Blues for Two

Dear friends,

It is “peak season” for S.A.D.  – or the “winter blues”. We’ve not seen much sun on the outside for a while. So our feel-good hormones are running low. When you add in winter illness, two years of Covid, frequent changes, upheavals at work, relational pressures and money worries it is neither surprising nor unexpected if there are days that are short on motivation or enjoyment. That’s OK. God knows. Take the small wins; the snowdrops arriving, a vapour trail in the sky, winter aconites bursting yellow under the tree. And, of course, St Valentine is expected in a few days time.  Think about someone you love – even if you are on your own – and get them a present or write them a card. The Blues are better when they are shared.

Worship Services for Sunday 13th February

9.30am Morning Prayer at St John’s Stoke Row with Revd Kevin Davies

11am Holy Communion at Checkendon Church with Revd Kevin Davies. With hymns, and a short sermon.

6.30pm-7pm. Church at Home. An online evening service with Revd Kevin.  Zoom numbers 636 645 195 and passcode 000162. Music, prayers, and a word from Mark’s gospel.

Other service options for elsewhere in the Team can be found on the Langtree Team Ministry Churches website.

You can support Checkendon church and  Stoke Row churches via dedicated and secure online card donation pages. Just click on the link. It is very secure. There is a new option to set your donation to be monthly rather than one off. There is also an option to Gift Aid your donation. Please do this if you can as your church can then reclaim the income tax you have paid on your donation. Checkendon Church in particular now needs your urgent help. Thank you!

Team Service for Ash Wednesday

It was wonderful to see so many old friends from around the team (after such a long time apart) at our Team service at Stoke Row at the end of January. Looking ahead, Lent begins with Ash Wednesday on March 2nd. Our next opportunity to come together as a team is for the service of Ashing at 7.30pm on Ash Wednesday evening at St John’s Whitchurch Hill, led by the Revd James Leach, to which we are all invited. There is plenty of parking in the car park opposite the church by the community hall. Do put this in your diary, so that we can begin the penitential season together.

Every blessing

Revd Kevin Davies