The Benefice of St. Bartholomew

Benefice News - 26th June 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 28th June 2020 - Third Sunday After Trinity

Amongst the services planned for Sunday 28th June 2020, we are having a Family Service at 9.30 am and Matins at 10.30 am. The service sheet for the Family Service can be downloaded and/or printed here, There are other options as well, and so we hope that you are able to enjoy one or more of the varied acts of worship that have been planned.

Next Sunday - 5th July 2020

As you will see from next Sunday, we will once again be holding public worship in church. We are delighted that this is the case, and the Churchwardens and Rural Dean have agreed to adopting the pattern of worship we had before lockdown. As many of these services as possible will be zoomed. We are still awaiting guidance from the House of Bishops but we have so far been planning our services in line with guidelines first published by the Church of England Recovery Group on 3rd June 2020. This was guidance published specifically for when services were allowed once again. The main points we have is that our services will not include the singing of hymns although we may have live music played on the organ or other instruments or some recorded material. We will maintain social distancing and will have alcohol based hand sanitisers in place. We will also ensure high contact areas in the church building are sanitised before each service.

Important: we really need to know the number of people who are intending to come to our public services next week. Please let either the Churchwarden or The Rev’d Kevin know if you are planning to attend. 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 guidelines. We really want to ensure all those who wish to come to a service are able to attend one.

Opening Churches for Private Prayer

From Sunday 21st June, some of our church buildings will be open for private prayer during the week. Details of the opening days and times for each church are shown below:

• St John’s Church, Charlton: Mondays: 2.30 pm to 4.00 pm
• St Andrew’s Church, Donhead St Andrew: Tuesdays and Fridays: 10.00 am to 4.00 pm
• St Mary’s Church, Donhead St Mary: Tuesdays: 10.30 am to noon
• St Mary's Church, East Knoyle: Wednesdays: 9.00 am to 1.00 pm; Saturdays: 2.00 pm to 5.00 pm
• St Leonard’s Church, Semley: Sundays and Wednesdays: 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.

Assistant Curate’s Day Off

The Rev’d Kevin’s usual day off is a Friday, but from Monday 6th July 2020, it will change to Mondays.

Salisbury District Hospital - Services Update

We have recently received a message containing the latest information about services provided by Salisbury District Hospital. You can read the message here.

Zoom

The Zoom instructions to join all our services (except those where we join with the Nadder Valley team for Evening Prayer) are as follows:

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

For Evening Prayer where we join with the Nadder Valley Team, the Zoom details are as follows:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84966332040
Meeting ID: 849 6633 2040
Password: 039012

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

Prayers

The Church of England has produced a book of prayers to be used whilst church buildings are closed. The book can be downloaded and/or printed here.

From the Licensed Lay Minister - 22nd June 2020

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Written by Tony Gowers

How my outlook on life has changed in the last three months.

Three months ago I would hardly have recognised myself! I was rushing to work four times a week, struggling with the major roadworks on the A350, which always made me either very early or very late – never on time, trying to fit more into four hours than was possible, looking after a disabled husband and running a home. Sometimes I despaired – I just seemed to do everything badly because there was never enough time to do it well.

Now, with no travelling, no roadworks, and an entirely different way of managing both the office and services, it is all possible. I am calm and mostly collected, my IT skills have grown exponentially and my conscience has gone on holiday. Time has expanded. All those little jobs, both at home and in the office which had been conveniently put off – sometimes for years – were now done and dealt with. Kitchen cupboards with items time expired in 2006 are now much more roomy, the odd housekeeping jobs on the office computer which needed a solid block of time with no interruptions, have now been achieved – really my halo is shining brightly.

Even better, there has been time for so much enjoyment. As well as working in my garden I have made time to rest on my long chair, to actually enjoy watching my flowers come out, to work at my needlepoint with a clear conscience – no little voice asking me why I am doing that when countless other things should have a higher priority – even the birds seem to be singing more sweetly.

I am only too well aware that this time has not been like this for everyone and I am so glad that I don’t live in a 15th floor flat in a city. We have been very blessed here in the West Country, with low levels of pandemic infection but the daily reports on the radio and television keep in our minds how badly others are faring. Is it fanciful to imagine that God is appreciating that his world is experiencing lower levels of pollution and noise? Is that why the birds seem so happy this year? Is it a reminder to us that our span on earth is but a blink in God’s eye and that we must therefore make good use of our time here.

Jo Johnson
Licensed Lay Minister

From the Curate - June 2020

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Written by The Rev'd Kevin Martin

On 11th June 2020, I received my ‘sign off’ letter from Bishop Nicholas. This is my official letter saying that the training element of my curacy has now been completed and that I am free to start applying for my first post of responsibility. I would like to thank you for your support and prayers throughout my curacy so far and ask for your continued prayers as I discern where God is calling me next. I shall be here for a few more months, but I wanted to share this good news with you all.

Kevin Martin

From the Ordinand - Video - God's Sabbath

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Written by Toby Carson

In response to thinking about this time of lockdown and where we might find God's hope and peace in the confusions that we are experiencing, i have put together this short video homily about the Sabbath, with bible texts read by children from St. John's Church, Charlton. I hope that it offers some comfort.

Toby Carson

(Editor's note: Toby is training for the ministry and is an ordinand based in the Benefice.)