Sunday Letter 8 November

 Benefice of St Mary’s Chard, Combe St Nicholas, Wambrook and Whitestaunton 

8 th November 2020

 Dear Friends I did not think I would be writing to you again in another lockdown, but here we are. 

It has been a great inspiration to me that when I have talked to some of you since the announcement on Saturday that you have shown fortitude and forbearance in the face of these very difficult times. 

At the moment, we are not allowed to hold public worship in the church, so all services have been temporarily cancelled. However, the Archbishops of Canterbury and York are among those faith leaders who have written to the Prime Minister asking that public worship be allowed to continue. So we will see….. 

We are in the season of remembrance, and this Sunday is Remembrance Sunday. It is a real sadness that we will not be able to be together for worship, although a small ceremony will take place at the war memorial. I am sure that you will all make your own acts of remembrance at home and take part in the two-minute silence at 11.00. 

Remembering is a good thing to do if it helps us also to move forward. We mostly honour those who have fallen in war if we work hard to ensure that we live in peace now. Our job is to remember, give thanks and make sure that we use the freedom we have to build God’s kingdom of peace, mercy and justice here on earth. 

The introduction to the Peace that we often use in church is this: ‘We are the body of Christ, in the one Spirit we were all baptised into one body. Let us, therefore, pursue all that makes for peace.’ Let us all say that on Sunday as our commitment to one another and to Christ. 

Whatever the next few weeks bring, I do hope that you will all stay well and safe. One thing we can continue to do is pray and I know that you will all be doing that. You will also be staying in touch by phone and online and I hope to see some of you ‘virtually’ or speak with as many of you as possible. 

The Archbishop of Canterbury has sent out a letter to all clergy and I want to share this last paragraph with you. I cannot think of anything more appropriate to say: “In one of the climactic passages of the New Testament, Paul says to those who follow Christ that their “love must be genuine, that they hate what is evil and hold fast to what is good.” He asks them to “serve the lord”, exhorting them to “rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers.” (See Romans 12.9-12.) None of this is easy. Especially not at the moment. But it is our calling.” 

Blessings 

Ann

what is evil and hold fast to what is good.” He asks them to “serve the lord”, exhorting them to “rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers.” (See Romans 12.9-12.) None of this is easy. Especially not at the moment. But it is our calling.” Blessings Ann