Facing Changes: Annemarie writes

                                  

Anne-Marie writes;

I have lived in Isabella House for five months now: "How long will it take you to settle?" I have been asked by friends. Amazingly I felt settled once the numerous boxes had been emptied on day two. It just seemed so right leaving my childhood home and where I returned years later to nurse my Mum and then Dad.

On the third day here there was a fish and chip supper and I was warmly welcomed into the fold of thirty residents. Everything seemed to go very smoothly as I began to dispose of items I no longer wanted, as much as possible to charity. My only difficulty was passing on hundreds of books. I was told it would be very stressful.  But I felt lifted up and this move was a new adventure in my later life.

And so it has proved to be especially in the situation we all find ourselves in. Lockdown and no socializing. But there is still support here and I am very happy. Many phone calls to make and receive, and also emails, including with old workmates wanting to make contact.

I am alone but not lonely.  God is good.   

We say Psalm 46,

¹ God is our refuge and strength,
    an ever-present help in trouble.
² Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
    and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
³ though its waters roar and foam
    and the mountains quake with their surging.^[c]

⁴ There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
    the holy place where the Most High dwells.
⁵ God is within her, she will not fall;
    God will help her at break of day.
⁶ Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;
    he lifts his voice, the earth melts.

⁷ The Lord Almighty is with us;
    the God of Jacob is our fortress.

⁸ Come and see what the Lord has done,
    the desolations he has brought on the earth.
⁹ He makes wars cease
    to the ends of the earth.
He breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
    he burns the shields^[d] with fire.
¹⁰ He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
    I will be exalted among the nations,
    I will be exalted in the earth.”

¹¹ The Lord Almighty is with us;
    the God of Jacob is our fortress.

We pray (at any time of day)

Lighten our darkness, we beseech thee, O Lord; and by thy great mercy defend us from all perils and dangers (of this night); for the love of thine only Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ.  Amen.

Love to you all. Ann-Marie

Isolation

‘We’re getting on one another’s nerves’, someone admitted to me last week. That sense of being shut in together or by yourself can really get to us all. Families where Mum and Dad are working from home and the children long to be entertained can be very difficult. One parent humorously described it as ‘like being stuck in a cell with unruly inmates!’ Loneliness, isolation and frustration are very real feelings, often reflected in the Bible, though transformed with hope.

The Psalmist writes:

Turn to me and be gracious to me,
   for I am lonely and afflicted.
Relieve the troubles of my heart,
   and bring me out of my distress.
Consider my affliction and my trouble,
   and forgive all my sins.

O guard my life, and deliver me;
   I take refuge in you.
May integrity and uprightness preserve me,
   for I wait for you. Psalm 25:16-21

When we have these difficult times and feelings we need to remind ourselves that we can reconnect. Connect with God through reflection, prayer and reading and reach out to connect with others though social media or writing.

One of my friends writes down her favourite Bible passages, poems and prayers on the back of the greetings cards that she has received and kept over the years to turn over and contemplate in times of difficulty.

Praying for others and handing over impossible situations to God are also important ways in which to share and let go of our troubles.

Phoning people and staying in touch can also be really helpful in allowing ourselves to see the greater horizons: sharing and caring. It can be tempting when we are down to wait and see who gets in contact with us but I think that it is vital when we reach this stage of thinking to reconnect, don’t wait! God is always there for us, there’s always someone who wants to chat and our difficult feelings can then be put safely into God’s hands.

Lord, at times we feel so alone,

crying out for attention, despairing inside: looking for some sort of acknowledgement,

some sign of hope,

somewhere and from someone.

Help us to remember that we can call upon you, as you are there, right at our side.

Help us to reconnect with others through staying in touch, as they may well be feeling the isolation too.

Easter Monday: Caring

Kay writes:

When I became ill two years ago and could no longer stand to chat to people over coffee on Sunday mornings and had to sit down with older members of the congregation, I wondered what God was doing taking me away from welcoming new people and talking to young families, particularly those coming prior to baptism. I now know why. Since building up these new friendships with older members, I'm now able to easily chat to them over the phone during this time of lockdown. God works in mysterious ways.

Love Kay xx

Kay is one of our wonderful team of volunteers phoning people daily.

We pray
For all whose day starts with anxiety,
worrying about the risk of infection;
particularly those whose health
or age classifies them as vulnerable.
Loving God, be close, keep them safe,
along with all whose tasks today
includes the care of frail and elderly.
And for all of us, grant wisdom
to make sensible choices, not just
for ourselves, but for everybody.

John Birch faithandworship.com

Easter

A Blessed Easter to you All

An Easter Prayer

When everything was dark
and it seemed that the sun would never shine again,
your love broke through.

Your love was too strong,
too wide,
too deep
for death to hold.

The sparks cast by your love
dance and spread
and burst forth
with resurrection light.

The light of new life
made possible through Jesus.
The light of new life
that shone on the first witnesses of resurrection.
The light of new life
that continues to shine in our hearts today.

We pray that the Easter light of life, hope and joy,
will live in us each day;
and that we will be bearers of that light
into the lives of others.
Amen. 

Michaela Youngson.

Holy Saturday: Waiting

In the past the Church would not have been waiting or quiet today. It would have been busy, a marvellous flurry of activity; with beautiful lilies and flowers cut and arranged by all our great flower arrangers, the Lent cross would be prepared for people’s flowers tomorrow,  the bare Easter garden set up, the organist passionately practising the finale for the Easter service, the cleaning team scrubbing, polishing and vacuuming, the sacristy team putting back all the altar frontals, silverware and the fresh linen and amidst all the flowers’ scent there would be the smell of coffee and hotcross buns and the lively chatter of the workers!

But today the church lies silent. And today, we too can find silence, we can use this time of waiting this time of suspense between two worlds, that of the darkness of Jesus’ death and the  glorious light of resurrection; to be silent, calm and still,  a time to be slow, reflecting on our fears and anxieties, and then letting them go into the quiet space of prayer and the presence of God. Isaiah said:

I will wait for the Lord, and I will hope in him.

They who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like the eagles, they shall run and not be weary.

They shall walk and not faint.     Isaiah 8:17 and 40:31

Christ, our Lord,

Your love is poured out for us,

Hold us in your embrace

As we wait for the dawn of Easter, comfort us with the promise,

That nothing can separate us from your love,

And strengthen us to wait in stillness and calm

Until you are revealed to us in all your risen glory. Amen.

Good Friday: My Lament

                                  

Oh crucified Saviour, when we began Lent I shared with the congregation on our first Thursday that Lent was always hard, but I never expected this! It really has been a wilderness experience.

The news of people suffering, the deaths, the overworked NHS staff, huge new hospitals, the social distancing and isolation, the funerals of beloved church members, the closed church, the surreal silence - and now here we are on Good Friday:

I miss everyone. And I gather that many of us feel that way. Somehow social media, helpful as it is, still doesn’t feel the same. Lifted up on the cross, above the earth, away from loved ones, in physical and spiritual pain, you know Lord what it is to feel desolation.

Now in Holy Week, there have been no shouts of Hosanna on Palm Sunday, no footwashing, no sharing in the poignancy of the Last Supper, no prayers with others during Holy Week.

Oh yes, I have continued to pray and I have followed the virtual services but somehow I feel my foundations are shaking; I’ve taken out my baptism Crucifix, Christ dying alone, the wood marked by drops of rain and my tears over the years. You have held me through so much.

Lord, I call to you; I need you now, more than ever. Your cross shows me that through this uncertain mortal life you do go before me, behind me, above and beneath me. You willingly embraced the cross for me, for all people. Lead us through this dark time. Keep all of us safe. Above all, help us to go on trusting, even in the most challenging times, as you took up the cross, faithfully, hopefully. Help me to accept the cross today, on this Good Friday, and turn afresh to follow your Way.

Oh crucified redeemer,

you take away the sin of the world, you died to bring us eternal life:

hold us and forgive us,

and grant us your peace.

Amen

Maundy Thursday: Serving

Maundy Thursday

At the last supper Jesus told us to love one another and He shows us how:

He showed us how when he washed his disciples’ feet.

He showed us how when he shared supper with his friends.

He showed us how when he forgave those that killed him.

He showed us how when he died on the cross for our salvation.

We can only truly get our lives right when we die to ourselves and let the light of Christ rise up within us, following him on the way of service, the way of love, the way of the cross.   

Jo

Janet Bird reflects

Who would ever have thought that our lives could change so totally in such a short time? There is so much grief in the world and so many people suffering that we need God in our lives more than ever before. And yet there is so much to give thanks for. The number of people volunteering to help others is phenomenal. Buildings are being adapted and turned into hospitals in a matter of days. The NHS is doing the most incredible job and we give thanks to God for all who are giving so selflessly to help others as we see that the Community spirit is definitely alive and well and keeping the elderly and the vulnerable safe and fed.

This passage from Matthew 25 seems particularly pertinent at the moment

³⁷ The righteous will then answer him, ‘When, Lord, did we ever see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you a drink? ³⁸ When did we ever see you a stranger and welcome you in our homes, or naked and clothe you? ³⁹ When did we ever see you sick or in prison, and visit you?’ ⁴⁰ The King will reply, ‘I tell you, whenever you did this for one of the least important of these followers of mine, you did it for me!’

Nobody is safe from this virus unless we all keep away from others and practise social distancing at all times. We have seen people from all walks of life being becoming ill, including our Prime Minister and famous people have died as well, people who have been working so hard within the health service caring for others.

However we know that we are not alone in our suffering and in this Holy Week we especially remember the suffering which Jesus endured for our sake. As we make our way with Jesus on the journey towards the horror of the crucifixion we pray that we may all show the courage and faith that Jesus showed on that journey to the Cross.  In a world where so much is uncertain at the moment may we gain strength and comfort from knowing that God is with us, sharing our sorrow and guiding us towards a time when, with His help, we will once again be free to live our lives in safety, able to be with those we love.

As we prepare to celebrate the Resurrection on Easter Day may we truly experience a rebirth, so that when this awful time is over we will use what we have learned from our isolation to ensure that the love that we have been sharing for our families, friends and neighbours continues to manifest itself in more practical ways than perhaps we were previously used to. Keeping in touch, showing people how much they mean to us and concentrating on what is really important in our lives.

May God bless all who are caring for the sick and needy and may we all be guided by His Spirit and the love of Christ as we cope with the days and weeks ahead. Amen.  With much love to you all,  Janet.