Villages magazine back, and Easter services update

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It feels like an age since I last had something to update here. This time, two pieces of good news:

Because the rate of infection is falling, we have decided to restart the Villages magazine. It will be slightly staggered, so that each issue can provide information matching the stages of the Roadmap, so won’t be coming out on the first of each month like usual.

Secondly, we are going to be having more services in our churches again. These will begin with a service of Holy Communion in each church on Easter Sunday. Details of these and the rest of the services for April can be found here, in the Villages magazine, and in the “News” section of the website. This is a reduced rota, partly because it is still challenging to provide services in the current climate, but also because without singing and chat not everyone wants to be back in church. There will be an online service available each week as well, as long as we can manage.

Don’t forget to send me your pictures on the theme of Hope or New Start by next Sunday.

Blessings

Matt

Villages magazine pause

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We have decided to once again suspend publication of the Villages magazine. This is for 3 reasons:

  1. While the risks involved in delivering the magazines are small, any unnecessary risk should be avoided,
  2. The government has asked us to stay at home, and we want to support that message by not making extra journeys, and
  3. In any case, there is little material and so much uncertainty at the present, that it would be confusing to put in adverts which are not correct or where dates have had to be changed.

Whether we restart in March or April depends on the course of the pandemic and the success of the vaccinations.

Your subscriptions (and advertising) will of course be extended

Blessings
Matt and team

Christmas update 23rd December 2020

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Dear all

Given the large number of changes the government has had to make recently, I thought it might be useful to update you regarding services in the Oldbury Benefice this Christmas.

First, as yet no services have been cancelled. Even in Tier 4 the government permits public worship to continue provided appropriate measures are taken to keep people safe. We feel that our measures are at least in line with best practice, and if you follow the rules, we can continue to meet safely.

However, I am aware that many of you feel it is no longer appropriate to gather, and I have much sympathy for that position. In fact, I would go so far as to say something I never thought I would say as a vicar – if you are able to get through this Christmas without coming to church, maybe you should do so! To help with that, I will be putting a communion service online (on Youtube) on Christmas Eve at 11pm, so that you can use it instead of a midnight communion service or on Christmas morning itself. Do please consider seriously whether this would be the better option for you and your loved ones.

If you do come to one of the services (and you are most welcome to do so, although you do need to pre-book for Calstone and Heddington, and it would be helpful if you could let me know for Cherhill or Compton Bassett), please follow the rules carefully. If we reach our capacity, I regret that we will have to turn people away. This is something else I never expected to do as a vicar, but please understand why it may be necessary.

Please stay safe this Christmas.

With prayers and blessings

Matt

Carol and Christmas Services – keeping each other safe

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As you hopefully already know, Cherhill, Heddington and Yatesbury will be holding outdoor carol services this year. We are all very grateful not only that this is possible, but also that a limited amount of singing is also permitted.

However, no one wants these wonderful events to be the cause of suffering, so could I ask you to follow the guidelines below so that we look after everyone.

1 Hands, face, space. As usual, please come with washed hands, face masks and keep your distance from others. I know we are outside, but wearing masks will reduce the risk even further, so please do consider this seriously, especially while singing.

2 Keep the volume down. The risk of spreading covid is linked to the volume of sound produced rather than whether you are singing or speaking. Could we ask you therefore to sing at a normal conversation level, even if the carols lend themselves to enthusiasm.

3 Follow the one way system. This is intended to keep everyone apart as much as possible.

4 Stick to your cone. We will have measured out 4m between each cone. This should allow you to gather as a group of up to 6 around a cone while still keeping 2m from anyone else. Please don’t move away from that cone (except to leave), even though I know it is tempting to look for a better line of sight sometimes.

5 Respect the numbers. We think there is more than enough space at each venue for the people with links to that village, church or school. They are intended for these people only (and of course family if you have decided to gather for a Christmas bubble). Once we have reached our safe limits we will have to turn people away. Please understand that we would LOVE to host everyone who wants to be there, but safety is the most important consideration.

6 Please do not hang around for long afterwards.

Sorry for all the “don’ts”. I hope they are all straightforward, and you can understand how they meet what we are all being asked to do at these times. We want these services to bring joy rather than sickness. To that end, we are more than happy for you to share these experiences with others via video (including live via FaceTime or similar), but I would be grateful if you respected the privacy of others there by not sharing images or videos publicly in social media without the permission of those who can be clearly seen in them, especially children.

Looking forward to sharing a safe and joyful Christmas with you all.

Matt and the team.

If you wish to view the Risk Assessments for the outdoor carol services please click on the village you are interested in to download a PDF file.

Heddington

Cherhill.

Praying through Lockdown 2

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The Archbishops of Canterbury and York have called us as a Church of England to make this month of November a month of prayer for our nation.

Some of us might want to do this because we have more time on our hands. Others might choose to pray because they know that bringing our worries to God helps lighten our load.

All of us will hopefully choose to pray because we are called to love the people amongst whom we live – not just our friends and family – and because we know that by doing so, we are actively making a difference. Yes, we are called to show love in practical ways wherever we can, but prayer is not a second best.

So let me encourage you to join me in accepting this call. The set prayers are available here (or as larger print here), and take just 2 or 3 minutes to pray. Of course, you can pray much longer, including specific people and situations in your prayers, but if you are not used to praying, I think that this is a great start.

The suggestion is that we pray at 6pm, and it is useful to know that thousands of others will be praying at the same time as you. But if 6pm doesn’t suit the pattern in your house, pick another time that does.

Assuring you of my prayers during these next 4 weeks and on into Christmas

Matt

PS – you can find more information about this initiative, along with lots of helpful resources to support you through this time, at the Church of England website here.