Worship & Notices for March 2022 including Ukraine and Lent 2022.
Our Circuit Churches are open for in-person worship.
Most Circuit churches are advising the congregation to continue to follow Covid precautions regarding hand sanitising, wearing masks and social distancing, etc.
If you feel uncomfortable attending in person, there are online alternatives for you to use.
If you feel unwell at all please do not attend in person.
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).
Zoom groups will typically “open” 15 minutes before the start time to allow everyone to join, chat, and settle-in before beginning our Worship or Study together.
There will be no evening Zoom service when there is a 5th Sunday in the month.
Our services for March 2022 are detailed in the Circuit Plan available on the Downloads page. Various other activities that may interest you are at the bottom of this page.
March 6th Lent 1
In a late change to The Plan, we welcome Rev Martin Camroux to lead our Communion Service.
The evening zoom service will be led by Rev Ken Chalmers and hosted by The Ark at 6.30pm.
March 13th Lent 2
Rev Alan Jenkins will lead our worship today, when we will be Laying Up the Boys’ Brigade Colours signalling the closure after 120 years of the 1st Colchester Boys Brigade Company.
The evening zoom service will be led by Rev Alan Jenkins and hosted by Castle at 6.30pm.
March 20th Lent 3
Our morning service will be led by Jonathan Sparkes.
The evening zoom service will be led and hosted by Wivenhoe at 3pm.
March 27th Lent 4 Mothering Sunday
Our Worship will be led this morning by our Worship Leaders.
The evening zoom service will be led by Rev Ken Chalmers and hosted by The Well at 6.30pm.
For those who cannot attend a church in person, we Live-Stream the 10:30am Sunday Service from Castle.
To join future Live-Streamed services from home, please Subscribe to Castle’s YouTube channel, and click the Notification Bell icon, to be notified when each service is about to go live. (It is free, and you can change your mind at any time. We need to reach 100 subscribers and then we can ask for a more memorable channel name, so please consider doing so if you have not already).
Contact someone from our technical team if you need more help with this.
All of our previous services are available on Castle’s YouTube Channel and you can access the Live-Stream playlist for 2021 here OR the Live-Stream playlist for 2022 here at any time. Alternatively, you can use the Live Stream link, from the Services page, on this website.
The YouTube channel for Colchester Methodists will also have the services from Castle available, but not until Sunday afternoon. Other new material may be uploaded on an ad-hoc basis.
You can access all of our existing Circuit material, including stories for Young People, at any time on the channel. If you are subscribed to that channel, you should receive an email notification when any new material is uploaded. https://www.youtube.com/ColchesterMethodists
If you haven’t already, don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to the You Tube channels. 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
The Circuit Plan for March to May is now available on the Downloads page.
Rev Joe Adams is now back to work, and will be leading services in Churches across the Circuit in the coming months.
We are looking forward to welcoming Rev Chris Preece as our new Superintendent Minister from September 2022, subject to Conference approval.
The farewell service for Rev Alan Jenkins and Rev Ken Chalmers has been arranged for 6.30pm on Sunday 17th July 2022 at Castle Methodist Church and will be led by Rev Tony Miles. More details will be available nearer the date.
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. We will meet online again on all Tesdays in March.
It’s not too late to join in this study – please send an email to thearkhighwoods@gmail.com for more details, homework(!) and a Zoom link. There are also audio recordings available if you miss a session and want to catch up.
Upcoming Activities which may be of interest:
Ukraine
The Methodist Church has material available to help us in our prayers and understanding of the situation in Ukraine. Currently, the front page of its website has several links that may be helpful to you. This includes a donations page which links to the All We Can website of the Methodist Church.
Peace Vigil for Ukraine
A Message from Colchester Quakers
“I am sure there are many people in the town who are extremely concerned and upset about what is happening in Ukraine. On Saturday 12 March at 2.00-3.00 Colchester Quakers are holding a Peace Vigil in front of the Colchester Quaker Meeting House, 6 Church Street, Colchester, CO1 1NF to uphold the people of Ukraine. We would like to invite anyone who feels so moved to join us. We are suggesting that people may wish to bring candles and readings, and to please dress for the weather as we will gather on the forecourt in front of the Meeting House. Tea and cake will be served indoors afterwards”.
Appeal for Donations
Since receiving this flier from the URC we understand that financial donations are thought to be more beneficial right now, and we are encouraged to donate through the Disasters Emergency Committee / DEC
Lent 2022
Material is available on the Methodist Church website to help us in our journey through Lent 2022. This includes a specific appeal for donations to their Lent 2022 campaign.
The Bible Society also has news from Ukraine, and material available for Lent 2022.
Lent Study & Discussion Group
“Thy Kingdom Come” a joint study and discussion group held with our friends at St Botolph’s Church on four Fridays starting on 18th March 10.00am for 10.30am.
Good Friday A Service of Reflection at St Botolph’s 10.30am on 15th April.
Walk Worthy Men’s Conference
19th March 2022 10am -4pm.
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.
