A Pastoral Letter from the Parish Priest – 28th February 2021
My dearest Friends in the Lord,
Many of us have had our first covid-19 vaccination or we are already booked in for one. The vaccination drive in the UK is a great success and an inspiration for the world. And it gives us a certain degree of confidence to face the future and to plan our year ahead. That said, the covid-19 infection cases as well as the presence of variants remind us to be vigilant and careful. So, the restrictions remain and we need to stay home, keep safe and protect lives!
Until we feel it is safe to return to church for normal worship services, we will continue our present plan of on line services and resources for home worship on the website. As we have done for every Sunday during this lockdown, you will find all the information regarding available worship services and resources in this pastoral letter.
LIVE 10.30 am on-line Parish Eucharist Service on zoom – Sunday 28th February.
Father Sebastian will lead the service and Dr. Neill Hepburn will preach at the service and we will listen to some favourite hymns or songs. This Sunday the service will not be streamed from church but from the vicarage.
You will receive an invitation to join this short on line service if you are in the Parish database. If not please contact the Springline Parish Secretary on springline springlinepcc@btinternet.com
Please download the Order of service here.
Family Service (recorded) from Scampton Church.
Please visit: Scampton church www.scamptonchurch.org
Springline Parish on-line Home Worship Resources.
You will find a copy of this letter, the sermon for this week, prayers and worship songs etc. Do visit the Online Church page
“What happens when we die?” – Lent Course 2021 – this Wednesday at 7pm
At this third session we will look at the question: What happens when we die? Last week we had looked at the theme: “Do all roads lead to God? What is special about Christianity?” The speciality is Jesus Christ as we read in the Acts of the Apostles: “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12) While all religions strive to seek God, in Jesus we Christians have the clearest road-map to God and Eternal Life! The final session on 10th March will deal with the question, “Why does God allow suffering?”, another difficult reality in our lives.
For any queries please contact Mr John Walsh 01522 520350. You will receive also joining instructions for zoom if you are on the Parish data base.
Audio versions of last year’s two Lent Course sessions (“Hard questions and how not to answer them!” and “Why should we believe in God?”) are available for your to listen. Please contact Parish Secretary for all queries by email: springlinepcc@btinternet.com
“God’s Story Our Story” – The Parish Lent Booklet
I hope you are enjoying to read and reflect and pray on the Lent booklet “God’s Story Our Story”, the 40 day, daily spiritual exercise with a short Bible reading, a short meditation and a prayer. You and I have a life story. But our lives will make more sense if we live ‘our story’ blends with with ‘His Story’ (History) by following Jesus daily as Christians.
Going to church is like an habitual ‘mini-pilgrimage’
We make our way to a dedicated sacred space, we pass a threshold and enter expecting in George Herbert’s words ‘Heaven in ordinary’ or as T.S. Eliot writes of ‘the intersection of the timeless moment’ which can only be received amidst the debris of the contingency of our daily lives. We are not able to make that ‘going to church’, that ‘mini-pilgrimage’ for worship and illumination during the lockdown but at least we can visit them for reflection and prayer. In fact, most of our Springline churches are open for you to visit. Please let us know if you like assistance for your visits.
The Springline Parish – Nine Churches, One Parish, Following Jesus.
The Church exists to assist you in your spiritual search, to comfort you in your cares and worries, to support you and walk with you. We believe that Jesus is The True Answer to all our questions and problems, the one who can fill the emptiness and restlessness in our hearts, the One who can help us heal our world! Do help us to help you where we can!
I wish you a fruitful and holy Season of Lent, a 40-day journey of return to God !
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! Help the NHS! Save lives! And God bless you!
Father Sebastian
Revd Dr Sebastian Thomas Mattapally
Rector, Springline Parish, Diocese of Lincoln
Tel: 01522 731793 Email: rector.springline@gmail.com