5th April 2020
Benefice of Farleigh, Candover and Wield
Dear friends,
A shorter letter this weekend as we face our third week of lockout from our places of worship: we are all adjusting to a different pace of life and it takes its toll emotionally as it is like a bereavement when we are out of our usual routines. But God is unchanging, He is with us, for us, and will give us grace to behave as His children each day and to find ways of blessing others, as He gives us opportunity.
Tomorrow there will be a couple of services recorded for you to join in worship: a Family Service based on Palm Sunday from David, and another Morning Worship from Stephen, both with a blessing from the Bishop of Basingstoke who kindly sent us a 3 minute clip to encourage us, as he was due to come to Wield for Evensong on Sunday with a choir as well. Thank you to Mark and Annie Duncan for reading this week and Caroline Cazenove’s playing (recorded a couple of weeks ago) – if any of you would like to be readers for next few weeks do let Stephen know…it can be recorded via a Skype or Zoom call, or digital camera or Youcam.
PALM SUNDAY crosses – we are arranging for these to be hung at lych gates at Ellisfield, Dummer and Cliddesden, Wield, Northington and Preston so do collect yours - first come, first served!
David and I are working on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday services – very stretching as we have to be creative, but your prayers for us to do something that will engage us with the Holy Spirit at this most important festival of the Christian Calendar would be much valued by us.
Winchester Cathedral, and the diocesan website, have a program of recorded services for Holy week and just to mention that on Good Friday the Cathedral Chapter will provide a pre-recorded service, lasting one hour, comprised of reflection, poetry and reading. This will again feature Cathedral choral music. The theme will be ‘My Song is Love Unknown; Reflections on The Cross’ and will include veneration of the cross and prayer. There is also a service that has been pre-recorded by Bishop Tim and Sally Dakin for Palm Sunday.
The Lord Bless you and Keep you during this pilgrimage towards Easter Day.