The Coronavirus Pandemic & Its Effects On Our Lives
A Pastoral Letter from the Parish Priest
Letter 20 – 26 July 2020
Seventh Sunday after Trinity
My dearest Friends in the Lord,
Here I am again with my weekly Pastoral Letter since the lockdown as we continue to Stay Alert, Control the Virus and Save Lives!
Lots of things are happening in the world and in our country. The international relations between countries show signs of tension and strain. The Brexit talks continue, and, at the moment, there is no silver lining in the horizon. We hope that leaders in our country and all over the world will have the wisdom and the humility to make the decisions that will help everyone especially the poor and the vulnerable.
In the past weeks, in the gospels, we have heard Jesus teaching us of the Kingdom of God. This is a new vision of life different from the ways of the world and yet so very relevant in these difficult times. We are not just citizens of this earth but also citizens of Heaven! “The Kingdom of God is within you”, says Jesus. This Kingdom of God grows slowly in our hearts like a mustard seed or any seed. As we obey God and follow him the seed of our lives sprouts and becomes a plant or tree and bears good fruit. God’s Kingdom grows from the inside out. When our hearts are changed, the world changes for the better! The Kingdom of God is a Kingdom of love, peace and justice. It is the true and only answer for the world’s problems! The Church exists to proclaim this ‘good news’ of Jesus and to serve the Kingdom of God!
Summer is here and schools have closed those that were open for the limited number during the lockdown as well as online school at home for students. Let us hope all of us can enjoy a period of good Summer weather!
We are restarting worship in churches from September onwards. A revised pattern of worship will be published shortly. One of the features of this revised pattern is the monthly zoom service so as to build on the experience of the virtual church during the lockdown. For now, the zoom services will continue throughout August.
Baptisms, weddings and funerals and similar life events can be held in church now following social distancing and hygiene norms. If you are planning any such events, please know that the churches can be used again albeit following government and Church guidelines for such services.
The Diocese of Lincoln is to reorganise Parish Ministry around 9 Greater Ecclesial Areas (GEA) based roughly on the 9 local authority areas. Each GEA will be subdivided into a smaller number of Local Ecclesial Areas (LEA). Each LEA will have a collegial team ministry of both lay and ordained working across the variety of settings. Details of the plans will be forthcoming towards the end of the year.
“LIVE” PARISH SERVICE this Sunday.
It will be A SHORT LIVE EUCHARIST ON ‘ZOOM’ AT 10.30 am led by Father Sebastian from the vicarage study in Ingham. The preacher will be The Revd Richard Steele, Mission Team Leader Diocese of Lincoln.
You will have received an invitation to join the service if you are in the Parish database. If you are not in the Parish database and wish to join in the service, please contact your local Churchwarden before Sunday morning.
Please use the following link to view The ORDER OF SERVICE.
Springline Parish on-line Home Worship resources for all
Please use these prayer and worship resources for children and adults during this lockdown period. Please visit our online Church page.
A word on Giving to God during the lockdown
During the lockdown due to Covid-19, our churches in the Springline Parish had been closed and, among other things, regular or retiring collections in churches also ceased. We have therefore designed a new webpage to help people give online. Please visit our giving page giving.springlineparish.co.uk if you would like to make a donation to promote God’s work through the Church’s mission and ministry in our village communities.
We are still Church – Springline Parish – 9 Churches, 1 Parish, Following Jesus!
As we are doing our best to reopen our village churches and some of our church buildings might still be closed due to safety and hygiene norms, we are still Church. We want to love God with all our hearts, soul, mind and strength, and to love our neighbour as ourselves. We will continue to do this. As Jesus exhorts us, we want to be people of Faith, not Fear. We will do all we can to reach out and help!
Please take care and do stay safe!
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all now and always.
With my love, prayer and blessing to each one of you,
Father Sebastian
Revd Dr Sebastian Thomas Mattapally,
Rector, Springline Parish, Diocese of Lincoln
Tel: 01522 731793 Email: rector.springline@btinternet.com