Seven Churches in South Oxfordshire

From the Rector: Tuesday 12th May 2020

Keep Smiling Through

Dear friends

As lockdown stretches ahead for most of us into an indeterminate summer there will be times when exasperation or frustration pop up. Here are just a few ways you might hang onto your sanity; (i) Take a hour off. Sit in the garden with that book you want to finish. Or just sit in the garden. (ii) Ration your news input. Ten minutes a day is plenty. (iii) Phone a friend. Ask them how they are doing. (iv) See if you can find something to be thankful for. If it is a someone, tell them.  (v) Write down ten people you know who are self isolating. Sit down quietly and hold them in your heart before God. You don’t have to say anything. (vi) See if you can spend £10 less online shopping this week. Find a charity you admire and give the money online to them instead.

Pet Service !

This coming Sunday I am going to be taking advantage of our zooming to invite you to bring your pet with you to our 11am service. We suddenly have an easy way to have cats and dogs in the same space, without chaos ensuing ! Do come, and invite friends and family, for a service focussing on our animal friends and companions, who suddenly in lockdown find themselves not only getting all the attention from us that they know they’ve always deserved, but also playing an important role in our ongoing mental well being. This is our chance to say thank you to God, and to them, and to ask for His blessing on us all. There will also be an animal themed craft activity for you to try at home. The zoom numbers for our Sunday services across the team are as follows:

Do join us, using the Zoom app on your PC or tablet. You will need to download and install the app beforehand from https://zoom.us/ . (You will not need to “sign up” unless you’d like to be able to “host” meetings yourself.)

10am Service of the Word led by Revd John     Meeting ID: 188 513 761     Passcode  019797  A Service with prayers and readings.
10am Open Door service led by Revd Linda    Meeting ID: 852 5830 9428   Passcode 916411   A chance to reflect and pray at the start of the day.
11am  Pet Service led by Revd Kevin       Meeting ID: 636 645 195        Passcode 000162     A family friendly service – for every member of the family !

It is absolutely OK to invite friends and family to join us. All services will be child-friendly. Its a great way to stay in touch. The 11am service will “open” from 10.50am for those who wish to come early and chat. Do bring your coffee!

Thank you

To you all for your support, good humour, neighbourliness and compassion. Our world may have become a smaller place, but perhaps we are re-learning that, actually, our lives are made of small things and that what matters is the way that we do them.

You’ve been sending me your “pictures from lockdown” which I am compiling for a service later in the year; please do keep sending them. Zoom enables us to keep in touch with one another, even though our families may be living apart. Alice and Jack are in Shropshire, and sent this lovely photo of their “backyard” where they are able to walk. This photo invokes for me a wonderful South African spiritual called “Freedom is coming”, which when we are “released” and allowed to sing together again it will be my joy to teach you.

God bless – Revd Kevin

Walking in the Shropshire Hills

 

 

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