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South Wye Team Ministry Newsletter

Sunday 8th November - Remembrance Sunday

Good Morning Everyone, I’m writing this on Monday morning following a Sunday full of services where I had to say “I don’t know when we will be gathering on site to worship once again.” There is a real pain in closing our churches and it matters that we acknowledge that. The greatest sadness is probably that there will be no formal act of remembrance at either of our Churches on Remembrance Sunday or on the 11th. Even before this Lockdown, the Royal British Legion had already announced that in light of the risks posed, the annual Remembrance Sunday March Past the Cenotaph will not take place this year although the Government led Remembrance Service at the Cenotaph will continue to go ahead as a closed ceremony. There was to be no civic ceremony at St Peter’s Square in Hereford, with wreaths being laid in ‘Rule of Six’ compliant intervals through the day. The new rules may restrict this further – and in fact specifically restrict leaving home other than for a list of reasons which does include visiting an outdoor public place (so both of our churchyards might qualify) but only with the people you live with, with your support bubble or, when on your own, with 1 person from another household. It seems to me that this excludes any sort of formal event at which crowds might be expected to gather. We will be putting an act of remembrance online at 11am on Sunday and on the 11th, and I enclose a short act of remembrance which you might like to use at home, based on resources from the Royal British Legion (page 6). The RBL’s website also states that “Despite the changes this year, we are encouraging people across the nations to ensure Remembrance Sunday is still marked appropriately by taking part in remote and socially distanced Remembrance activity, whether that be watching the service on television or pausing for the Two Minute Silence in their home or on their doorsteps.” I am aware as I type this that almost anything that I say may be overtaken by events, but even whilst we wait for full guidance, my inner Pollyanna is at work. There are bright spots in the gloom. Our planning for the Autumn and Winter had included on-line options for all our activities and events. This time we will be able to record services in Church from the beginning – so my study will not need to be co-opted as a chapel. Our online services have enabled people who would never have been able to attend previously to share in worship. At least we had a little warning this time. I don’t want to underestimate the challenges that many people in our community will face during lockdown – and for those facing economic hardship, health worries, isolation and anxiety about vulnerable friends and family, this will be a difficult time. As a church community I know that we will find ways to support and help as much as we can. Please contact the office if you know of anyone who might need practical help or support.

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I’m including with this newsletter a letter to clergy from the Archbishops of Canterbury and York in which they suggest that we make this a month of prayer and in particular, pray for our nation every Thursday, for its leaders, its health and essential services and all those who suffer. This will be the focus of our online Night Prayer service at 8pm on Thursday nights. For the duration we will return to putting a recorded service online at 10am on Sundays. Morning and Night Prayer will continue, as will ‘My Perspective’ on Thursday mornings. We will add in weekly prayers at the candle stand in St Martin’s. Please get in touch if you have specific prayer requests. We will revert to this format for the newsletter for the duration and post or email it out as widely as we can. Please let me know if you know of someone who would like to receive it. I’ve included some puzzles and colouring to fill a Lockdown hour or two. Please let me know about birthdays and any family or community news – the things that we would usually share over coffee after church – and I will include it. The usual Bible Study sheets and family pages are also attached – I hope that you find them useful. With every blessing to you all

Anne

If you would be willing to read a lesson or prayers in our online services and to send us the video, please let me know so that we can arrange a rota for the next few weeks.

Don’t forget Tuesday Morning Coffee over Zoom – although you do have to bring your own coffee these days! Everyone is welcome! find the links on Facebook at Cosy Cuppa and a Chat or contact Jo for details

Visiting the Team Office Please ‘phone or email if you possibly can, rather than visit the Parish Office. The office will not be fully staffed, but we will respond to emails and ‘phone messages. If you do have to come to the office, please wear a mask. Maintaining the safety of staff and visitors must be our priority, and for me there is also the selfish consideration that if both Sharron and Christine are required to isolate at the same time the office will have to be closed again. Thank you for your patience and consideration with this.

Along with our ‘Wye Christmas’ Advent course, craft kits will be available for children or adults which will have a craft to go alongside the theme each week. If you or someone you know might like an Advent bag, please let Jo know.

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For our Prayers Those being baptised this month: Jadzia Isla May Those who are ill or in need of your prayers, including: Glenys H Gaynor C Ann W Carol Lee Roger Dot G Emma Marcia R Oliver Chrissie Hana Joe D Nick D Brenda B Immie B Bob Harry Viv Tom M Helen Barbara W Those who have died and those who mourn their loss: Mary Robert Malcolm William Betty Vera Bryan Roger Anglican Communion: West Indies: The Most Revd Howard Gregory - Primate Hereford Ecumenical, interfaith and international links that help define and locate us as a diocese. Pray we may develop and value all that connects us to a wider vision of call, service and world mission. Porvoo. England: Norwich; Sweden: Luleå. South Wye We pray for all though facing furlough or redundancy through this period of Lockdown and for couples who have had to postpone their weddings or change their plans again. This Week: Pray for those whose plans to spend time elsewhere on exchange and partnership schemes such as USPG’s “Journey with us” have been cancelled or put on hold because of the pandemic, with opportunities lost for growth and sharing. Pray for the work and witness of the Royal British Legion, other forces charities, and for serving members of our armed forces, and for this year’s Poppy Appeal. Saturday is World Diabetes Day - pray for all who live with this condition. World Kindness Day on Friday reminds us to be thoughtful and considerate towards one another, in a world where simple kindness can seem to be in short supply. In Talk Money Week, pray for people struggling to budget for family needs, and all who offer help and advice. O God of truth and justice, we hold before you those whose memory we cherish, and those whose names we will never know. Help us to lift our eyes above the torment of this broken world, and grant us the grace to pray for those who wish us harm. As we honour the past, may we put our faith in your future; for you are the source of life and hope, now and for ever. Amen.

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Services online and on TV and Radio South Wye Services Through the Week: 8am and 8pm daily Morning and Night Prayer on St Martin’s Facebook. Sunday 8thNovember; 10:00 - Online Holy Communion from St. Martin’s. 11:00 - Online act of Remembrance from St Martin’s Telephone service: To listen to an audio version of the Communion service, call 01432 806066 after noon on Sunday – the service will be available for the whole week. This will cost you the same per minute as a local ‘phone call. There is a message and then some silence before the service starts – don’t panic, if you have heard the message then the service will start before long. You can also watch a video of the 9:00am service on Sunday live on St Martin’s Facebook page, or from noon on St. Peter’s Facebook, St. Martin’s Facebook and St. Martin’s YouTube channel. Diocese of Hereford Diocese of Hereford Facebook: Sunday Service 10am. Diocese Freephone Prayerline: Dial 0800 304 7052 to hear a prayer. Church of England National Weekly Service Facebook at 9:00am. TV and Radio on Sunday 8th November; BBC H&W 8am Sunday Worship. Radio 4 8:10am Sunday Worship: from the Royal Air Force College, Cranwell BBC 1 10:15am Remembrance Sunday: The Cenotaph Radio 4 1:30am Ceremony of Remembrance from the Cenotaph BBC 1 1:15pm Songs of Praise for Remembrance Sunday from the Brecon Beacons Prayer for the day: The Church of England website has audio and text of the Prayer for the Day. Daily Hope Phone Line 0800 804 8044 - a free national phone line offers music, prayers and reflections as well as full worship services from the Church of England.

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An Act of Remembrance for Use at Home (A recording of the Two Minute Silence: which includes the Last Post at the beginning and Reveille to end the silence can be downloaded from the Royal British Legion website.) https://www.britishlegion.org.uk/get-involved/remembrance/about-remembrance/act-of-remembrance If you do not use this recording, the silence can simply begin at the end of the Exhortation, or at 11 am and end with the Kohima Epitaph. Let us remember before God, and commend to his sure keeping: those who have died for their country in war; those whom we knew, and whose memory we treasure; and all who have lived and died in the service of mankind. The Exhortation They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old: Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning We will remember them. (Last Post) The Two Minute Silence is observed. (Reveille is sounded.) The Kohima Epitaph When you go home, tell them of us and say, For your tomorrow, we gave our today. Prayers Almighty God, we pray for all who suffer as a result of war; For the injured and the disabled, for the mentally distressed Let us pledge ourselves anew to the service of God and our fellow men and women: that we may help, encourage, and comfort others, and support those working for the relief of the needy and for the peace and welfare of the nations. Amen Lord God our Father, we pledge ourselves to serve you and all mankind, in the cause of peace, for the relief of want and suffering and for the praise of your name. Amen The Lord’s Prayer Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done; on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

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For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen

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Suduko This one is a bit easier

This one is a bit more complicated (the solutions are over the page)

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Wordsearch

This month Scotland remembers one of the very first disciples of Jesus. St Andrew is honoured not for

any mighty deeds of his own, but for his love of introducing people to Jesus. He went straight off and

introduced his brother Peter to the Saviour, and followed that up by bringing Nathanael/Bartholomew to

Jesus. ‘Better Together’ seems to have been his slogan, too! ‘We have found the Messiah!’, he told

them, unable to keep the good news to himself. Andrew’s connection with Scotland dates back to the

claimed translation of his remains from Patras in Achaia to Scotland in the eighth century. The church

in Fife where these remains were buried became a place of pilgrimage during the tenth century. All of

this may be no more than pious legend, but that St Andrew was highly regarded in Scotland and

became its patron saint is beyond doubt.

Scotland disciples Jesus Andrew honoured Peter

Nathanael Bartholomew Messiah Saviour Patras Achaia

eighth remains translation Fife pilgrimage tenth

pious patron saint love introducing place

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Solutions

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