PARISH NEWSLETTER FEBRUARY 2021

Creation, Lent and Our Easter Hope

 As I write to everyone in anticipation of the beginning of Lent next week and our journey towards the new hope of Easter, it is hard not to see this journey in terms of how abruptly and starkly the whole world was jolted into an abrupt sense of wilderness half way through Lent last year.

All of a sudden, we found ourselves thrust into different types of fasting from what we had planned – needing to withdraw from social contact (or finding 24/7 social contact thrust upon us), our churches being closed, temporary food shortages. Some like to take on something new during Lent rather than make abstinence one of their prayerful activities. As lockdown happened, we all found ourselves embracing new things – wider care for our neighbours, creative ways of keeping in contact and the challenges of new technology.

Back in that first lockdown, I do not think that many of us really understood yet what the pandemic would mean. We all went into heroic mode and worked at triumphing over adversity and making sure that nobody was left behind. I have been humbled by the gentle and enduring love and care that our church families and community groups have shown and lived out over the last year.

So, a year on, where are we now?

Yes. We are back in lockdown once again as we enter into the Lenten season. Many people are feeling a little battle-weary. Some are struggling, whilst others have established a new way of being whereby they can cope until the signs of restoration begin. As we journey through the harsh weather of winter, and missing our loved ones, vaccinations are giving signs of fresh hope for life as we knew it to slowly start to return.

This pandemic has been a life-changing experience, and none of us will ever be quite the same again. However, in that, I am sure that we have all learned new things about ourselves and what is truly important. What we can cope and live with, as well as what we would never want to live without. As we emerge from the restrictions that we have lived with, my prayer is that we can carry what we have learned and apply it to some of the big issues in the world: – faith, climate, politics, community, and so on.

Isaiah 58:6-7 seems particularly relevant as we creatively find ways to reach out into our communities during Lent:

 “Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh? “

During the Lenten pilgrimage of fasting and prayer, we are reminded of our limitations as created beings. Genesis informs us that all creatures are formed from the dust  (Genesis 2:7, 9, 19). It is integral to our faith that Christians understand our God-given limitations that come with being a part of creation. The last year has reminded us of this and forced to rethink how we can express Isaiah’s sentiments when socially distancing.

Creation is  particularly to the fore this Lent, as a time of climate emergency has been knocked from the front page of the news by the pandemic, and yet it still remains a critical emergency for the whole world. Lent is a significant time to recall our frailty and dependency before our Creator. Though we are but dust, God does give us a huge responsibility towards the creation we are reciprocally related to: we too flourish and fall under the consequences of our actions, or inactions (Romans 8:19-23).

With that in mind, may I commend our Monday evening Lent Course to you? Offered by USPG, the resource “For Such A Time As This” is a thoughtfully produced look at ecology and the environment; exploring themes of Creation, The Fall, Salvation, Restoration and ReCreation.

This six week course helps us to think beyond the individualised responses towards creation that most people inevitably have. We do our part in what we purchase, eat, travel and recycle – yet the news still shouts at us that this is not enough.  But this is not the nature of responsibility that God gives to each of us. It is the Biblical paradox that we embody the limitations and short-comings of the flesh; yet we are God’s gift to one another. By His grace, God has given Jesus, (who knows what it is to be flesh), and, as a Creator, loves us even though we are limited. (I have a small bundle of spare copies of the course booklet, so, if you haven’t received one and would like to, please contact me at the Vicarage (01422 363623) and we will get one to you).

 As we move into this time of Lent, this passage from Isaiah about fasting concludes with the striking challenge, asking; will you continue to ‘hide yourself from your own flesh?’ The story of the Christian hope holds inter-dependency at its core, in stark contrast with any individualist ideals of living and thriving (1 Corinthians 12:26). As a result, our care of the environment must surely include a collective action that extends towards the trees, plants, mammals, fish and birds, as well as the people who are being impacted every day by the changes we see in climate and landscape?

Hebrews 10:24 wonderfully reminds us to ‘consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good works.’  Let us encourage one another, so as to increase our individual, household and church impact upon climate change.

On a final note, we have had the benefit of time with which to prepare for Lent during lockdown this year. We are regularly reviewing the opening of the church for worship, and will be considering this again after the next government review. We sincerely hope to be able to offer our Holy Week and Easter services in church as well as online.

In the meantime, for those online, we have Zoom and Facebook services, we also offer the same services on YouTube, and this can be accessed by some televisions, without necessarily having internet. Phoning in to Zoom on either landline or mobile is now also an option for those without an internet connection who would like to join in the service. When phoning in, you will be able to hear all that happens and contribute to discussion, all at your normal cost for a local phone call. If you plan to do this and want a copy of the prayers, activities etc being used, please call the Vicarage and we can arrange that for you.

Let us pray, as we journey through these 40 days, that we will draw closer to our Saviour in those desert days and that our prayer and reflection will help us to grow in wisdom and joy in His saving love. Amen

Caroline

Holy Week and Easter Services

Services in church (subject to local lockdown restrictions)

28^th March      Palm Sunday                          9:30am

2^nd April          Good Friday                             7:00pm

(Taize service – available prerecorded on line but not on Zoom if  churches can open)

Services on Zoom (also available on YouTube and Facebook)

To access all of these services, please use the link that we use for Sunday Worship.

28th March Palm Sunday 11:00am
1st April Maundy Thursday 7:00pm (Communion)
2nd April Good Friday 10:30am
4th April Easter Sunday 11:00am

HARVEST 2020

The joint Benefice churches of St John’s Warley and St Hilda Halifax held their Harvest festival recently. A tremendous response of tinned goods and fresh vegetables were given which were donated to the Ebenezer Drop In Centre in Halifax. Financial donations of some £235.00 plus an amount through Gift Aid was also given to Christians Together in Calderdale for expenditure at the Food Drop In. In addition, from donations received at both churches 33 bunches of flowers were distributed to households connected with both churches where parishioners were known to be housebound, unwell or have suffered bereavement in the year. The photographs show displays from both churches.

BENEFICE ENCOURAGEMENTS July 2020

Well, well well – the importance of the wells that we drink from in life (Genesis 26:17-22)

 

There’s a lot of discussion in the Bible about wells. They were significant places of interest and represented a number of things to both the community and individuals, throughout the generations. In current times, with the benefits of taps and plumbing, we, perhaps, feel that this is less relatable to us – yet this passage from Genesis had me pondering about the wells that we drink from, as I wrote this letter.

This passage in Genesis comes after the unfortunate occasion when Isaac had lied to Abimelek about Rebekah being his wife to protect himself from being harmed if the men of Gerar took an interest in her because of her beauty.

When Abimelek discovered the deception, he ordered his men not to touch her, and Isaac and Rebekah stayed in Gerar under his protection until Isaac was seen to be thriving so much that he had become powerful in the land and Abimelek asked them to leave.

As he moved away to the Valley of Gerar, Isaac opened up his father, Abraham’s, wells, that the Philistines had filled up after he had died, and gave them the same names as before. Let’s listen to the details of the story as Isaac’s men dug further wells:

“Isaac’s servants dug in the valley and discovered a well of fresh water there. But the herders of Gerar quarrelled with those of Isaac and said, “The water is ours!” So he named the well Esek (dispute) because they disputed with him. Then they dug another well, but they quarrelled over that one also; so he named it Sitnah (opposition). He moved on from there and dug another well, and no one quarrelled over it. He named it Rehoboth (room / open spaces) saying, ‘Now the Lord has given us room and we will flourish in the land.’” (Genesis 26:17-22)

In the hot, dry climate of Israel wells are all about life. Without them animals and humans would not thrive and crops would not grow. People would be overwhelmed by thirst and life would become unsustainable. Without water, what you have is a desert. All of this is clear and fairly obvious. However, wells represent much more besides the above. To possess a well was to be independent and they were often inherited from previous generations, so they spoke of the right to live in a given place. Not only was restoring a re-opened well a sign of prior ownership, but a new well was seen as a symbol of blessing and establishment, and that is a key part of this passage’s meaning.

Wells, therefore, have layers of importance for sustenance of life, making a claim upon the land and demonstrating God’s blessing upon a community’s flourishing in a given place. I find the way in which names are given to the wells to reflect the story behind how they were found, claimed and established fascinating! Imagine going back to the well called “dispute” (Esek) each day and the feelings as one drank deep from the well and was reminded of that very dispute.Throughout history, we have seen the destruction caused to individuals and communities through lack of conflict resolution and openness to healing – the resentment sometimes being carried through generations, until there is no first hand memory of what the dispute was actually about in the first place!

I wonder how one might feel drinking from the well called “opposition” (Sitnah) each day? I imagine myself feeling a bit shifty day upon day, worrying if someone would challenge my right to do so. The third well, named “Rehoboth”, meaning “room” or “open spaces” gives a sense of freedom, peace, a long view, breathing space at last. Drinking deep from that well would bring a sense of blessing and peace where one’s soul can be restored.

When I think of the story of the woman at the well in Samaria (see John 4), we see this idea develop further. To the woman Jesus spoke to, the well wasn’t just a place where you went to get water. It was also a place of historical importance and during the encounter with Jesus (God) it became a place of blessing and promise. A place where she could become re-established. A place where she encountered the living water at the same time as drawing physical water from the well.

We are living in such uncertain times. For many of us, our hearts yearn to open the old wells that nourish our souls and name them just as we used to. Our hearts long to participate in familiar worship in familiar places and to drink deep of the living water that sustains us. It is painful to us when those wells have been renamed by organisations outside the church, in the cause of public health, to imply that what is a safe haven for us may (for the time being) not be such a safe haven. It is jarring to us and, for many, upsetting.

As we reflect back on some of the ideas from Jesus Shaped People, we see how our Galilee (the place where we meet those that can be welcomed and drawn towards Christ) has shifted. We may have met some people in our community that we do not normally see, we may have used the bus less, we may have been supporting neighbours that we have come to know during this time. We are also meeting new people through online worship. We need to think about how we can reach out to these people and draw them to the living water. We need to undergird all of this with discernment and prayer.

At the same time, whilst the wells that were our familiar source had to be temporarily closed, we have had to work hard to dig new ones that open up that source of living water to as many as possible in ways that feel alien. For example, the well that I call “Zoom Worship” may be called “Lifeline” to some “Bemusing” to others and “Technical Challenge” to others! We have dug yet more wells through recordings of YouTube, Facebook and Instagram. We have over 60 people drinking from at least one of these four wells each week, calling them “Connection with My Spiritual Home” yet others see those wells from a distance and find them to be “Inaccessible”, or “Not For Me”.

It is to include this group that we need to re-open existing wells (our beloved church buildings) and find ways to give opportunities to drink deep. During these times of lockdown getting all of the legalities, risk assessments and safeguarding concerns addressed before opening these wells is an enormous amount of work for several people – then the preparation of the building needs to take place. It is far from being a quick decision!

I admit that this season has been challenging and draining, as I try to meet the spiritual needs of all of my flocks and I need to recharge a bit in August before the challenges of autumn and winter that are predicted arrive. Most churches in Calderdale are not rushing to re-open and all are making interim plans that look different from before in terms of days and time of worship.

With that in mind, the PCCs at both St John’s and St Hilda’s have agreed an interim arrangement whereby there will be a live service in the Benefice each Sunday alternating between St Hilda’s and St John’s at 9.30am. This will start on Sunday 6th September at St Hilda’s (where the service will be held on the 1st and 3rd Sundays offering communion). St John’s will then host the 2nd and 4th Sundays (communion on the 2nd Sunday and a Service of the Word on the 4th Sunday).

PLEASE REMEMBER THAT, AS A BENEFICE, ALL ARE WELCOME AT EACH SERVICE REGARDLESS OF WHERE IT IS HOSTED.

This arrangement for service frequency and times will be reviewed by the PCCs in the autumn. It is hoped that, as lockdown reduces further, we will be able to offer further opportunities for prayer and/or worship mid-week.

I have managed to catch most of you by phone to get a sense of demand and find that the majority are still cautious about physically attending church. With that in mind, Zoom Worship will move to 11.00am each Sunday as of 6th September to continue to facilitate worship for those not ready to return to church. The recorded services will continue to go live at 7am each Sunday on the social media platforms to participate in at your convenience.

Whilst our Sunday services begin on 6th September at St Hilda’s, we will be having a modest Receiving of the Rushes Service outside St John’s, Warley on Saturday 5th September at 10.30am. Numbers for this will be limited and by invitation: so, if you are interested in attending, please let me know and I will book you in. St John’s church will remain open for half an hour after this for anyone who would like time there for private prayer to come and enjoy the church.

I would like to thank the members of both PCCs for their incredibly hard work over the last 4 months as we have reflected upon each stage and planned. Our extraordinary situation has caused far more to reflect upon than anyone could have imagined. I am so grateful for their support and encouragement.

Let us, in this season, reflect upon the wells that we drink from and how we are sustaining ourselves with the living water. What do we call those wells and do we need to rename them in these uncertain times? Let us thank God for his goodness and guidance and know his blessing and peace. Amen.

Caroline

Walk with Me on the waves

My child I call you near
Step out and come to me
Walk with me through this stormy night
My power will set you free
Walk with me on the waves
But lift your eyes to me
For though the water tosses high
I rule the restless sea
Walk with me on the waves
For I will hold your hand
My promises you will find true
And I will help you stand
Look always to my face
And there your comfort find
For I the Lord supply your strength
And give you peace of mind
Though darkness and the waves
Still wrap around your way
I am your light, I am your calm
And I will bring the day.

D.E Higgins

BENEFICE ENCOURAGEMENTS May 2020

GOD’S TIMING

As we approach the beginning of the 3rd month of lockdown, I find myself reflecting upon Noah’s experiences of the ark in Genesis 8. For somewhere around a year he and his passengers experienced all of the tribulations and challenges of being cooped up together and needing to keep their eyes on God’s plan for their liberation and restoration when the waters of death subsided. There must have been times when they wondered about God’s time in relation to their experience of time passing when their situation continued for so long.

When I used to ponder what life on the ark might have been like, my initial thoughts were about sounds, smells and being cooped up. In the light of lockdown, however, I am finding myself wondering what their reflections were during that time? On one level, God could have served his expressed purpose in enabling a flash flood to take place then subside. There seems to me to be something important about the length of time that they inhabited that ark.

On the Parish Weekend we reflected upon the journey of Brendan in his coracle. The fearless man set sail in this tiny craft alone knowing not where God would be leading him but being prepared to trust that, wherever it was, it would be God’s will and purpose that took him here. The coracle may be a helpful image for some of us – perhaps resembling our homes, as we are asked to take refuge there from Covid 19. The seas around us are like the uncertainties of life; the big questions for all of us about what the future holds, but also about our own welfare, in terms of physical and mental health, as well as job security, etc.

I don’t know about you, but, in the times that I have been in a small boat and needed to shift places to take my turn to row, I find the rocking of the boat quite frightening. Brendan, in his tiny coracle, would have had a small sail and the wind would have guided his path. He just had to remain there – calm and confident that his little vessel was cradled by God, who would keep him safe and provide for him.
If he had fought against the waves (whatever they represented) or tried to navigate his own route, he may have lost sight of God and the boat would have rocked and he could have even ended up drowning in the waves.

A couple of weeks ago I preached about how, in times of trial in life, we learn a new way of being – a way of sitting in the middle ground where both fear, concern and perfect love co-exist. I suspect that this is what was happening for Noah and his family as they waited….and waited….and waited for this time of trial to pass. They would have looked back with longing at life as they knew it, They would have been immersed in the trials of life in the here and now. They would have speculated as to when all of this would change and what would life be like once it did. Undergirding all of this would have been the knowledge that, like Brendan, they were held safe in the tebah (cradle) of God. Living at such a time as that called them to live lives of deep faith, surrendering to the peace of knowing that they were held by Him who created them.

What are you imagining will be the first thing that you will do once you know that your personal coracle has come to shore at the end of lockdown and it is safe to go further afield?

For Noah and his family, we are told that the face of the earth had been wiped clean. They and their menagerie were it now. There were no long lost relatives and friends to fling their arms around in joy. What did Noah do first as he left the ark?

As soon as Noah left the ark, he built an altar and offered sacrifices to God. Faith had been what held him through that incredible time. He was now expressing through the traditions of his religion (the only way he knew how) his recognition of God’s hand in that journey. The timing and extent of Noah’s ordeal are never mentioned in the passage as issues that troubled him. When it was over, the primary yearning of Noah’s heart was to acknowledge God’s worthiness to be worshiped. He was humbled as he left the doors of the ark and gazed at God’s new earth and was thankful to be involved in this display of God’s compassion and power. He also knew that he still needed God in this new earth that he now inhabited to guide him in the years to come.

One of our primary callings as Christians is to accept the wisdom and timing of God – yet it is so easy to feel that there is no end in sight. During times of challenge, the limits of our own wisdom and the weakness of our flesh prevent us from resting in God and allowing him to carry us through the seas of life.

The story of Noah teaches us some important lessons in these uncertain times. God always uses what takes place for his glory to be revealed. Just because many days, weeks or months pass, there is no reason to assume that this is not still the case.

How do we strengthen our faith in God during times of trial?

During lockdown, everything that was part of our lives and routines has been either stripped away or altered. The ways of expressing faith and religion have been stripped away by church buildings being closed. In the past, having been linked to a particular place to worship, we now find ourselves needing to discover new ways (for the foreseeable future) to express our praise of God, within our little coracle, with whoever may, or may not, share that coracle and our faith, with us.

During the last few weeks we have collaborated wonderfully as a Benefice. I have greatly appreciated the support and encouragement of you all as we put together community support networks, encouraged each other with phone calls, letters and emails and peoples’ graciousness as I embraced learning new technology and software to enable online worship and continued to hone what we are offering as well as get involved.

For those on the Internet, we have been gathering to worship together in a live service on Zoom at 10.00am each Sunday. As we gather to worship on a Sunday morning, and see people pop up in their little windows on the screen, it evokes a children’s book image of the ark with people arriving in ones and twos (but I won’t labour that analogy too much!)

On Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 10.00am to 11.00am, we have John and Hilda’s Chatroom on Zoom where visitors can grab a coffee and catch up with others face to face. Links to our Zoom events can be found on both church websites.

For those who do not have internet access but have a smart television, they will be able to access YouTube – a website where videos can be watched. To include a wider number of people in worship, I have opened a YouTube Channel where recordings of services, alternating between St Hilda’s and St John’s churches, will be aired. You will need to search for St John’s, Warley & St Hilda, Halifax. I will put a welcome video up there this week, so that you can find us. We plan to launch weekly worship there, that will load up on the website at 11am each Sunday, starting on Pentecost Sunday (31st May 2020).

I can also really recommend a Church of England helpline called Daily Hope. This is aimed at those who do not have access to the internet and all the online resources – but, of course, is open to all. Using a freephone number (0800 8048044), it offers a hymn, reading and prayer. It lasts about 20 minutes and is very high quality with the material changing each day. I have found it to be a blessing, personally.

Pastoral care is still very much to the fore during lockdown. If you need help with practical things or would be blessed by a regular phone call to have contact with the outer world, we have several volunteers who would be happy to connect with you. Likewise, I have been phoning a few people in the Benefice each day to catch up with them pastorally. With the numbers involved, that means a call approximately once a month. If you haven’t received a call from me it is because I don’t have your number. If you would like me to keep in touch this way, my number is 01422 363623. Remember, I am still here for you all, and if you need a chat in between my calls to you, please call me! If I can’t answer at that moment, I will get back to you.

As I conclude this message, the key to confidence during our trials is trust in God’s promises as we fortify ourselves with the many wonderful examples of God’s merciful acts that we find in the Bible and throughout history. We must remember that God’s timing is not subject to our perceptions. We will have no peace dwelling on the question of “how long?” Our peace will come from our conviction that all our hours, days, years, and circumstances are held with tenderness and love in the hands of our heavenly Father for whom a thousand years is as a day.

Caroline

Easter Sunday Online

We are all getting the hang of Zoom now, with an online congregation of over 30 for the Easter Day service. Do join us if you can!!

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Prayers for those affected by Covid 19

Anglican Prayer for those affected by Covid 19

Keep us, good Lord,
under the shadow of your mercy.
Sustain and support the anxious,
be with those who care for the sick,
and lift up all who are brought low;
that we may find comfort
knowing that nothing can separate us from your love
in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Amen.

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In the time of Quiet

In the time of quiet
No one’s told the daffodils about the pause to Spring
And no one’s told the birds to roost and asked them not to sing
No one’s asked the lazy bee to cease his bumbling round
And no one’s stopped the bright green shoots emerging through the ground
No one’s told the sap to rest, deep within the wood
And stop the sleepy trees from waking, wreathed about in bud
No one’s told the sky to douse its brightest shades of blue
And stop the scudding clouds from puffing headlong into view
No one’s asked the lambs to still the springs beneath their feet,
To stop their rapid rush and quell each joyful bleat
No one’s told the stream to halt its gurgle or its flow
And warned the playful breezes, not to gust and blow
No one’s asked the raindrops not to fall upon the earth
And fail to quench the soil in the season of rebirth
No one’s locked the sun down, or dimmed the shimmer of the moon
And even in the darkest night, the stars are still immune
Remember what you value, remember who is dear
Close the doors to danger and keep your family near
In the quiet all around us take the time to sit and stare
And wonder at the glory unfurling everywhere
Look towards the future, after the ordeal
And keep faith in Mother Nature’s power and will to heal.

Phillipa Atkin.

Key Information & Resources

KEY INFORMATION

1. As of 23^rd March 2020, all church buildings have been closed by order of the government until further notice.
2. We have received an instrument under the Churchwardens Measure 2001, rule 78 that extends the powers of Church Wardens and allows for delay of the APCM until 31^st October 2020.
3. Those needing practical, pastoral or prayer support in the Benefice should contact Rev Caroline in the first instance on 01422 363623. She will then put you in touch with your local link person to get you the support that you need.
4. Where members of the Benefice Church Families have access to the internet, updated information of what is happening in the Benefice will be posted on both church websites. Our Facebook Pages are St Hilda’s Church, Halifax and St John’s Church, Warley Instagram accounts are stjohnschurchwarley and sthildashalifax. If you do not have internet of a smart phone, perhaps a relative has access to social media, they could keep track of updates and keep you informed?
5. If you have access to a smart phone and would like to receive regular updates and prayer encouragement, you could download WhatsApp and email me your mobile phone number so that I can  add you to a private Benefice group.
6. If all of the above don’t work for you, then please give me a good traditional phone call at the Vicarage (01422 363623) and, having your number, I will call to catch up from time to time during this time of physical distancing.

 

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USEFUL RESOURCES

Television and Radio

Sunday 8.10am – Radio 4 Sunday Service

Daily Thought for the Day – 8.45am Radio 4

Sunday 1.15pm – BBC 1 – Songs of Praise

Those who have Freeview television may find the various “God” channels worth exploring. Some have quite strong personalities but there is inspiring material to find there if you take the time to look.

 

Online Resuurces

Daily reflections and prayers

http://www.nickbaines.wordpress.com/

Common Worship Daily Prayer

https://www.churchofengland.org/prayer-and-worship/join-us-service-daily-prayer

Northumbrian Community (Celtic) Daily Prayer

https://www.northumbriacommunity.org/offices/how-to-use-daily-office/

Sacred Space

https://www.sacredspace.ie/

A contemplative daily prayer resource in the Ignatian tradition.

Streamed Worship

https://www.belfrey.org

There are streamed services with contemporary worship music at 9am, 11am and 6pm on Sundays at present.

BENEFICE ENCOURAGEMENTS April 2020

St John’s, Warley & St Hilda, Halifax

As most of the nation went inside, shut their doors and resolved to stop it all, we determined to stop everything to protect our weaker ones: those who are ill, young, pregnant or older. As floods of volunteers step forward to protect those that need their help, retired NHS staff come back from retirement and people offered to coordinate it all, I have been struck by the abundant love, self sacrifice and provision that is being shown within our own communities and far beyond. It is the light of hope shining into the darkness of fear surrounding Covid-19.

It is easy to get immersed in the horror that is unfolding across the world and lose sight of the hope and encouragements that are there for all who follow Christ. As Bishop Nick wrote this week:

“Our trust is in the God who raised Jesus, and we walk with grace-filled and hope-fuelled hearts, following this same Jesus who gave his life for us. Our scriptures also call us to keep joy alive when the desert threatens to dry us out – looking for the songs of hope and singing them for all to hear.”

I have had the task of placing notices on our churches and buildings declaring the duel message that, whilst the buildings are closed, the churches are both very much alive. In the many phone calls and emails that I have negotiated in the last 10 days, I have felt humbled by the outpouring of love and care within our church families – a wonderful witness to the community at large. My thanks to all of those who have played a part in disseminating information to the parishes.

This is a defining moment in the life of the world. It is a time when, as individuals, we are forced to reflect upon what is most important to us, to express our faith in new, fresh and exciting ways and to actively demonstrate the love that Jesus calls us to show to our brothers and sisters (whether we know them already or not).

We have now put in place, and advertised throughout the Benefice, a community support network of volunteers, (in conjunction with Residents’ Associations and Calderdale Council) matching peoples’ practical, pastoral and prayer needs with those offering to help in these areas. I have already received messages of appreciation from the community for the reassurance that the posters bring.

We are exploring going ahead with training for our new Youth Group Leaders and doing a “soft launch” through social media – connecting with the young people that we have contact with – building relationships ready for meeting each other face to face and supporting them through this time of physical distancing from their peers.

I am familiarising myself with a myriad of technology as I explore new ways of being church using these tools without excluding those who are not online. Anyone for a “virtual coffee morning”? If so, email me and we will set that up.

In the midst of all of the praying and responding to each development, there has also been an acute awareness of the “sacrament” of the present moment. I don’t know about you but I often find that my “things to do” list is a bit of a tyrant that has me thinking a lot about what is to come, whilst striving to immerse myself in the present. When all that is suddenly stripped away, we discover new ways of being, and notice the sunshine and the birdsong in the midst of the tasks of the day. What we are experiencing is a “retreat in daily life” presenting an opportunity for God to work with us and nurture us.

It feels hard to be separated from you all at such a key time in the church calendar. To even have our Passiontide worship and reflections stripped away is a big deal. It is disorientating. I have prepared this offering so that, in the midst of this disorientation, we have the opportunity to be united in prayer – celebrating Christ, who has the victory, as we do so.

I will be praying the Palm Sunday and Easter Liturgies at 10am on each Sunday. You may like to unite with me in that or Skype a friend and pray with them (if you have the means to do so).

I want to keep in touch with you all during this time of physical separation. I would be grateful if those of you who think that I might not have your phone number could phone the Vicarage and let me know your number. I will then touch base from time to time until we can meet again.

Until then, may the Lord bless you and keep you and all those that you love and pray for. Please be assured of my ongoing prayers.

Caroline

Covid-19 News

3/9/20

The church is re-opening! The first service will be at 9.30am, Sunday September 6th, alternating every week with St John’s.

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31/7/20

The PCCs at both St John’s and St Hilda’s have agreed an interim arrangement whereby there will be a live service in the Benefice each Sunday alternating between St Hilda’s and St John’s at 9.30am. This will start on Sunday 6th September at St Hilda’s (where the service will be held on the 1st and 3rd Sundays offering communion). St John’s will then host the 2nd and 4th Sundays (communion on the 2nd Sunday and a Service of the Word on the 4th Sunday).

PLEASE REMEMBER THAT, AS A BENEFICE, ALL ARE WELCOME AT EACH SERVICE REGARDLESS OF WHERE IT IS HOSTED.

This arrangement for service frequency and times will be reviewed by the PCCs in the autumn. It is hoped that, as lockdown reduces further, we will be able to offer further opportunities for prayer and/or worship mid-week.

I have managed to catch most of you by phone to get a sense of demand and find that the majority are still cautious about physically attending church. With that in mind, Zoom Worship will move to 11.00am each Sunday as of 6th September to continue to facilitate worship for those not ready to return to church. The recorded services will continue to go live at 7am each Sunday on the social media platforms to participate in at your convenience.

Whilst our Sunday services begin on 6th September at St Hilda’s, we will be having a modest Receiving of the Rushes Service outside St John’s, Warley on Saturday 5th September at 10.30am. Numbers for this will be limited and by invitation: so, if you are interested in attending, please let me know and I will book you in. St John’s church will remain open for half an hour after this for anyone who would like time there for private prayer to come and enjoy the church.

I would like to thank the members of both PCCs for their incredibly hard work over the last 4 months as we have reflected upon each stage and planned. Our extraordinary situation has caused far more to reflect upon than anyone could have imagined. I am so grateful for their support and encouragement.

Let us, in this season, reflect upon the wells that we drink from and how we are sustaining ourselves with the living water. What do we call those wells and do we need to rename them in these uncertain times? Let us thank God for his goodness and guidance and know his blessing and peace. Amen.

What will it be like returning to a church service in our buildings?

Our PCCs have thought long and hard about how we can comply with current legislation and guidelines whilst making this a meaningful experience of worship each Sunday.

Capacity	St Hilda’s will be able to welcome the full quota of 30 worshippers. St. John’s will be able to welcome 26 individual worshippers rising to 30 if members of the same household sit together.
Arrival	The church doors will be opened 15 minutes before the service begins. A steward will guide you through a one way movement of people. You will be invited to use hand sanitiser, asked if you have symptoms of Covid 19 and whether you (or people you have been in contact with) have been abroad in the last 2 weeks. You will be asked for your name and phone number. This will be written down for trace and track and kept in the safe for 3 weeks after the service attended (when the list will be shredded in line with our GDPR policy.
Face masks	EVERYONE is required to wear a face mask for the duration of their time in church, unless they have medical grounds not to do so, or are under the age of 11. In that instance, particular care should be taken by you, personally, socially distancing from others for your mutual protection.
Toilets	Ideally, the toilets should not be used. However, if you should need to use the facilities in an emergency, provision is available at each church if you let a steward know, and they will ask you to disinfect everything that you have touched with the materials provided afterwards.
Collection	The collection plate / bag will not be passed around, but will be available for you to add your offering to, as you arrive for worship. We will give thanks to God for these gifts during the service.
Books, Literature & Childrens’ Areas	All books, pamphlets and toys need to be stored away, or covered, to prevent cross-contamination. As a result, there will be no facilities for children to play, and members of the same household are asked to remain seated together and bring any toy / book etc from home.
Seating	On arrival, you will find that the church layout will be ready for people to be able to be seated in confidence of maintaining social distance. On each seat there will be a laminated card. If it is green, then you know that nobody has sat there before. If it is red, with “Do Not Use”, then it is not available on this occasion. When you leave your seat, please turn the card to the red side.
Liturgy	Words for the service will either be on a wipeable laminated sheet, or paper. Please take any paper sheet away with you. Sometimes the service will be displayed on a screen at St John’s. People are encouraged to say their responses to prayers softly.
Music and Singing	There will be no singing allowed in church for the time being, but instrumental playing of hymns and recordings of music may be used.
The Service	The service should be expected to last around 30 minutes. During this time there will be no sharing of the peace and everyone is asked not to hug others as we work to protect each other and ourselves.
Communion	Communion will only be offered in one kind. Wine will not be available. The person leading a communion service will wear PPE for our mutual protection. Communion will be distributed at the end of the service whilst soft music is played to allow time for personal prayer and reflection before receiving the bread as we depart.
Refreshments	There will be no refreshments and no public access to the kitchen, vestry or areas cordoned off for the time being.
Prayer Areas	We will not be able to use the prayer corner (St John’s) or prayer candle stand (St Hilda’s). Instead we will offer a focal point for prayer with a candle lit, so that a quiet moment of prayer can be had. Please give space to people using those opportunities.
On Departure	At the end of the  service, people are asked to hold conversations outside, rather than inside the building. The cleaning team will then undertake a Covid clean of all surfaces.

Because of underlying health conditions, in normal circumstances, I would not choose to be in church. In order to enable me to offer this to you, I would ask everyone to appreciate the risk that I am taking to do this each week and give myself and Aidan the full social distancing that we require to stay safe.

Many thanks.

Caroline

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6/7/20

Plans for church re-opening

We are currently preparing with a view to being open for worship early in August. Please watch this space for details of when as well as the time of those services during this unusual period.

In the meantime, our live 10:00am Sunday Service continues each week on Zoom at:

Sunday Worship 10am

Alternatively, there is a recorded service available from 7:00am on our Facebook page which is also available on YouTube at:

Benefice Youtube service

Our weekly John & Hilda’s Chatroom on Zoom has now moved to Wednesday mornings for an hour at 11:00am. Everyone is most welcome to meet up and make new friends in a relaxed environment. The link for this is:

John & Hilda’s Chatroom – Wednesday 11am

START COURSE

Here is the flyer for our Seekers’ Course that runs on 6 consecutive weeks beginning on either Tuesday 21st July at 7:00pm or Wednesday 22nd July at 2:00pm.

Further details and place bookings are available on Eventbrite at:

“Start” Course

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14/5/20

After getting feedback from several people about the agape a couple weeks ago, it was felt that we should try having this as part of our worship every other week. I propose that we start this cycle on Sunday.

As before, we understand this as a spiritual communion rather than Holy Communion as we know it and experience in a church service.

If you would like to participate in this, I suggest having a bit of bread/ cracker/ biscuit and water to hand. On this occasion (God and technology willing) I will play a piece of music during the time when we eat and drink in remembrance together. If you don’t wish to participate in this part, I hope that you will still be blessed by the prayers and music.

On the subject of worship and other activity online, we are going to be having a discussion (as a benefice) about how we proceed with worship, pastoral care and mission during the restrictions that the pandemic has caused. Whilst we pray that we will be moving towards being able to access our church buildings within two or three months, it is likely to be much longer before we can have larger worship gatherings. We will wait with baited breath for Boris Johnson‘s announcements on Sunday evening that  will start to give us some clues.

Bishop Nick is  in regular contact with the Clergy flagging up the sort of things that we need to be considering at this time as well as touching base for our pastoral care.

On Wednesday, 20th May 2020, St John’s PCC will be having a business meeting at 7 pm which we aim to have completed by 7:45 pm. Everyone from across the benefice who has an interest in engaging with worship, mission and ministry online during the pandemic is invited to be part of the meeting that continues at 7:45 pm onwards. THIS INVITATION IS OPEN TO THE WHOLE BENEFICE. It is important that in our online presence we work in collaboration as this will be the most efficient use of our time and talents and presents a really important message about collaboration and church family extending beyond walls to the wider community.

The link to this meeting is:

St John’s PCC meeting 20 May 2020

I hope that as many as possible will be able to join us for the second part of the meeting and look forward to seeing you all on Sunday.

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A few people, after the recent software update, have advised that they are being asked for a password as well as the meeting link.

With that in mind, the full details for each regular Zoom service or social time are below.

Topic: Sunday Worship
Time: 10.00am to 11.30am (including social time)

Join Zoom Meeting
Sunday Worship 10am

Topic: John & Hilda’s Tuesday Chat Room (Benefice – weekly)
Time: 10.00am – 11.00am
John & Hilda’s Chatroom – Tuesday 10am

Topic: John & Hilda’s Thursday Chat Room (Benefice – weekly)
Time: 10.00am to 11.00am
John & Hilda’s Chatroom – Thursday 10am

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29/4/20

This is a poem used in our zoom service last Sunday. It apparently was written in 1869 for the then pandemic of typhoid:

And people stayed at home
And read books
And listened
And they rested
And did exercises
And made art and played
And learnt new ways of being
And stopped and listened
More deeply
Someone meditated, someone prayed
Someone met their shadow
And people began to think differently
And people healed
And in the absence of people who
Lived in ignorant ways
Dangerous, meaningless and heartless,
The earth also began to heal
And when the danger ended and
People found themselves
They grieved for the dead
And made new choices
And dreamed of new visions
And created new ways of living
And completely healed the earth
Just as they were healed.

It is supposed to have been written by Kathleen O’Mara in 1869 for the then pandemic of typhus then reprinted for the Spanish influenza for 1920, the outbreak of which killed more people than the entire losses of the First World War!

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14/4/20

Hello everyone

Thank you for your patience and perseverance in taking part in our Zoom worship times. We are steadily improving access with each attempt. Last Sunday, we had 4 people join us through social media who remained anonymous to the group. I could, as host, see them there including a gentleman in hospital. It is humbling to know that our efforts are meeting a need.

I’m hoping that Sunday’s service went smoothly for everyone. If there were any problems from our end about what we were doing, then please let me know and we will try to iron them out before next Sunday.

Sadly, those accessing by phone seem to be having variable success. I’m sorry about the disappointment of that. I’m afraid there is little that I can do in real time at this end to mitigate against that as it will partly be influenced by the signal received. This is all a very imprecise science and we are all on a steep learning curve.

This Sunday I will have a go a recording the service and I can then post a link to each week’s service on the website and Facebook pages. That will allow for those wishing to access worship but unable to meet at 10am to remain connected.

The following links will now remain the same until further notice:

Sunday Worship 10am

Zoom sessions to meet for coffee and chat (bring your own coffee!)

John & Hilda’s Chatroom – Tuesday 10am

John & Hilda’s Chatroom – Thursday 10am

IF ANYONE THINKS THAT AN EVENING CHATROOM WOULD BE VALUABLE, PLEASE LET ME KNOW AND WE WILL SET IT UP. 

Blessings

Caroline

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4/4/20

Please check back here for any new activities 

Benefice Palm Sunday Service 10.00am

Checking in ready for worship can be from 9.45am. Worship will last approximately half an hour then those who wish to can chat over a coffee afterwards.

Link:  St Hilda’s Palm Sunday Service

Holy Week at Home (shared with permission by Rev’d Sally Prendergast)

Good Friday Meditation (live on Zoom)

Easter Sunday Service (live on Zoom)

Sunday Worship (live on Zoom every Sunday starting 19th April 2020 until the church can re-open)

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1/4/20

Here are the links for the Zoom Worship:

Drop in (to test smooth joining of the meeting) – Thursday 2nd April 7pm – 8pm

Set up a free Zoom account at zoom.us log yourself into it then, at 7pm, click the link below:

St Hilda’s Zoom Test

If you have any technical problems, please phone the Vicarage (01422 363623) and we will try to talk you through it.

Benefice Palm Sunday Service 10.00am

Checking in ready for worship can be from 9.45am. Worship will last approximately half an hour then those who wish to can chat over a coffee afterwards.

Link:  St Hilda’s Palm Sunday Service

I will also send out an email to all those I have addresses for. If this goes well, we could set up a musician and singers rehearsal using Zoom ready for the Easter Sunday Service.

It could be fun….or technically challenging….we will see 😊

God bless

Caroline

1/4/20

KEY INFORMATION

1. As of 23^rd March 2020, all church buildings have been closed by order of the government until further notice.
2. We have received an instrument under the Churchwardens Measure 2001, rule 78 that extends the powers of Church Wardens and allows for delay of the APCM until 31^st October 2020.
3. Those needing practical, pastoral or prayer support in the Benefice should contact Rev Caroline in the first instance on 01422 363623. She will then put you in touch with your local link person to get you the support that you need.
4. Where members of the Benefice Church Families have access to the internet, updated information of what is happening in the Benefice will be posted on both church websites. Our Facebook Pages are St Hilda’s Church, Halifax and St John’s Church, Warley Instagram accounts are stjohnschurchwarley and sthildashalifax. If you do not have internet of a smart phone, perhaps a relative has access to social media, they could keep track of updates and keep you informed?
5. If you have access to a smart phone and would like to receive regular updates and prayer encouragement, you could download WhatsApp and email me your mobile phone number so that I can  add you to a private Benefice group.
6. If all of the above don’t work for you, then please give me a good traditional phone call at the Vicarage (01422 363623) and, having your number, I will call to catch up from time to time during this time of physical distancing.

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USEFUL RESOURCES

Television and Radio

Sunday 8.10am – Radio 4 Sunday Service

Daily Thought for the Day – 8.45am Radio 4

Sunday 1.15pm – BBC 1 – Songs of Praise

Those who have Freeview television may find the various “God” channels worth exploring. Some have quite strong personalities but there is inspiring material to find there if you take the time to look.

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Online Resources

Daily reflections and prayers

http://www.nickbaines.wordpress.com/

Common Worship Daily Prayer

https://www.churchofengland.org/prayer-and-worship/join-us-service-daily-prayer

Northumbrian Community (Celtic) Daily Prayer

https://www.northumbriacommunity.org/offices/how-to-use-daily-office/

Sacred Space

https://www.sacredspace.ie/

A contemplative daily prayer resource in the Ignatian tradition.

Streamed Worship

https://www.belfrey.org

There are streamed services with contemporary worship music at 9am, 11am and 6pm on Sundays at present.

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23/3/20

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22/3/20

St John’s have taken the lead on this as there are more volunteers up there as we are working as a Benefice on this. If you would like to volunteer offering phone support, or would like practical or phone support yourselves, please contact Caroline at the Vicarage number.

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21/3/20

Coronavirus guidance from the Church of England

In light of the Government guidance around non-essential contact, the Archbishops of Canterbury and York have issued advice that public worship is suspended until further notice. You can read the Church of England’s Coronavirus (COVID-19) guidance for churches here. You can find a live stream service or event to watch from home here.

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18/3/20

Hello everyone

I have received the Ad Clerum from Bishop Nick. This clarifies what can be permitted at this stage until a full lockdown occurs.

In the light of this, I propose the following until that time comes:

It is clear that Sunday gathered worship is not permitted. Opening the church for short stretches for private or daily prayer has now been agreed as acceptable for the time being.

As I understand the letter, prayer needs to continue in church.

Opening times for prayer will be as follows during the week STARTING THIS SUNDAY 22 March 2020.

NOTE: TO AVOID CONTAGION, NO FORMAL LITURGY NOR BOOKS WILL BE USED. ALL DOOR HANDLES TO BE WIPED DOWN AFTER EACH PRAYER TIME AND VISITORS TO WASH HANDS ON ARRIVAL AND BE PHYSICALLY DISTANT FROM EACH-OTHER.

St Hilda’s – Mondays and Wednesdays both at 10am.
Sunday 9.45am – 10.45am

St John’s – Tuesdays and Thursdays both at 10am.
Sunday 11.00am – 12.00am

These later times will give more opportunity for people to come, if they wish.

On each occasion, the church will remain open for one hour for people to call in to pray.

SHOULD I BE NOTIFIED THAT ANYONE WITH THE VIRUS HAS ENTERED THE CHURCH, IT WILL NEED TO BE CLOSED FOR 72 HOURS.

I suspect that we will only be able to continue this for a week before full lockdown occurs.

PLEASE ENCOURAGE OTHERS TO BE PART OF THE “THY KINGDOM COME” day of prayer on Sunday by lighting a candle and placing it in their window at home at praying at 7pm for our community, the country and the world.

Further updates will follow.

Many thanks
Caroline