Benefice
Newsletter
3 March 2021
With the government announcement of their roadmap to lift restrictions, the churchwardens, our clergy team and I have been discussing our return to public worship in church. It goes without saying that we are all committed to re-opening our doors as soon as possible as well as ensuring the safety of all who enter the church.
There are still concerns in Northamptonshire about the rising number of cases in some areas and talk of local restrictions remaining in place for longer than the roadmap indicates. This is speculation at this stage, but I must emphasise that the outline below assumes that the restrictions will be lifted in line with the government roadmap and that the situation in Wellingborough follows the national downward trend for infections and hospitalisations. If this is not the case, we have to review our position again.
With the support of our PCCs we have agreed that we will plan to reopen on Easter Sunday, 4 April, for a 9.15am Eucharist at All Saints and an 11.15am Eucharist at All Hallows. The midweek Holy Communion services will begin w/c 12 April. All Hallows will open on Saturday mornings for private prayer from 17 April.
There is no pressure on people to attend in person as we will continue to provide online worship in parallel for the foreseeable future.
Below are details of the services for Holy Week and I hope that you will join those if you can – for those who cannot access Zoom we will do all we can to ensure that you are able to access the liturgy at home and join us in spirit.
A parish priest I once knew said something that has stuck with me over many years:
If you cry ‘Hosanna’ on Palm Sunday and the next thing you do is cry ‘He is risen’ on Easter Sunday, you have missed the point. To truly proclaim ‘He lives’ you need to journey with Jesus through Holy Week, encountering him in the temple, at the table, in the garden, on the cross, and then you can fully rejoice in his resurrection.
My invitation to each one of you, is come, come let us make that journey together this year.
God bless
Palm Sunday, 28 March
Worship 10am via Zoom
Compline 6pm via Zoom
Monday & Tuesday of Holy Week, 29 & 30 March
Morning Prayer at 8.30am
Evening Prayer at 5.30pm
Wednesday of Holy Week, 31 March
Morning Prayer at 8.30am
Stations of the Cross via Zoom at 7.30pm
Maundy Thursday, 1 April
Morning Prayer at 8.30am
Tenebrae Service via Zoom at 7.30pm
Good Friday, 2 April
Sunday School workshops via Zoom at 10.30am
Meditations at the foot of the Cross via Zoom 2.00pm
Easter Sunday, 4 April
Eucharist 9.15am in church - All Saints
Eucharist 11.15am in church - All Hallows
No Compline on Easter Sunday
Join us on Zoom on Sunday 7 March at 10:00.
Follow this link, or use meeting ID 879 8177 6860 and passcode 524298.
Huge thanks to those who have been prayerfully knitting squares for our Holy Week in a Bag. Please could you deliver completed squares to Rev Christine by 15 March. If this is not possible, do get in touch and she will arrange to collect them from you.
Those who suffer in body, mind or spirit, among them Sue P, Roger P, Richard H, Tim C, Kay G, Oliver D, Cedric G.
The housebound: Ruth S, Margaret O, Diana B.
The Church: Province de l'Eglise Anglicane du Congo; the Porvoo Churches: Chelmsford, Karlstad.
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 Christine whom to pray for and the reason why.
Those whose anniversaries fall on this week: Pat Salsbury, Marilyn Higgs, Peter Richardson, Frederick Swindall, Eric Buchanan, Harry Bunker, Sidney Dagger, Elsie Worley, Patricia Brown, Keith Haynes, Madge Ashpole, Thomas Cherry, Phyllis Smith, Alice Maud Stevens, Thomas William Bues, Robert Adamson, Fred Thomas Tredgett, Emily Pratt, Milly Barron, Horace William Redman, Peter Blagden-Gamlin, Frank Archibald Peck, Tom Farrely, John William Haydn Herrod, Dorthy May Oram, Ernest Hedley Tutt, Doreen Annie Heathcote.