News
Dear All.
I hope this letter finds you safe and well.
Good news!
Our PCCs have approved a return to “corporate worship” in our Benefice from the 14th March - which means that our first Communion Service in St Michael’s will be on Sunday 14th March at 9am.
Services as we return to having Services in the Church
We will continue to observe Covid safe practices. Please contact me, Roni - well in advance - if you intend to be at Communion services so we can plan seating. Remember to wear your mask and bring your red service book if you have been given one already.
As we have it at the moment:
- Friday 12th March Private Prayer in Church (10.00-3.30pm)
- Sunday 14th March 9am Holy Communion in Church
10.30 on line Morning Worship, Facebook and YouTube - Friday 19th March 10.30am Holy Communion in Church
Private Prayer in Church (10.00-3.30pm) - Sunday 21st March 10.30 on line Morning Worship, Facebook and YouTube
- Friday 26th March Private Prayer in Church (10.00-3.30pm)
- Sunday 28th March 9am Holy Communion in Church
10.30 on line Morning Worship, Facebook and YouTube - Good Friday 2nd April to be confirmed
Do you need prayers?
We have a small group of intercessors who will continue to pray confidentially for those who ask for prayers. If being held in prayer in that way is something you would like, please talk to Roni or Jenny.
Together or apart - let us continue to hold one another in prayer, and where possible to reach out in love and service.
With my love and prayers,
Be safe, keep well, and God bless you,
Roni
We have just received a letter from Bishop Alan, Bishop of St Albans which we'd love to share with you.
You can download a copy of his letter here.
Source: Revd Roni Goodman
Date: 29th October 2020
You will find the service and activity sheets for Sunday 18th October - the 19th Sunday after Trinity, in the links on the Worship/Online Worship section of this website. The sermon this week is preached for us by Keith Callard, Reader at St Mary's Church, Meppershall, and, as always this will be available via our Listen-in Worship blog and by phone on 01462 559112.
As part of our mission to reach out with God's message to as many people as possible, a blog has been launched which allows you to listen to a Service or Talk from St Michael's Shefford and St Mary's Meppershall in Bedfordshire, England. This Podcast is also available by phone - please share the number with a friend who doesn't have internet - T 01462 559112.
Click here, or on the image to visit the blog.
Source: Andrew Goodman
Date: 14th October 2020
Each year we are required to have a Parochial Church Meeting at which various reports are presented (mainly to do with Church finances and the state of the the church building), plus the election of people that we want to represent us.
You may be surprised to hear that the APCM is still going ahead this year, in spite of the COVID 19 restrictions.
It will be very different this year though - on a Thursday (8th October), and it will be a mixture of physical and Zoom online meeting.
We don't have times or nitty gritty details yet, but will publish them as soon as they're available. Until then, please try to keep 8th October clear in your diary.
For now, Patricia Goulding, our Churchwarden has asked me to publish various forms relevant to the meeting:
- Electoral Roll Application (If you are not on the Electoral Roll, you cannot vote on anything in the APCM).
- Nomination For Election To PCC (Put yourself, or someone else forward to represent you on the Church Council)
- Deanery Synod Nomination Form (Put yourself, or someone else forward to represent your Parish/Benefice at the Deanery Synod)
- Nomination For Election As Churchwarden (Put yourself, or someone else forward to support Patricia as Churchwarden)
Please think and pray about how you want your Church to go forward in these challenging times - can you add your talents and experience to our future, or do you know someone who could be nurtured to unlock as yet untapped skills or talents?
Source: Patricia Goulding - Churchwarden
Author: Stephen Lines - Webmaster
Published: 24th August 2020
Dear All
I hope you have been enjoying the wonderful weather this week, and not working too hard in your garden!
Our hymn of the day is Amazing Grace.
Notices:
You might like to know that St Michael’s Church is now open from 8.00am to 3.00pm on Fridays. If you are able to visit - then please do keep to the arrangements which are in place for everyone’s safety.
Please do sanitise your hands on entry - then take an “I Prayed Here” card to the place where you choose to pray and leave it there on the seat when you leave. (This tells other people not to sit where you just sat - and will help the cleaners when they come to clean!). There is also sanitising gel for you to use on leaving - through the west door at the rear of the Church.
We are looking forward to the Church being opened up for Life Events - Baptisms, Weddings and Funerals, and also for Public Worship. There has been some suggestion that this will be allowed after July 4th. However we will need time to look at Government and Church Guidance when it is published, and work out what we can manage whilst following the advice given and keeping everyone as safe as we can.
Hard as it has been not to be able to gather in the Church for worship and Holy Communion, I think it has been so hard too, not being able to gather in our Church, drinking tea and coffee, sharing news and joys, worries and woes. I am missing you terribly. For me that “fellowship” too, is a crucial part of being Church.
I think it will be a while yet before we are back to normal - whatever that means. In the meantime: Please let us know if there is anything else we can do to help you.
Be safe, keep well, God bless you.
Have a good week
Roni
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