Worship & Notices for 07 06 2020
Once again, our Circuit Team have been working hard this week to provide ways in which we can share in Worship through technology during the coronavirus crisis. This weeks’ Notices are at the bottom of this page to keep you updated of news around the Circuit, and of activities that are taking place (usually online!). Please let us know of anything that should be included.
The YouTube channel for Colchester Methodists continues to have videos uploaded regularly. If you follow this link, it will take you there: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCy1Oj6Fjruf2Z8jhx_WMpyw
- There is an initial video from Alan, explaining what’s planned.
- There are the Worship Services for each Sunday since lock-down.
- There are several short videos from our ministers bi-weekly under the heading Taking Stock.
- There is also a series of Meditations for Holy Week under the title Witnesses.
We are in the process of creating, editing and uploading a service for tomorrow, Sunday 7th June 2020. This should be available at a normal service time of around 10am.
Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to the You Tube channels for Castle and Circuit, also click on the NOTIFICATION BELL ICON, then choose “all” as an option. Then you will receive an email notification each time a new video is uploaded. You can unsubscribe at any time, by clicking on the Subscribe button a second time, and it is all free.
To encourage our ministers and the team, click on the Thumbs Up icon to give a like (or a thumbs down if you really didn’t like it) for each video.
You can also leave a message in the comments below each video, but PLEASE don’t forget that literally EVERYONE worldwide can see this, so don’t make any personal comments, or refer to people in a way that risks their privacy in any way.
Rev Joe Adams is again leading virtual worship at Wimpole Road on facebook live on Sunday at 11.00 am click on https://www.facebook.com/Wimpole-Road-Methodist-Church-Colchester-310296022510387
Alternatively, this page from the Methodist Church Website provides information about live-streamed services and has downloadable service sheets for this Sunday and the coming weeks for worship-during-the-coronavirus-pandemic. This includes resources for personal prayer and Bible Study.
As other alternatives there are Live-streamed services available from:-
Wesley’s Chapel in London which will be available at: www.youtube.com/channel/UCUAUqhmhevz5sqhh72LIMxA Service times are Wednesday 12:45; Thursday 12:45; Sunday 9:45 and 11:00.
Swan Bank Methodist Church in Burslem will also live-stream worship on Sunday at 10:30 the service will be available at www.youtube.com/user/SwanBank and www.facebook.com/swanbank/
Birmingham Methodist District at 10:30 there is a service at https://www.facebook.com/Birminghammethodistdistrict/
Hong Kong International Methodist Church https://www.michk.com the 11.00 am service in English will be live streamed at 3am our time, but should also be available by 11 for us to watch.
There is a digital Sunday school at https://disorganisedsundayschoolblog.com/digital-sunday-school
Public Broadcasting:-
BBC 1
- at 10:45 Sunday Worship: Trinity Sunday – The Reverend Canon Leigh Richardson, sub-dean and precentor, leads a service for Trinity Sunday from St Davids Cathedral in Pembrokeshire. With hymns sung by the Songs of Praise congregation in July 2019, the programme was filmed before the closure of all church buildings was announced. More information here.
- at 13:15 Songs of Praise: Faith and Music – Sean Fletcher explores how music and faith can help us through the darkest of times, including the coronavirus pandemic and the death of George Floyd in the USA. You can find out more here.
BBC Radio 4
- at 08:10 Sunday Worship : The Comfort of the Trinity – A service for Trinity Sunday led by Jonathan Rea of New Irish Arts. More details here.
From the Methodist Church Website:-
Prayer from Italy
God of grace,
we turn to you in prayer in this difficult time
in which the spread of a pandemic infection has forced our governments
restrictive measures that limit the normal course of life,
they block our sociality and risk making us shut up in our increasingly small sphere, but they are necessary.
God of love,
help us to maintain community bonds and solidarity with our sisters and brothers, especially with those who are in sickness and need,
and help us to be a family for those who are without a family.
God of healing,
we pray for those who have been infected and for their family members,
give them the courage to face this moment of illness;
we pray for all healthcare workers who are spending so much
to manage this epidemic competently and generously,
for scientists who are working hard on a cure in a short time;
give them all strength and vision to face and try to stop this epidemic.
God of mercy,
allow us to live this time as a profitable opportunity to reflect on our experience of faith and on our being part of an easy society prey to fear and discouragement in the face of adversity; help us, despite the difficulties of this situation, to keep us united and open to others, help us not forgetting all the other great tragedies that undermine peace and disrupt the world.
God of salvation,
we pray you to support us in fighting the chains of exploitation and injustice
and help us to maintain chains of solidarity throughout Europe;
please don’t abandon us to the fear of contagion,
but even more to the contagion of fear
for Christ Jesus our brother and savior.
Amen
Rev. Mirella Manocchio
Presidente of OPCEMI (Opera per le Chiese Evangeliche Metodiste in Italia)
Circuit Notices for Week Commencing Sunday 7th June 2020.
Drop-in Zoom Café
Now running “at” Wimpole Road every Monday from 2pm to 3.30pm.
Bring your own drinks and snacks! More details here.
Zoom Bible Study Groups
Bible studies are being led on Zoom by Ken and Joe on Tuesday and Thursday evenings. If you would like to join please contact them directly for details. Alan will start a group on Wednesday evenings if there is sufficient interest.
Zoom Church Meetings
Church Meetings will be taking place via Zoom in the next few weeks, please remember these meetings in your prayers.
Zoom Men’s Group Meeting
A Zoom Circuit Men’s Group meeting will be taking place again soon. Date and time of next meeting will be posted on the Circuit Website in due course.
A reminder from our Church Treasurers
While our buildings remain closed for all activities, there are still regular bills to be paid. If you are part of an envelope giving scheme, or would usually set aside cash to give as an offering in church each week, could you consider alternative forms of giving? Perhaps online banking, or contributing by cheque or standing order? Your local Church Treasurer would love to hear from you about this.
Radical Presence in Chelmsford Diocese
This free 7-week programme of conversations is now offered to Christians of any denomination in the area of the Chelmsford Diocese. Conversations in small groups take place on Zoom each week for seven weeks at 7:30pm on Tuesdays starting on 9 June. More details here.
Methodist Conference will meet virtually this year
The Conference Business Committee agreed that the Conference should meet virtually from June 25 – July 2 2020 in order to conduct its essential business. Final details about the timetable are being discussed.
Please remember in your prayers all the representatives, and those for whom this is a significant Conference personally e.g. ordinands and those designated for office.
For more information about these activities, or to tell us about your news from around the circuit for inclusion next time, please contact colchester.methodists@gmail.com
Above all, keep yourselves safe and well.
Let someone know if you are struggling, if you need a chat, or just some shopping. Do contact your pastoral leader, or send someone an email: you may be in isolation, but you are not alone.