A message from our Rector, the Revd Alice Goodall:
Dear friends,
I hope you are coping as well as is possible with the strangeness of the world that we find ourselves in. I hope you are finding the support and encouragement you need from friends, family, church and community.
At some point most Christmases I have to reassure myself, as I go into a Scrooge-like state, that Christmas is still Christmas, even if I am not feeling Christmassy. And the same is true of Holy Week and Easter – Holy Week and Easter are still Holy Week and Easter, regardless of how we may be feeling. Christ still became incarnate and lived among us. And Christ still walked the way of the cross, died for us and rose again, bringing us new life, hope and joy. Perhaps truths that are more important than ever for us to connect with as we live in the midst of coronaworld. So here are our plans for Holy Week and Easter:
We will be live streaming services at the time indicated onto Facebook (Shelswell News group) and later uploading it onto YouTube (Shelswell Parishes).
- Monday to Friday 12 noon: Short Reflective Service – Yvonne or I will continue to live stream a short reflective service
- Palm Sunday 10 am: service of Holy Communion – sadly given current guidance we cannot distribute palm crosses to you all, but Liz has put together some ideas for what you can do instead (see attached document: palm crosses). Or if all else fails, you could look out last year’s palm cross! Whatever you choose, have it ready and join us on Sunday at 10 am – Liz will be preaching.
- Maundy Thursday 7 pm: service of music and meditation
- Good Friday 2 pm: Stations of the Cross – Yvonne is putting together some pictures and music to help us journey through this holy day
- Easter Day 10 am: service of Holy Communion – join us as we celebrate the wonders of Easter! In spite of Covid 19 we will have lots of Alleluias!
Specially for children and younger families: Jen, our children and families worker, is putting together some short videos narrating the story of Holy Week and Easter, with an activity that children can do. We hope to post these on Facebook at about 11 am on Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Day.
How can I access these online services?
It has been lovely to see people joining us for the Facebook services, and to know that others of you have caught up later on YouTube. If you have not yet discovered us online, then there are three ways of doing so:
1. Join Facebook: www.facebook.com, then search for the Shelswell News group. If you are new to this group, you will need to click on ‘Join’ and wait for me or Sarah-Jane to approve you (which we will do!). The live stream service will probably come up a little way down the page underneath the box headed ‘Announcements’. You click on the little arrow in the middle of it to make it play.
2. Either go to YouTube (www.youtube.com) and type ‘Shelswell Parishes’ in the search box at the top of the YouTube page, or copy and paste https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbY6gFUF1M9GhIA6BRHbqAQ – then just click on the service you want
3. Go to the Benefice website – www.shelswellparishes.info – then on the right hand side of your page should be a box headed ‘Special events, News and Updates’ In this is a link to the Shelswell Facebook page – just click on it. Or in the Covid 19 box at the top of the page, click on the ‘services on YouTube’ link
If you get stuck, phone me for some coaching!
Joining in
As well as the ‘palm crosses’ resource, I have attached a number of documents:
– The order of service for the Holy Communion services, together with the information on ‘spiritual communion’ that went in the magazine. (Although we have mixed feelings about continuing to celebrate communion when we can’t meet together, I am mindful of doing so on behalf of us all, knowing that we are still joined in our praying. We include a prayer for spiritual communion).
– The booklet ‘praying in the pandemic’ which includes the short reflective service.
– The latest version of the community support networks (every time I issue it, I am alerted to another error!).
– The the liturgy for Maunday Thursday – thanks to Liz for putting this together
– Hymns we will be singing in our services on Palm Sunday and Easter
May I take this opportunity to wish you a blessed Holy Week and Easter.
Do your best to stay safe and keep well.
Alice
