Zoom Visit from Cambodia
This coming weekend, St Mary’s congregation will be joined by the McCann family on a home visit from Cambodia. They have been serving as missionaries there for 3 years.
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. There is also a sprinkle of humour.
Message from Revd Mandy
On Ascension Day, I received a post on the West Bergholt WhatsApp chat group which said
“Ascension Day is when Jesus started working from home!”
I thought it was a brilliant comment and it brought a smile to my face. I’ve never thought about Jesus’ ascension into heaven in this way before. It seems so relevant to us today, with so many of us working from home, as we’ve learned to do.
I think that when Jesus ascended to be with his Father, He was very different from when He’d come to earth. There was a sense in which He had been ’perfect’ when He was born, Immanuel, God with us. But when He returned to heaven He took all of his human frailty with him.
Not Perfect
He didn’t go back to heaven as a ‘perfect‘ human being, but with the holes in his hands, feet and side from his crucifixion. He also took with him the intimate knowledge of what it is to be human. He knew what it was to be a baby and cry for a feed or a nappy change; to grow up in a village with brothers and sisters; to learn a trade; to love parties (remember the wedding feast in Cana?); to be angry; to cry at the death of a dear friend; to eat meals with his family, and so on.
God truly knows what it is to be human and I think this is wonderful. It gives me hope that God isn’t a distant ‘heavenly being’, but that He is accessible and that He understands us.
I also love the fact that by returning home, Jesus liberated God’s Holy Spirit to come down to earth so He could sustain us and guide us in our complicated lives today. He can do this because He fully knows what it is to be human. Aren’t we fortunate! God really is with us today.
Please look after yourselves, love Mandy.
Guest Speakers on 7th June
We are delighted that Alex and Marguerite McCann, our prayer partners working in Cambodia, but are currently on a home visit, will be joining us at our service this Sunday.
It will be a great opportunity to catch up with their latest news about their work for the OMF (Overseas Missionary Fellowship) in Cambodia.
They have kindly forwarded us a link to the video below which you might like to watch before Sunday; this is the presentation they would have been giving if attending in person. We are also hoping to arrange for an opportunity for people to have a chat with them via zoom, but more details about this will follow shortly.
Link if the video fails to play for you: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1SvADn2iNmnKKv9ac1HUAKThZGq4KC2ll.
How to Access Sunday Services Online
A reminder that 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 are not already on this circulation list, please contact Janine on [antibot mailto=”[email protected]”].
Sadly some churches have experienced uninvited guests ‘zoom-bombing’ services and sharing inappropriate material. But we have now introduced various safeguarding measures to protect services from these unwanted interruptions. Please be aware, therefore, that you need to join the service at 9.50 am and that the meeting will be ‘locked’ at 10.05 am.
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 below (each service will be available to watch for 7 days):
Light Relief
A priest, a minister and a rabbit walk into a bar. The rabbit says, “I think I might be a typo…” 😆
From the notices:
- The ladies of the church have cast off clothing of every kind and they may be seen in the church basement on Friday afternoon.
- Thursday, at 5 pm, there will be a meeting of the Little Mothers Club. All ladies wishing to be Little Mothers please meet with the vicar in his office.
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.
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.
Contacts
- Priest in Charge:
Revd Dr Mandy Elmes, 1 Church Close, CO6 3JZ
email: [email protected]
tel: 01206 240906. - Assistant Curate: Revd Anne Mason
email: [email protected]
tel: 07895 970834 (Sun & Tues-Thurs). - 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: [email protected]. - Newsletter Editor:
Liz Dixon—01206 243683
email: [email protected]. - Hire our hall:
Nicole Long—01206 240443. - Website:
Stmaryswestbergholt.co.uk. - Follow us on Facebook:
facebook.com/stmaryswestbergholt.