Dear All,
What an August! We have seen the children and young people head off to school, college or university. Most workplaces have reopened and there has been some move to seeing the daily routine return to our lives. Still many of us are shielding and still more of us feeling very uncertain about our safety and the safety of loved ones. In all these things we look to Jesus, our rock and our refuge in stormy seas. When the world changes constantly around us with time, tides and storms the nature and love of God remains the same and our salvation and future in Jesus is secure.
As long as the COCVID-19 guidance continues to allow us, things are going to be changing a little this autumn here at St Michael’s.
I am planning a return to Holy Communion services at 8.30am on the first Sunday of each month beginning with 4th October 2020. I will also be bringing back the 10am Common Worship Holy Communion service starting on the 20th September 2020. These services will look different and there will be various restrictions on the participation but I will provide more details of these once they have been finalised. Some aspects that will definitely be different is that the congregation will only be receiving in one-kind; meaning that you will only receive the bread at the alter-rail. There will be no kneeling to receive and there will be a one-way system in place as well.
Harvest will be taking place as usual with a wonderful guest speaker Mr Graham Patrick, who will be preaching at that service. The Harvest Sunday will be on Sunday morning at 10am on the 27th September and whilst we can’t sing as a congregation still we will still have some good Harvest hymns to enliven our worship together.
Morning Prayer returns each week day morning from the 14th September but at the new time of 7.30am to help accommodate my school run responsibilities. The channel remains the same and you can join-in on twitch.tv/revdrichardcherryburton
Our ‘Closer Look...’ bible studies will start again with a three week ‘Closer Look at The Trinity’ starting on Wednesday 16th September at 7.30pm in Revd Richard’s Zoom Room. A heady topic to take us into the autumn term which will be followed by a short break and then we turn our attention to ‘A Closer Look at Romans’ before Advent and the Christmas. Please do book on to these via our Church website www.stmichaelscherryburton.org.uk
I am exploring various ways to re-start in a safe and secure way other parts our regular outreach and ministry over the coming weeks. Please pray for myself and the PCC as we look at creative and imaginative ways to seek God’s kingdom and follow in his mission.
Our church website is a good place to keep in touch with more of what we are doing and to find recordings of our services and updates on what is happening through St Michael’s.
Every blessing,
Richard