Moston Methodist Church

Minister – Rev Sharon Read

POSTED ON: 19 March 2020

Letter from our minister 19/03/2020

Thursday 19th March 2020

Dear Friends,

You may have heard that The Methodist Church (along with other denominations) are closing our church buildings to all events, activities and services (apart from funerals and weddings which have clear restrictions) and so church will look rather differently without our buildings as a base.

We are thinking through this as a circuit and news will be updated regularly from our website www.manchestermethodists.org.uk and across our circuit social media on Facebook and twitter. If you use social media then please follow and share / retweet as much as possible. There are worship resources and prayers to help us through this time of uncertainty. Updates from The Methodist Church connexionally is available here: www.methodist.org.uk

Church as we know it – looks differently at the moment. We must all begin to check in with one another regularly and support every way we can. Pastoral visitors are making contact via phone or text. Today the circuit staff team had our first virtual staff meeting which was a very good way of talking and praying. Please can I encourage you to phone and video call if you are able each other via WhatsApp (the video icon next to a persons name) or Skype or Facebook messenger. Please continue to pray for the work of the church. Please pray for those who are fighting the coronavirus, those who have lost loved ones already, those self-isolating and social distancing and those who are having with no contact with anyone. Please continue to put your offering to one side so our work can continue once our building is reopened. Please consider making contact with someone new in your church – it’s a great opportunity to speak to the person you always wondered about.

As we process all this and pray, new things will become available.

If you have received this in paper form and have email access – please let me have your full name and the church you belong to along with your email address so we can include you in my next communication. If you don’t have email then don’t worry, I will find a way to get a paper copy to you.

However you are feeling and the choices you are making today – you are not alone. We have an amazing God who loves each and everyone of us and is our rock and refuge during these days.

I have taken this from the Methodist Connexional website:

Head of Mission, Jude Levermore said: “Our Calling is to respond in love and service to the needs of our communities. The aim of this advice is to help us do this even while the extent of the issue is still unclear. We are grateful to our sisters and brothers around the world who hold us in prayer as we hold them. We should not be afraid “

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”  2 Timothy 1:7.

God of all hope we call on you today.
We pray for those who are living in fear:
Fear of illness, fear for loved ones, fear of other’s reactions to them.
May your Spirit give us a sense of calmness and peace.

We pray for your church in this time of uncertainty.
For those people who are worried about attending worship.
For those needing to make decisions in order to care for other
For those who will feel more isolated by not being able to attend.
Grant us your wisdom.

Holy God, we remember that you have promised that
Nothing will separate us from your love – demonstrated to us in Jesus Christ.
us turn our eyes, hearts and minds to you.`

Amen

With love and prayers

Sharon

 

 

 

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