Benefice
Newsletter
4 June 2020
Bishop Donald has offered a weekly sermon to the parishes of the Diocese, and so instead of our clergy's reflection we will have him preaching at our next Prayer and Praise.
The video of the service, as has now become our custom, will appear on our Youtube Channel on Sunday morning.
Agnes
This Sunday is Trinity Sunday.
I am guessing there will be some relieved clergy not having to preach! I always used to book a Reader or Curate for the Trinity sermon: good practice! And we have the privilege this week of Bishop Donald preaching to us. Don’t miss the service!
The collect of the day has this line:
Holy God, faithful and unchanging…
draw us more deeply into the mystery of your love…
- The mystery that God loves the unlovable.
- The mystery that God includes the marginalised.
- The mystery that God’s love never fails.
Last week we welcomed the Holy Spirit. To strengthen us. To make us more like Jesus. Made in the image of God, the Holy Spirit comes to transform us to who we should be.
We talk of the power of the Spirit coming to strengthen us. Actually, I don’t need strengthening. I need weakening. I need my heart softening to make me more like Jesus. Obviously I’m writing about me but could it also be true of us as the people of God? What do you think?
And that’s where the Holy Spirit comes in. Yes, strengthening us. But weakening us too. Softening us to be more like Jesus.
Soften my heart, Lord
Soften my heart
From all indifference
Set me apart
To feel your compassion
To weep with your tears
Come soften my heart, O Lord
Soften my heart.
Soften my heart
From all indifference
Set me apart
To feel your compassion
To weep with your tears
Come soften my heart, O Lord
Soften my heart.
Graham Kendrick ©
1988 Make Way Music
Margaret
We pray for the students, support staff, teachers and governors of our school during this most difficult of times.
We pray for their families.
We pray for those who are afraid to return to school and those who are afraid at home.
Would you like to be involved in our online Prayer and Praise worship? We are looking for volunteers of any age to read the collect or the lessons, or to say the intercessions. If you are ready to participate, please tell Rev Paula or Agnes (contact details at the bottom of this message).
Since early on in the lockdown we have enjoyed meeting up for a chat on Zoom, at 7pm twice each week. It is good to share stories of gardening, what we are eating and drinking, what Bo is barking at, and all of the various senses of humour that we have. We thoroughly enjoy keeping in touch, we would therefore like to share the opportunity for you to join us for a virtual natter on our Tuesday sessions. All you need is a mobile phone, tablet, iPad, or computer. If you are interested, call 01604 846491.
All Saints' Choir
Since our churches were closed I have been providing support for shopping and the collection of prescriptions. I am pleased to say that you have kept me busy and it has afforded me the opportunity of seeing some of you over these past two months. In addition, where I have contact details, I have had some lovely chats and checked that people have what they need.
I will continue to offer assistance, so please do not hesitate to contact me, and don't forget that Bob Allen and myself are happy to collect Foodbank donations. God be with us.
Ian
One of our parishioners received an email apparently from Rev Paula who needed a favor and asked for a response by email only, not by phone. The sender's name matched that of our vicar, but the address the email was sent from was different. The parishioner recognised this was a scam and told us about it, so we can warn the rest of you.
None of our clergy would ever approach anybody this way to ask for help, favors, money or bank details. If you receive a similar message, know that it is not from your priest. Remember that a scammer can easily mask the email as if it were coming from someone you trust.
If you get an email apparently from a person or company you know, but it is not the usual sort of message you normally get from them, be suspicious. Any combination of the following may be a sign that it is a scam:
- The sender’s name on the email is correct, but their email address is not the one they normally use.
- You are not addressed by name.
- A sense of urgency: for example the message states that the sender is in trouble needing help, or that your account will be suspended if you don't reply.
- Request for any personal information or password.
- Spelling and grammar mistakes.
- A prominent website link which will take you to a fake website.
- The entire text of the email is contained within an image rather than the usual text format.
What should you do with the scam email?
If there are links in it, don't click on them.
If there is an attachment, don't open it, it may infect your computer with a virus.
Never reply to it, otherwise the scammer will send you more and more emails from lots of different addresses.
Delete the email.
If you have been a victim of fraud, i.e. you have given money or your personal details to a scammer, report it to Action Fraud online, or call 0300 123 2040.
If you actively want to help fight fraudsters, join the National Trading Standard's Scam Marshals. They are everyday people who recognise scams, send any scam mail they come accross to the Scams Team so that it can be utilised as evidence in future investigative and enforcement work, and help their friends, relatives and others in their communities to do likewise by spreading the word. The Scams Team is offering resources to aid their volunteers in return: a welcome pack, a monthly newsletter, and free post. Find out more and sign up on the Friends Against Scams website.
CTIW are holding an online coffee morning on Zoom on 20 June from 10:00. At 10:30 James Bellamy, Trustee of the Daylight Centre Fellowship, will give a short talk about the impact of lockdown on their work, and will also speak about Streetchurch, followed by a bit more chatting. You have to register first if you wish to join the meeting, email Agnes for the registration link.
Those who suffer in body, mind or spirit, among them: Christian Smalley.
The housebound: Ruth S, Doreen A, Margaret O, Diana B, Pat W.
La Iglesia Anglicana de Mexico, The Most Revd Francisco Moreno, Presiding Bishop of La Iglesia Anglicana de Mexico and Bishop of Northern Mexico; The Porvoo Churches – Iceland, The Spanish Reformed Episcopal Church.
If you would like to add a name to our prayer list, please first obtain the consent of the person you wish us to pray for. Then tell Rev Paula or Agnes at the Benefice Office whom to pray for and the reason why. A name remains on the list for three weeks.
We remember those who have died recently, among them Geoff Mandeville. We pray for all who mourn this week.
Geoff’s funeral will take place on 11 June 2020 at 3pm. Although the service is restricted to family only, you may want to pause, light a candle and pray for Geoff’s family as he is commended to God’s safekeeping. There are Church of England resources that may help if you wish to use them.
Morning and evening prayer on Zoom – call Rev Christine (01933 226730).
Ian (phone 01933 274222) can help collect your shopping and prescriptions,
and he and Bob A. (01933 383316) collect Foodbank donations.
Northamptonshire Coronavirus Support Line for getting food, prescriptions and other services – call 0300 126 1000 / option 5.
Our own Prayer and Praise services online
List of churches with online services
Free worship phone line – call 0800 804 8044
For good mental health
For worship at home
For households with children: Faith at Home
Further resources from Peterborough Diocese