospel reading is, so appropriately, the Prodigal Son.
BBC 1: 1145. Sunday Worship for Father's Day from Holy Trinity Church, Platt, Manchester, led by their rector -
1315. Songs of Praise. For Father's Day with stories of inspirational dads and a mixture of traditional and modern hymns; the presenter also reflects on meeting 'a truly inspiring mother', Baroness Doreen Lawrence
The Eucharist will be celebrated for the whole benefice at 0930 (in St Luke's, Weston).
It will also be celebrated for the whole Benefice (in SS Peter and Paul's, Wem) on Wed at 0830 for the Feast of the Birth of John the Baptist
WEM PARISH DAY OF PRAYER
Saturday 20 June from 0700 to 1900.
Because I am emailing this the day before just a reminder of the Wem Parish Day of Prayer which all will have had full details of, nonetheless please look back at the details and try and commit a little extra time for prayer and reflection on this special unifying day. You will also find a reminder on Wem Parish Church website: www.wemcofe.co.uk
Please find attached our Diocesan and Local Prayer Diaries for the coming week.
From the Wed of our Diocesan Prayer Diary:
FOODBANK
We will all have heard and seen in the news headlines the question of food poverty and its consequences for many, exacerbated by the impact of the pandemic. The easing of covid restrictions does not in the slightest mean this need is diminishing. Our local foodbank performs a wonderful work in helping to alleviate this scourge and the urgent need is ongoing. Many will still not be able to drop resources off at their centre (Bargates Hall, Whitchurch) and our churches are insufficiently open nonetheless we can still support quite easily. Firstly: the Wem Co-
‘Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise.’
Luke 3. 11
Our July edition of the Parish magazine is soon to be put together, the last two editions have benefited from the wider cross-
Take care, stay safe and enjoy the coming week as much as you can -
Nick
N P Heron
Rector of Wem, Lee Brockhurst and Weston-
01939 232550