The Beaminster Area Team
From The Hub Covid – 19 Weekly Update Friday 13th November, 2020
One week of Worship suspension complete and a slightly quieter week on the guidelines front as we settle into Lockdown phase two. Thank you to you all for the help and support that you continue to give to Jo and me at a time that is for us quite often frustrating at the least and annoying most of the time when you are trying to plan ahead.
However, we plan ahead and this week I have had to submit to the Team News the service rotas for December and Christmas Eve/Day. Again, I am very grateful for the help and support I have received in putting together a comprehensive service provision across the team. This year, being exceptional, is going to look different in what can be offered in some churches purely because of their size and inability to cope with the number of people who would usually attend. But I have ensured that every church has a service in the 24 hours of Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. In some of these churches services will have to be ticketed and that will be organised by the individual parishes. I am also very grateful to my colleagues who are giving their support over this period.
Over the months, you will have read about the situation with the repair to the roof at Toller Porcorum following their led theft 18 months ago and the enormous cost to replace the lead and undertake other needed repairs to the roof and tower. Two weeks ago, Church Warden David Ennals responded to a letter that had appeared in the Daily Telegraph criticising the Church Commissioners for not helping more, with a letter of his own which was published. Since then he has been contacted by other churches who have experienced similar costly repairs and who have found less expensive solutions. Which in the case of the Diocese of Worcester, their DAC has allowed to be used, so why not others? If you would like to add your support to David in advancing this case, I am sure that he would welcome the moral and practical support.
If we hear of any sudden changes to the present situation and guidelines, please be assured that I will let you
know straight away. But, meanwhile, stay safe and keep well.
David
Thank you for the beautiful Remembrance pictures that feature on our worship video this week. Do please keep in touch with us and send us picture from your walks, your gardens or just interesting things you want to share.
Advent is fast approaching. We are reading a book together in Advent called Advent Windows by Margaret Silf. If you would like to order a copy please contact Anne in the office, via email beaminsterteam@gmail.com. We will also be hosting a daily reflection on our website and have produced a reflective Advent calendar resource for use at home. All the resources will be available online and you can pick up a copy of the Advent calendar resource from the church office once we are open again. We will upload a host of resources for keeping a holy Advent on our website.
There is lots of planning going on in the villages currently for Advent windows and Christmas activities. So far, I know that Broadwindsor, Drimpton, and Salway Ash will be displaying Advent windows during December for people to view on their daily walks. If you are still thinking of creative Covid secure Christmas and Advent activities and events there are lots of idea to be found by following this link.
Messy Church will be back online again on December 12 th at 4pm and again we will be offering fabulous bags of crafts for families to make along with us online. If you would like a resource bag please email me and let me know the ages of the children. The bags will be available to collect on Sat 12 th Dec at 10am from St Mary’s Church, Beaminster or picked up the week before from the church office, This year we are giving away 500 copies of the Bible Society Christmas book, It Begins in Bethlehem, to our primary school children and Messy Church children. And we are also providing Advent resources for them to do at home. Do please pray for our schools and villages and for the challenges many families are facing currently.
Every blessing,
Jo