HAPPY NEW YEAR!
A Pastoral Letter from the Parish Priest – 10th January 2021
My dearest Friends in the Lord,
Our Prime Minister has announced a third period of lockdown for England. We thought it was all over after the first one but here we are back to square one! What shall we do? How shall we face this new lockdown? Although we are more familiar and better prepared, we never thought we would again be in the situation we are in today in 2021! There is a quiet resignation as well as a realistic hope that the rollout of the vaccine will help us overcome this terrible pandemic.
Worship and Prayer in the Springline Parish during the 3rd national lockdown
Things are so serious now we really have to look after and safeguard each other’s health! We do not think we should be encouraging people to come out of their houses unless it is absolutely necessary as per the new lockdown guidelines to ‘stay home’ and defeat the virus! With the infection now reaching 1 in 50 people, it is best to be safe and avoid contact if possible. The Parish Ministry Team thinks this is a responsible way to operate for the best of our people. That is why we had to reverse the earlier plans for January and February and decide only on the following regular service every Sunday morning for this period:
- At 10.30 am On-line Parish Communion Service on ‘zoom’
- Recorded service Scampton church scamptonchurch.org
- Please note that all other services including Morning and Evening Prayer and Rector’s Village Church Surgery have been suspended for the time of the national lockdown. However, along with my wife I will daily lead Morning and Evening Prayer from the vicarage and remember you in prayer. Please take note also that most of our churches will remain open for prayer and reflection during daylight hours.
LIVE 10.30 am on-line Parish Communion Service on zoom – Sunday 10th Jan.
Fr Sebastian will preside and Revd Sue Deacon will speak at this service.
You will receive an invitation to join this short on-line service if you are in the Parish database. If you are not on the email list and wish to join please contact the Springline Parish Secretary on: springlinepcc@btinternet.com
Please download the Order of service here.
Springline Parish on-line Home Worship Resources.
You will find a copy of this letter, the sermon for this week and prayers etc. Do visit the online church page.
How do we face this new national lockdown?
Let us try to see this new lockdown in the context of all that we have tried to celebrate at Christmas – the spirit of warmth, joy, the anticipation and excitement for gifts under the Christmas tree, carol singing (or listening!), the Midnight Mass and all that. Wouldn’t be right to say that a Christian lives the Christmas spirit every day of the New Year? Our Parish vision statement is: “Nine Churches One Parish Following Jesus.” The knowledge that we are following Jesus will give us a sense of confidence in these difficult covid-19 times. The words of Jesus can comfort us: “Come to Me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”
Springline Parish – Nine Churches One Parish Following Jesus!
We are Church. As Christians we are commanded to love God with all our hearts and to love our neighbour as ourselves. We meet God in our neighbour when we care for each other as Jesus said: “Whatever you do to the least of your brother or your sister, you do it to me.”
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you now and always.
Take care! Keep safe! Stay at home!
With my love and prayer to each one of you,
Father Sebastian
Revd Dr Sebastian Thomas Mattapally
Rector, Springline Parish, Diocese of Lincoln
Tel: 01522 731793 Email: rector.springline@gmail.com