The Quiet of the Morning

Dear friends,

The old doors are open once more. You can come and worship again in your parish church. It is early, simple, safe and short. There’s room for you ! Woodcote at 8.30am or Checkendon at 9am, on Sunday mornings. North Stoke and Ipsden on Wednesday and Thursday mornings respectively. For more details check the Team website, or email your minister. There’s details there too of opening times throughout the week for prayer and personal visits.

In the quiet of the morning, take some time for God, and time for yourself.  Enjoy a drop of sacred stillness at the start of the day.

Online Worship for Sunday 13th September

This Sunday’s worship options are hosted by Revds John,  Linda and Kevin. You will need the zoom app installed on your device (laptop, tablet, phone or PC) – download from https://www.zoom.us.  Just before the appointed time, run the app, click on “join meeting” and enter the meeting number and passcode below for the service you wish to attend.

A Service of the Word with Revd John  10am        188 513 761 and 019797         Readings and prayers to start the day with God.

Morning Praise with Revd Linda 10am   865 4189 0288 and  702450    Songs, prayers and readings to share.

Holy Communion with Revd Kevin  11am       636 645 195  and 000162.     A modern communion service with readings, hymns and a short talk.

Family and friends are welcome to join us. It is a great way to stay in touch.  There are also midweek online service options available on Wednesdays and Fridays in the evening. Do check out the worship pages on the Team Ministry website for full details.

To help keep you church’s bills paid, please support Woodcote or Checkendon or Ipsden  or North Stoke churches via their dedicated and secure card donation pages. Just click on the church you wish to help. Please also Gift Aid your donation if you pay any income tax.

Going through it

Who would have thought that a skin of your teeth seat of pants escape could be the foundations for a new nation?  I’m not talking about Brexit (deal or no deal) but about one of the greatest miracles of deliverance in human history. Moses led a rag tag army of escaped slaves to certain death on the shores of the Red Sea, pursued by a vengeful Pharoah with superior forces and technological skill. Yet Moses trusts God, and is saved by the parting of the waters. So Israel is born, muddy footed yet free and the old ways of hard work in exchange for complicity and subservience are left behind over the water.  See more this Sunday at the 11am when we revisit this classic cliffhanger.

“Rise up, Lord, come to our help. Redeem us for the sake of your steadfast love.” Psalm 44:26

Like the young Israel we are on a journey to a new Land. How it will be, we don’t yet see. May the Lord be with us all through the waters. May our feet not slip, may our fears fall behind.

Your Rector, Revd Kevin