The Benefice of St. Bartholomew

Benefice News - 25th September 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 27th September 2020 - Sixteenth Sunday after Trinity

The services planned for Sunday 27th September will all take place in our churches, and one will be streamed over the Internet using Zoom. Details are shown in the left hand margin of this webpage and on the Benefice calendar 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.

Farewell to The Rev'd Kevin Martin

The Rev’d Kevin’s last day will be Sunday 11th October. We are not changing any services but if you would like to say farewell, Kevin will be at the folllowing services: the 8:30 am at Sedgehill, the 9:45 am at Semley, the 11.15 am at East Knoyle and the 6.00 pm at Donhead St Mary.

Churches Opening for Public Worship

We are now getting used to having services whilst following Government and Church of England Guidance. Please continue to follow directions given by sidespeople and Churchwardens when attending services. We look forward to welcoming you and please remember to bring your face masks unless you are in an exempt category.

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: 10.00 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.

News from Salisbury Cathedral

Salisbury Cathedral is offering free tickets to churchgoers who wish to visit now that it has started to charge for entry. Click here to find out more.

Zoom

With many services now being held in our churches on Sundays and some being ‘Zoomed’ at the same time, we require more than one ‘Zoom room' 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 right 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 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/84985924593
Password: 519257

Or log on using the Zoom app, and use this ID and password:
Meeting ID: 849 8592 4593   Passcode: 519527

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

Zoom 3

Either click on this link, and then use the password shown:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85640073075
Password: 2020

Or log on using the Zoom app, and use this ID and password:
Meeting ID: 856 4007 3075   Password: 2020

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

Zoom 4

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 by dialling in by telephone to one of these phone numbers: 0203 481 5237 or 0203 481 5240.

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

From the Associate Priest - September 2020

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Written by The Rev'd June Lane

Dear Friends,

Last Sunday, Brian and I drove to East Knoyle for the Sunday Service and as we were leaving Gutch Common, there was a break in the trees lining the lane. Just through this gap I had a clear view of Semley Church, and it appeared to be quite a distance away and well over to my right.  Immediately the tree line became dense again, and the view disappeared but, just moments later, as we emerged from the Hollow and drove down the hill to Semley the perspective changed, suddenly Semley Church seemed to be directly in front of us, just measurable yards away.

Both views of the church, whilst giving quite different ideas of distance and relative position, were clear and well defined.  Any stranger would have no difficulty in identifying just what they were viewing from either vantage point.  The church building with its high tower stood clear and sharp on the skyline.  For decades, Semley church has stood tall, a well defined landmark and one which is constantly used as a reference point for directing people to other buildings and houses.  For centuries, our churches have served as clear and well defined landmarks, often built on the highest point in the village and their towers and steeples standing higher than any other building in the village, visible for miles.  Lost travellers on moonlit nights welcomed the sight of the church tower as a sign that they were not really lost, just a little way off the correct path, not far from home, and in centuries past, they signalled a place of safety to the runaway, the hunted, seeking sanctuary.

As well as being a landmark, church towers usually house the bells - bells which call the faithful to worship, which sound out at times of national importance, which mark the  joy of a wedding or the distress of a loved one’s passing. All of these purposes for one building and particularly for one part of that building.

For some months, our churches have had to remain empty - COVID-19 meant that we were not allowed to use them for Prayer or for worship.  Even now, as we are open again, we have to observe social distancing, follow the guidelines of sanitising everything; we cannot sing or shout Alleluia!  The rules curtail so much of what is normal - even our usual Harvest Thanksgiving will be rather different this year.  But even with all of these restrictions, it is good to be back, to enter that quiet space hallowed by centuries of prayer and love. To drink in the peace and serenity which permeates each one of our beautiful churches.

For many, these buildings may simply serve useful purposes such as that of landmark or guidepost, but primarily they serve as an enduring witness to God’s loving presence amongst us.  They serve as a permanent and substantial reminder that no matter how difficult the times in which we live, no matter how uncertain life can sometimes seem, God is here. He is our loving creator who calls us to himself in the person of His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.

Your friend in Jesus Christ,

June Lane

Prayer Cycle and Prayer of the Month - September 2020

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Written by The Rev'd June Lane

With this very strange time of “Lockdown” there have been several requests for prayer this last month, but God’s heart is big enough for a lot more. Please do let us know if you would like us to pray for you. Contact any of us: The Rev’d June (tel: 01747 828427), Julia (tel: 01747 829166), Theresa (tel: 01747 829188) or the Rev’d Kevin (tel: 01747 828551).

Prayer Of The Month

The following Prayer is by Canon Frank Topping and is very appropriate at this Harvest Season:

Lord, your harvest is the harvest of love;
love sown in the hearts of people;
love that spreads out
like the branches  of a great tree
covering all who seek its shelter;
love that inspires and recreates;
love that is planted in the weak and the weary,
the sick and the dying.
The harvest of your love is the life that reaches
through the weeds of sin and death
to the sunlight of resurrection.
Lord, nurture my days with your love,
water my soul with the dew of forgiveness,
that the harvest of my life might be your joy.
Amen