Beloved in Christ

On this chill day, I hope you are feeling some of the return to the new normal in a little social indulgence, meeting with family or a friend, outdoors. That’s a Scottish challenge this morning isn’t it!

The Holy Spirit is over us, and there is, as a mother hen shelters her chicks, a lot of new companionship and love! This beautiful image is in the Genesis reading today, about creation. God is ‘hovers’ over the void that is to become this beautiful earth.

1.    This Sunday we have a pre-recorded video, the link being on youtube. Here is the link to the service. It will play first at 10.30 tomorrow morning, and then is available on Youtube forever! Send it to friends and family!

Just click on: https://youtu.be/1lsTVI3MnQI

You can also find it by typing ‘Tayport church’ into the You Tube search engine.

Let us know how using the video appeals to you – shall we continue?

Readings for tomorrow are: Canticle 1,5,17

Genesis 1: 1 – 2: 4a  really wonderful substance for this week’s contemplation

Psalm 8: a song of praise

2 Corinthians 13: 11 to 13 how we ought to relate to one another

Matthew 28: 16 to 20

I have sent you readings for the week till Pentecost – do you wish to receive this still, or only a Sunday reading?

2.    I include part of a very relevant excerpt from Bishop Ian covering 2 newsy and provocative items.

2.1 From Bishop Ian Paton: ‘Pentecost is the feast of the ’new normal,’ life in the Spirit poured out on the apostles and on all creation. As we celebrated Pentecost this year people were talking about a different ‘new normal’ – our life after the Pandemic. When we rebuild our lives, will we have a better sense of what is important? Or will we just rush back to the same old life? What will ‘new normal’ mean for the Church? What will our priorities be? How will we welcome those who have been joining us online? How will we support those who are sad about people and things that have been lost? What will we need to do if we are to open our churches but keep people safe? 

2.2 A week ago over 40 clergy and lay readers shared in an online CMD Conference about exactly these questions, organised for us by Michael Paterson. Our discussions began from his reflections on the Four Hallmarks of Ministry in Luke 24 (Jesus and the Disciples on the Road to Emmaus) in the context of the pandemic. I’d like to thank all of you who attended (and those who tried to but couldn’t due to broadband problems). The text and a video of Michael’s presentation is available on the Diocesan website. https://standrews.anglican.org/clergy-development- ‘

3.Weekly ZOOM meetings on Wednesday at 8pm: We have called this meeting, ‘Connect’: the aim is to share our lockdown experience, looking at where God is calling us, and how we are responding. For 45 minutes we share. This upcoming week we will look at the youtube presentation and would urge you to join us. Thus far we have Margaret, Betty, Duncan and family, Janet, Jane, Frank. If you would like any help in setting up, phone any of us and have a trial run.  We really need each parishioner to join in. I hope to resend you a guide as to how to join Zoom. If you can have a family quiz on Zoom, you can join us too! I send a weekly invitation to join for the Wednesday. There is an excellent youtube clip called, ‘How to join a ZOOM meeting as a participant’. It, and a host of other clips will help: if you have done it once, it’s easy! gives you a pictorial guide! If you would like the link just ask nikisage76@gmail.com to send an invitation, then click, ‘Accept’ and you can join us! We are looking for a way for you to join us by telephone only, so anyone without internet etc. and phone in. Just let us know if you would like to do that.

4.Included, please find what we submitted to the Diocese, on our engagement with the community. It makes impressive reading.  Do you have anything else to ask? If so, please let us have it. Many of you are doing wonderful things, not least of which is praying and caring for family and others in need.

God bless you and those you love, and those who you will come to love and those you met

Kathy

0755 250 3859