At Audlem Methodist Church – there will be a service in church each Sunday at11.30am.
– Rev Jenny Arthurs leads this week's service
Please note:
Masks are to be worn in the church at all times. Sanitisers will be used.
There will be no hymn singing.
After the service (duration approx 40mins) people must leave – no coffee/chat.
Social distancing maintained throughout.
At Hankelow – there will be a service each Sunday at 10.30am
– Services recommence this Sunday 6th June..
The zoom service will continue at 10.30am each Sunday throughout June.
In July and August zoom service will take place every other week – instead of every week. This is to reflect the growing family and work commitments many people have as Covid restrictions are eased.
These are the Sundays when we will be having a zoom service over the summer:
All of June
July 4th and 18th
August 1st, 15th, 29th
Following discussions between Woore and Hankelow Chapel Church Councils over the last few months, and with the support of the Superintendent Minister and our own minister Rev'd Robin Fox, it has now been agreed that Hankelow and Woore will merge to form one Church Council.
Worship, Christian witness and mission will continue in and from each building. This partnership is based on the close relationship between the two chapels over the last five years which was developed by Rev'd Gary Windon. It is planned to have joint services at each other's chapel's in the coming months when Covid restrictions allow.
We warmly welcome Woore friends 'back into the fold' as they rejoin the Audlem Mission area after a short absence.
Dear friends,
This Sunday seems to be the day when many of the churches across the circuit will reopen if they have not previously done so. Whilst that is good to see, and is a sure sign that we are heading in the right direction, we have to remember that it is only the next step in the onward journey – we are going forwards, not going back.
There will still need to be reminders that we are not out of the woods yet. Social distancing still applies, face coverings will need to be worn unless medically exempt, and there will be no singing for the foreseeable future.
Whilst we rejoice in the rollout of the vaccination programme, I become worried when I hear people say "We've all had both doses". Don't get me wrong, I rejoice with those who have had both doses, but as we do not know exactly who might come through our doors, we have to continue to play by the rules. For instance, do you honestly know how many doses, if any, of the vaccine the person leading worship has had? I think I must have missed that questionnaire somewhere.
For me, the Biblical images which come to mind are either Noah and his family leaving the Ark where they were greeted by a scene of total destruction, or the return from exile in the later part of Old Testament history where the Jews could return to their homeland after 70 years of captivity in Babylon, but when they arrived at a home many of them had never known before, they found the place in ruins having been destroyed and abandoned.
Is that taking the analogy too far? I don't think so. Too many families have lost loved ones, and our high streets have been financially devastated – look for example at the number of empty buildings which housed well-known high street names not very long ago. There will be plenty of rebuilding work to be done as Noah and Nehemiah discovered all those years ago.
The Christian life is a journey, but it is never a journey back to the past – those days are gone. Rather, it is a journey onwards to the future. What that future will look like will only become clear as time goes on, but it will almost certainly involve greater use of technology.
Whilst it is daunting, it is not something to be feared. The God who led Noah and family through the flood and who brought the Israelites back home after exile will lead us on today just as back then. Are we willing to embrace this exciting journey? It will be fascinating to see where God will lead and what our new mission field will be.
With love in Jesus
Robin
From Nancy-May – The Young People of AMC
With the building work starting this coming week we realise that our young people will not be able to meet at Chapel for quite a while so we have decided to re-launch ourselves in Fiona's Garden, to allow for appropriate social distancing. This will be a very special time and our thanks go to Fiona for providing the venue and Ruth for going 'on tour' with her amazing skills.
The next newsletter will be Sunday 20 June. Please send any items for the newsletter to Janet Furber email: r.furber@btinternet.com or telephone 01270 811598 by 5pm on Fridays.
The Methodist Church free phone service for news and prayer. The news option looks around the Connection at what's happening and the prayer line is a prayer from particular Methodists.
Listen to a prayer: 0808 281 2514
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minister@audlemmethodistchurch.org.uk
01270 812820
Audlem Methodist Church
Shropshire Street
Audlem
Crewe
CW3 0AE