4th July 2020
Benefice of Farleigh, Candover and Wield
Dear friends,
Today may be Independence Day in the USA, but it is also the next step towards freedom to worship together again for us, and gradually restoring our normal patterns of life.
At both ends of the Benefice, Sunday services begin again tomorrow, and although not quite what we were doing 4 months ago, at least we will meet together, pray together, and for those meeting outside, to sing together as well.
These are tentative steps, as we know the possibility of infection exists if there are people in our communities that have the virus – although in the last few months the incidence of cases has been very small in comparison to the size of the population, and most of us have been self-isolating, being careful about spatial distancing and using hand gel.
Christian faith is a community faith – although we come to Christ individually and personally, we join a community of faith stretching back 2,000 years, and further back to Genesis, as we work back through the generations who have encountered the God who speaks, who initiates contact with us, who manifests His presence regularly, but only to those who have eyes to see it; how often can two people experience the same event and interpret it in completely different ways, depending on the world view and belief system that we, consciously or unconsciously hold, influenced by so many factors.
As we get back together, why not share our stories of these long few months? In the Farleigh service, which be uploaded this evening for tomorrow, there’s a testimony from one of our members of her reflections during lockdown; it’s short but very powerful. If you have a story to tell, why not email David or me, and let us know so we can incorporate it into our worship, for testimony of God’s workings in our lives brings great encouragement to us all, and helps to build confidence in the “God Who Is There.”
We will continue the online services, we think, till end of August, but we will inform you as we progress over these next few weeks.
Sunday online services are bring uploaded as you read this, and will be available via the website.
As always we are available on phone, email, or face to face over a garden gate or wall, for all matters.
Prayer times Wednesdays 9.00 to 930 a.m. and fellowship group on Wednesday evenings 7.45 to 9.15 p.m. on Zoom – contact peter.c.w.raine@btinternet.com.
May God bless each of you this week, Every blessing,
With our prayers and greetings,