Worship & Notices for 23 08 2020
Our Circuit Team have again been working hard to provide ways in which we can share in Worship through technology during the coronavirus crisis. This weeks’ Notices are at the bottom of the page. They will 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/ColchesterMethodists
- 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 Sunday 23rd August 2020. This should be available at a normal service time of around 10am and from then you can use this link to go directly to it.
When you leave a church service would you usually shake the hand of the Minister and thank him for the service? If so, please encourage our ministers and the team, by clicking on the Thumbs Up / LIKE icon for the video. This also helps our videos to be promoted to others, and spreads the word of God.
You can also leave a brief 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.
Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to the You Tube channel. It is FREE.
Also click on the NOTIFICATION BELL ICON, then choose “all” as an option to receive an email notification / link each time a new video is uploaded.
You can unsubscribe at any time, by clicking on the Subscribe button a second time.
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.
Some other 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.
Sthie (‘At home’)
To join in a very different worship experience, try Sthie (‘At home’) from the Isle of Man (led by Andy Fishburne whose videos have been used for some of our Bible Study sessions). Join in live on Sundays by joining a Facebook group. For details see www.andyfishburne.com/2020/03/15/sthie-at-home-online-worship/
You can watch previous live-streamed videos at www.youtube.com/andyfishburne
For our Young People
There is a digital Sunday school at https://disorganisedsundayschoolblog.com/digital-sunday-school
There is a Messy Church with Crafts and Stories for little ones on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/messychurchknaresborough/
A video to watch for this Sunday might be this one, which tells the same story of Moses from Exodus 1, that we hear read for us this week.
Public Broadcasting:-
BBC 1
13:15 Songs of Praise: Celebrating the Salvation Army – Kate Bottley visits the Salvation Army’s Hadleigh Farm in Essex to celebrate over 150 years of this Christian denomination, which is still going strong in the 21st century. You can find out more here.
BBC Radio 4
08:10 Sunday Worship : The inspiration of listening – Exploring the inspiration of listening with writer Anna Magnusson and poet Pádraig Ó Tuama. During this strange summer Pádraig and Anna find solace in time spent listening deeply. More information here.
A Prayer from the Methodist Church Website:-
A call to pray for everyone involved in education at this time.
Barbara Easton, head of service for the Methodist Academies and Schools Trust, calls for prayers at this anxious time of important exam results and as schools return in Scotland.
Click here for more information from the Methodist Website.
We are asked to pray:
- For young people and their families as they await, and deal with, their results,
- For the people in exam boards, university admissions offices and schools balancing the requirements of process and the futures of young people,
- For everyone involved in the full return to education; for people in Scotland returning to school this week and others involved in the shifting picture of preparation,
- For our Methodist schools across the country, serving and loving in the name of Christ and of the Methodist people,
- For Methodist schools and universities across the world, each serving in its own place.
God of grace,
We hold before you everyone involved in education at this time.
Give peace, righteousness, energy, delight and empathy all in their places.
We offer all our young people into your care,
Amen.
Circuit Notices
Week Commencing
Sunday 23rd August 2020
Many of our Zoom Activities have been paused over the normal Holiday period in August.
Your local Methodist Church website will give more details.
Please remember in your prayers our Ministers and their families who will be taking well-earned holiday time in August.
Zoom Bible Study Groups:
Alan’s new monthly bible study sessions are due to commence on Zoom at 7.30pm on Thursday 27th August. Please contact him for joining details and study notes.
Ken’s new weekly bible study sessions will begin on Zoom in September. Please contact him for joining details and study notes.
Opening our churches for Worship
The Stewards and Staff of Colchester Methodist Circuit have issued a statement which can be viewed here.
Audio CD’s, and now DVD’s, are being made available to anyone unable to view the online service. If you know of someone who would benefit from this please let one of our Ministers or pastoral leaders know.
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.
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
Be sure to 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.