Worship & Notices for Summer Holidays 2021
Now that we are back to worshipping together in person at Castle Methodist Church, these pages will be updated less frequently.
Our services for July and August 2021 are detailed below:-
July 18th we welcome Ed Lansdown to lead our worship. In the evening we will be hosting a Circuit Service on Zoom from 6.15pm.
July 25th Phil Bingham returns to lead our worship again. The evening zoom service will be led by Wimpole Road/Chappel URC at 6.30pm.
August 1st Jonathan Sparkes will lead our worship. The evening zoom service will be led by The Ark from 6.15pm.
August 8th our Worship Leaders and Friends are in charge of our worship. There will be no sermon, but plenty of material for meditation, contemplation and possibly entertainment as usual. The evening zoom service will be led by Wivenhoe at 2.45pm.
August 15th our Minister Rev Alan Jenkins leads our worship and Communion service. In the evening we will be hosting a Circuit Service on Zoom from 6.15pm.
August 22nd Rev Ken Chalmers will lead our worship together. The evening zoom service will be led by Wimpole Road/Chappel URC at 6.30pm.
August 29th being a “5th Sunday” we will have our friends from St Botolph’s join us to worship together, led by Rev Alan Jenkins. There will be no Zoom evening service.
Please refer to the new “Online Services” page on the Menu for details about all of the Online Services, and other regular activities in the Circuit.
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
You can find Bible Stories and Activities for Young People on the Young Sunday page of the Circuit Website, or by following this shortcut link.
During the Summer Holidays various members of our Technical and Presentation Team will of course be taking well-deserved breaks, so this is a summary page to assist you during that time.
Our regular YouTube Services will continue to be uploaded weekly when we have the resources to do so, and individual links to the services may be added below.
Link for the service on Sunday 15th August 2021 will be here.
Link for the service on Sunday 22nd August 2021 will be here.
Link for the service on Sunday 29th August 2021 will be here.
If you haven’t already, don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to the You Tube channel. It is FREE. (Just click on the SUBSCRIBE button), 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.
Circuit Notices for Summer
A revised Circuit Plan including August 2021 will be made available on the Circuit Website Downloads page. The Circuit Plan for September to December will also be uploaded to there when finalised.
Many Circuit Churhes, if not all, will be open for in-person worship during the next few weeks. Most churches will be advising the congregation to continue to follow Covid precautions regarding hand sanitising, wearing masks and social distancing, etc. If you feel unwell at all please do not attend in person. If you feel uncomfortable attending in person there will still be online alternatives for you to use.
We will review what online activities should continue after August, and your comments by email to the Superintendent would be welcome.
We continue to experiment with Live-Streaming the 10:30am Sunday Service from Castle. It is now available on Castle’s YouTube Channel here, and you can access the Live-Stream playlist here. Alternatively, you can use the Live Stream link, from the Services page, on this website. To join future services live from home, please Subscribe to that channel (and click the Notification Bell icon) to be notified when this service is about to go live. Contact someone from our technical team if you need more help with this.
Taking Stock will still appear from time to time, but not every week.
We will continue with the Zoom evening services for the whole Circuit on most Sunday evenings, hosted by various Churches. Your local email Hub Co-ordinator will send you an email with a link to join these. (If you haven’t received an email please contact one of your church stewards).
Your local Methodist Church website will give more details about groups and activities which are taking place there – click on that Church in the Menu on the Circuit Website.
For your thoughts and prayers:-
As we begin to return to in-person worship, continue to remember all of our Circuit Ministers, Supernumeraries, and Lay Preachers in your prayers. Rev Ken Chalmers is now back to full time working. Rev Joe Adams remains unwell, and unable to carry out his usual duties for several weeks. Please pray for Joe, but do not contact him at this time. Any pastoral concerns should be directed to our Superintendent Rev Alan Jenkins by email or telephone. The Circuit has just appointed a new Circuit Administrator – pray for Helen as she settles into her new role.
Remember in your prayers folk from across the circuit who are suffering from various health problems at this time, and those who care for them. Remember any members and friends who have recently tested positive for Covid-19, or who are isolating, and those known to us who are NHS or other keyworkers.
Remember those newly ordained at Conference in your prayers, and remember all those ministers and their families who will be moving Circuit in the coming weeks.
Zoom Bible Study Groups:
Bible study sessions for everyone in the Circuit are held weekly on Tuesday’s and led by Ken. The Zoom meeting will open at 7.15pm for informal chat with Bible Study commencing at 7.30pm.
We began our new study on The Acts of the Apostles on Tuesday 13th July. Our next session will be on 3rd August 2021.
If you would like to join in this study please send an email to thearkhighwoods@gmail.com for more details, homework(!) and a Zoom link.
Details of Bible studies and other activities based at Wimpole Road are available on their website here.
Zoom Church Services:
(Zoom Services will “open” 15 minutes before the start time to allow everyone to join and settle in before beginning Worship together).
Invitation from The Ark:
We will be hosting a monthly service on Zoom at 6.30pm on the FIRST Sunday of each month, and a mid-week morning Reflections Service on Zoom on the SECOND Wednesday of each month. Anyone from the circuit wishing to join either of these is very much welcome to do so, but you will first need to email thearkhighwoods@gmail.com for a Zoom invite.
Invitation from Wivenhoe:
We will be hosting a monthly service on Zoom at 3pm on the SECOND Sunday of each month. Anyone from the circuit wishing to join is very much welcome to do so, but you will first need to email Alan for a Zoom invite.
Invitation from Castle:
We will be hosting a monthly service on Zoom at 6.30pm on the THIRD Sunday of each month. Anyone from the circuit wishing to join is very much welcome to do so, but you will first need to email Alan for a Zoom invite.
Invitation from Wimpole Road:
We will be hosting a monthly service on Zoom at 6.30pm on the FOURTH Sunday of each month. Anyone from the circuit wishing to join is very much welcome to do so, but you will first need to email Joe for a Zoom invite.
There will be no evening Zoom service when there is a 5th Sunday in the month.
Audio CD’s, and 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 a Minister or pastoral leader know.
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.
