Dear Brothers and Sisters

Re-opening News

From next Sunday (5th July) we will be able to hold regular public worship in our church buildings! It has been such a long time since we were able to worship together physically and I know that you will all be overjoyed at this news. However it may not be wise for some of us to come together just yet so along with physical worship we will continue with a weekly bulletin for the foreseeable future.

Guidance from the national church and the diocese is still being finalised but at present this is (probably) what our services will look and feel like. In our buildings we will still need to keep our distance physically from each other. We are still being advised to sit 2 metres from each other if possible. We will use hand sanitiser when we arrive and when we leave. We will not be able to sing hymns. We will be able to receive Holy Communion but only bread. I will probably have to wear a mask and gloves. Of course, if you are uncomfortable coming for communion please just sit in your pew. We won’t be taking up a collection but would ask that you put your offering in the collection plate before the service or make an offering through your bank. (If you need guidance on this please talk to one of our Treasurers or myself). We won’t be sharing the peace (at least not physically!) and we won’t be able to share in fellowship and refreshments after the service. Apart from that it will be just like normal!

For our first few weeks back together I will be leading all the services and we will have a different service pattern. This means that each of our churches can have a service every two weeks. Services for the next two weeks are:

  • 5th July
    • Weston 9.30am
    • Leathley 11.00am
    • Fewston 2.30pm
  • 12th July
    • Farley 9.30am
    • Denton 11.00am
    • Blubberhouses 2.30pm

Over six weeks all our churches will have an early morning, a midmorning and an early afternoon service each fortnight. The full list is in the July Parish Magazine which you can find on the Fewston Parish website. We will review our service pattern, in the light of the pandemic, after this and either continue with the revised pattern or return to our usual pattern or do something else; six weeks in 2020 is a long time!

To keep the pressure on us all down to a minimum for the next few weeks I will do readings and prayers as a matter of course.

Today’s readings: Romans 6:12-23 and Matthew 10:40-42.

Collect for the Third Sunday after Trinity

Almighty God, you have broken the tyranny of sin and have sent the Spirit of your Son into our hearts whereby we call you Father: give us grace to dedicate our freedom to your service, that we and all creation may be brought to the glorious liberty of the children of God; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive  and reigns with  you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Our modern society is a bit obsessed with Heroes. It is a word, a term, that is bandied about so often by our media that it can almost become pointless. I have met more than my fair share of heroes in my life. Without exception they have been people who could not recognise themselves as ‘heroes.’ They were men and women who did their job, did their duty, most of them really struggling with the plaudits heaped on them by others. But all of us live more comfortable, safer lives because of them. Few of us will be called upon to do something dangerous or dramatic and I thank the Lord for that. But all of us are called to lead remarkable lives, because each of us is fearfully and wonderfully made by God. In today’s Gospel Jesus reminds us that doing something as simple as giving a drink of water to another one of God’s children can change the world. So as we give thanks this week for our military and civilian heroes let’s try to be a bit heroic ourselves. Reach out to another with that ‘cup of cold water’ a gesture, a word, an act that might make all the difference to them and to us.

Please remember in your prayers: Our Armed Forces, giving thanks for all they have done and do for the life of our Nation, praying especially for those deployed overseas in conflict areas just now and for their families. For all those waiting to be made Deacons, especially those who still don’t know when they will be ordained, for Deacons waiting to be priested and for all those priests and bishops who are celebrating the anniversaries of their ordinations about now. For those couples who are now able to plan their weddings, for those who have difficult decisions to make about postponing their ‘big day.’ For all those working hard to be ready to open for business next weekend in so many walks of our social life. For those who have lost their jobs or are facing redundancy, for those who are struggling to deal with what the future might bring. For church communities all over the land as they prepare to come together again for worship in body and soul. For those who continue to work for our safety and security. For the sick and ill and all who care for them. For the dying and the dead and for their families and all who mourn them. Especially for the family of Susan Walters of Norwood, her husband Tom and her sons Brian and Andrew.

Hopefully, for the last time I will be celebrating Holy Communion in the Vicarage at 10am. Join me in prayer then or  by one of the many options for worship available on TV, radio or social media.

God bless you all.

Stephen