Day 39 of Lockdown

Our day 39 update starts with St Mary’s May edition of their news which includes a message from Revd Mandy Elmes and details of how to access services online. Other updates include:

St Mary’s Update

This update starts with a message from Revd. Mandy Elmes and also includes details of how to access Zoom services, listings of services and contacts.

Message from Revd Mandy

Our world has changed immensely in the last few weeks, but amid the upheaval and distress, I believe that good is coming out of the crisis.

The last few weeks have seen a real increase in the care of, and communication with, the more vulnerable members of our villages. More:

genuine checking that folk are coping;
offers of shopping;
respect of others in the sense of doing our best not to give them the Covid19 virus; and
gratitude to NHS staff, care workers, cleaners, HGV drivers, haulage shipping etc.

Our wildlife is thriving; I’ve never seen or heard so many birds singing, and the blossom in the trees is better than I can remember.

With the huge reduction in flying the world is cooling and the levels of carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide are falling. The world is being given an opportunity to recover a little.

On that first Easter morning, there was an empty tomb and now we are celebrating this Easter Season with empty churches. The tomb could not contain Christ, he burst out in resurrection; and in a similar way, church buildings cannot contain Christ today. He is with us in the difficult and unusual time in which we are living, giving us hope and perseverance.

We all miss our hugs with family and friends, but this time will pass and we will be together again. As Christians, we can trust Jesus to keep us safely in his care.

Please look after yourselves, love Mandy.

An Invitation to Worship with St Mary’s via Facebook and Zoom Meetings

Rev. Mandy has done a great job of streaming services live on Facebook each Sunday morning. From Sunday 10th May, she is switching to leading them using the Zoom Meeting App to allow more people to participate in the service. We will also be holding Messy Church and Praise on 4 Café Church services using this App.

How to Access Sunday Services Online

The links to all the services being broadcast using the Zoom Application will be circulated by our church administrator, Janine, a few days before each service. She will also attach any Orders of Service which may be needed to enable you to join in the responses. If you would like to be included on this circulation list, please contact Janine on [email protected].

Many of us are new to using the Zoom Application so if you would like some help and advice on how to download and use it, please contact Liz Dixon on [email protected]. Instructions are attached here. Zoom is a free App.

You will still be able to watch all the services later as the Zoom services will be recorded and downloaded onto our Facebook page and our website: https://www.stmaryswestbergholt.co.uk/streamed-services.

Light Relief

Six year-old Ned’s mother was looking through an old family Bible when an oak leaf fell out. Ned said “I guess that must be Adam’s shorts.”

My friend opened a ministry, using a snippet from a well know Bible passage as the name. However, he soon regretted his decision to order office supplies over the phone. When the stationery arrived it bore the letterhead “That Nun Should Perish.

A Prayer

Keep us, good Lord, under the shadow of your mercy in this time of uncertainty and distress.

Sustain and support the anxious and fearful, and lift up all who are brought low;

That we may rejoice in your comfort knowing that nothing can separate us from your love in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Amen.

Services & Other Dates

All events are at St Mary’s unless stated otherwise. Kids’ Church is our new form of Sunday school for children. Note, no Evening Prayer Service during winter months.

Sunday 3rd May	10:00 am	Communion via Facebook.
Sunday 10th May	9:15 am	Messy Church via Zoom.
	10:00 am	Communion via Zoom.
Sunday 17th May	10:00 am	Communion via Zoom.
Sunday 24th May	9:30 am	Praise on 4 via Zoom.
	10:00 am	Communion via Zoom.
Sunday 31st May	TBC

Contacts

Priest in Charge:
Rev Dr Mandy Elmes, 1 Church Close, CO6 3JZ
email: [antibot mailto=”[email protected]”]
tel: 01206 240906.
Assistant Curate:Anne Mason
email: [antibot mailto=”[email protected]”].
Church Wardens:
Sue Day—01206 241040;
Ron Seymour—01206 273579.
Lay Readers:
Richard Chadborn—01206 240541;
Michael Foster—01206 241022;
Joy Budden—01206 241871.
Parish Evangelist
Ron Seymour—01206 272579.
Pastoral Assistant:
Dorothy Chadborn—01206 240541.
3 Parish Families’ Worker:
Jo Jeffery—07853 586683.
Church Administrator:
Church Office Hours — weekdays 9 am—1 pm
Janine Wilde — 01206 243683,
email: [antibot mailto=”[email protected]”].
Newsletter Editor:
Liz Dixon—01206 243683
email: [antibot mailto=”[email protected]”].
Hire our hall:
Nicole Long—01206 240443.
Website:
Stmaryswestbergholt.co.uk.
Follow us on Facebook:
facebook.com/stmaryswestbergholt.

75th Anniversary of Victory in Europe

Friday 8 May 2020 marks the 75th Anniversary of Victory in Europe. Colchester, like other towns and cities across the UK, would have held a Civic service to mark this historic day. However, due to the Coronavirus pandemic and Government guidance, public commemorations have been cancelled nationwide.

We, therefore, invite you, instead, to explore our online pages commemorating VE Day, along with links to some external websites that tell the story of that historic occasion and the end of the war in Europe.

We also invite Colchester residents, young and old, to take part in the celebrations at home. The dedicated VE Day 75 website lays out the timetable for the commemorative events that were to take place nationally and includes many online resources.

The Queen will address the nation in a pre-recorded message at 9 pm, the same hour as her father, King George VI, made his radio address to the public in 1945. You can visit the central government website to find more information about this, as well as see the Government’s updated programme of events.

At 3 pm, you can participate in the Nation’s Toast to the Heroes of the Second World War, and join The Royal British Legion at 9 pm for a UK-wide doorstep rendition of Dame Vera Lynn’s “We’ll Meet Again”.

For other ways to take part, please see our external links for recipes, bunting, posters and a creative challenge for children set by historian and presenter, Dan Snow.

The Imperial War Museum will be releasing a very special VE Day soundscape on the morning of Friday 8 May 2020. Please visit this page on VE Day to listen.

ECC’s response to COVID-19 in numbers

ECC has been working continuously to ensure Essex residents, communities and businesses are fully supported during the coronavirus outbreak. Here are some key facts about their work so far:

3,986 residents registered with the Essex Welfare Service (EWS).
26,451 people registered as vulnerable.
831 emergency food deliveries.
13,800 asking for help with essential supplies.
117 supermarkets and shops agreed to help in Essex.
2,735 volunteers registered.
1,000 volunteer jobs a day through EWS, volunteers picking up jobs in under a minute.
3,181 supported by EWS with help and support.
9,474 asking for help with other support.
20,390 business grants paid to businesses.
167 rough sleepers have been safely accommodated.
429 schools have opened with 3,547 pupils attending.
1,200 views on the Keep Essex Active Channel in four days after launch.
4,000 engagements on ideas for keeping active at home across Facebook and Twitter.
In the past two months nearly 120,000 people have visited content on the coronavirus hub.
26,721 calls to the call centre.
4,318 views of online library content.

CBC Funds Colbea to Support Local Businesses Through Covid-19

CBC is awarding the Colchester Business Enterprise Agency (Colbea) £9,450 over the next three months (starting in April 2020), to support local businesses affected by COVID-19.

Colbea, which provides business advice, support and training to new and existing businesses, will use the funding to broaden its ability to support local businesses through the COVID-19 crisis and into recovery, with fully funded 1:1 business advice sessions.

The funding was awarded to Colchester Borough Council from Central Government as part of a wider COVID-19 support budget.

Find Out More

For more information on Colbea and to book a fully-funded appointment with an advisor call 01206 548833 between 9:00 am and 5:00 pm or email [email protected]. An advisor will contact you within two working days. A designated webpage on Coronavirus Business Advice and frequently asked questions can be found here https://colbea.co.uk/business-advice-coronavirus/.

Day 39 of Lockdown – the St Mary’s May edition