The Benefice of St. Bartholomew

Benefice News - 4th July 2020

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Written by Tony Gowers

Church News

A copy of this week’s Church News can be found here. In addition to news, the document gives full details of all of our services during weekdays, as well as those this coming Sunday and the following Sunday. Do join in with everything that appeals to you.

Sunday 5th July 2020 - Fourth Sunday After Trinity

The services planned for Sunday 5th July will all take place in our churches, as well as being streamed over the Internet using Zoom. Details are shown in the left hand margin of this webpage and on the Benefice calendar here. The service sheet for the Family Service to be held at St John’s Church, Charlton at 10.00 am can be downloaded and/or printed here.

We hope that you are able to participate in one or more of the varied acts of worship that have been planned, either in church or on Zoom.

Churches Opening for Public Worship

We are delighted that our church buildings are open once again for pubic worship. We will be following Government and Church of England Guidance. Currently the main points are:

• We will maintain 2 metres social distancing (outside of our household group) in our church buildings and whilst waiting to enter the building.
• Anybody who is feeling unwell should not enter the church building but should return home and seek medical advice in severe cases.
• Hand sanitisers will be available as we enter the building and have to be used by all entering. Each church will have separate procedures with clear instructions.
• As you enter the church building you will be asked to provide your name and contact details which will be kept securely for 21 days.
• Our services will not include the singing of hymns although we may have live music played on the organ or other (non wind) instruments or some recorded material.
• We shall not share the peace physically with each other.
• We shall not shout or speak in a raised voice so as to avoid extending aerosol spray.
• We will also ensure high contact areas in the church building are sanitised before each service.
• We are sorry we cannot offer refreshments until further notice.
• We shall enter and leave the building when instructed to do so whilstmaintaining social distancing.
• At communion services, those receiving communion will say ‘Amen’ collectively and will then receive communion under one kind only in silence. The priest distributing communion will wear a face mask.

The guidance states, “At present, communion should be administered in one kind only with no sharing of the common cup. The president alone should always take the wine, consuming all that has been consecrated; other communicants should receive the bread only, in the hand. As the Liturgical and Faith and Order Commissions have made clear, this is still ‘complete communion’. In order to minimise overall risk, intinction (dipping the bread into the wine) should not be practised.”

“The priest should sanitise his/her hands before administering the bread. Each communicant should also be encouraged to sanitise their hands before receiving the bread.”

Important: we need to know the number of people who are intending to come to our public services each week. Please let either the Churchwarden, The Rev’d Kevin or Jo our Administrator know if you are intending to come to a service the following Sunday. If you don’t let us know, we may need to turn you away at the church door if we have reached our capacity according to Government and Church of England guidelines. We really want to ensure all those who wish to come to a service are able to attend one.

Churches Opening During the Week

Some of our church buildings will be open at specified times throughout the coming week. Details of the opening days and times for each church are shown below:

• St Andrew’s Church, Donhead St Andrew: Tuesday and Friday: 10.00 am to 4.00 pm
• St Mary's Church, East Knoyle: Wednesday: 10.00 am to 12.00 noon; Saturday: 2.00 pm to 5.00 pm
• St Leonard’s Church, Semley: Sunday and Wednesday: 9.15 am to 6.00 pm

These details may change as we gain experience of our ‘new normal’, so please check this page from week to week for the latest information.

Assistant Curate’s Day Off

The Rev’d Kevin’s usual day off is now a Monday.

Zoom

Sunday Services

With services now being held in our churches on Sundays and most being ‘Zoomed’ at the same time, we require two ‘Zoom rooms' to enable us to Zoom two services from different churches simultaneously. Details of each ‘Zoom room' are shown below.

Important: please ensure that you check in the left hand margin of the this page the Zoom details of the service in which you wish to participate before joining the service.

Zoom 1

Either click on this link, and then use the password shown:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86820719578
Password: 867689

Or log on using the Zoom app, and use this ID and password:
Meeting ID: 868 2071 9578
Password: 867689

You can also participate in services by dialling in by telephone to one of these phone numbers: 0203 481 5237 or 0203 481 5240.

Zoom 2

Either click on this link, and then use the password shown:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/2872955220
Password: 175430

Or log on using the Zoom app, and use this ID and password:
Meeting ID: 287 295 5220
Password: 175430

You can also participate in services by dialling in by telephone to one of these phone numbers: 0203 481 5237 or 0203 481 5240.

Evening Prayer

On Monday to Saturday, we join with Nadder Valley Benefice to pray Evening Prayer with them. The Zoom details for their services are as follows:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84966332040
Meeting ID: 849 6633 2040 Password: 039012 

Click here for more guidance on how to join a Zoom meeting.

From the Licensed Lay Minister - 22nd June 2020

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Written by Tony Gowers

How my outlook on life has changed in the last three months.

Three months ago I would hardly have recognised myself! I was rushing to work four times a week, struggling with the major roadworks on the A350, which always made me either very early or very late – never on time, trying to fit more into four hours than was possible, looking after a disabled husband and running a home. Sometimes I despaired – I just seemed to do everything badly because there was never enough time to do it well.

Now, with no travelling, no roadworks, and an entirely different way of managing both the office and services, it is all possible. I am calm and mostly collected, my IT skills have grown exponentially and my conscience has gone on holiday. Time has expanded. All those little jobs, both at home and in the office which had been conveniently put off – sometimes for years – were now done and dealt with. Kitchen cupboards with items time expired in 2006 are now much more roomy, the odd housekeeping jobs on the office computer which needed a solid block of time with no interruptions, have now been achieved – really my halo is shining brightly.

Even better, there has been time for so much enjoyment. As well as working in my garden I have made time to rest on my long chair, to actually enjoy watching my flowers come out, to work at my needlepoint with a clear conscience – no little voice asking me why I am doing that when countless other things should have a higher priority – even the birds seem to be singing more sweetly.

I am only too well aware that this time has not been like this for everyone and I am so glad that I don’t live in a 15th floor flat in a city. We have been very blessed here in the West Country, with low levels of pandemic infection but the daily reports on the radio and television keep in our minds how badly others are faring. Is it fanciful to imagine that God is appreciating that his world is experiencing lower levels of pollution and noise? Is that why the birds seem so happy this year? Is it a reminder to us that our span on earth is but a blink in God’s eye and that we must therefore make good use of our time here.

Jo Johnson
Licensed Lay Minister

From the Curate - June 2020

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Written by The Rev'd Kevin Martin

On 11th June 2020, I received my ‘sign off’ letter from Bishop Nicholas. This is my official letter saying that the training element of my curacy has now been completed and that I am free to start applying for my first post of responsibility. I would like to thank you for your support and prayers throughout my curacy so far and ask for your continued prayers as I discern where God is calling me next. I shall be here for a few more months, but I wanted to share this good news with you all.

Kevin Martin

From the Ordinand - Video - God's Sabbath

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Written by Toby Carson

In response to thinking about this time of lockdown and where we might find God's hope and peace in the confusions that we are experiencing, i have put together this short video homily about the Sabbath, with bible texts read by children from St. John's Church, Charlton. I hope that it offers some comfort.

Toby Carson

(Editor's note: Toby is training for the ministry and is an ordinand based in the Benefice.)