Parish Church of St Luke Holmes Chapel
Come to Christ, Love to Learn, Learn to Love!
Opening of St Luke’s for limited services continues during September
The relaxation of official restrictions now permits certain services to continue in church buildings, but subject to strict conditions including social distancing being met and comprehensive risk assessment. St Luke’s is a relatively small church and keeping to the recommended social distancing requirement limits the maximum number who can safely attend to about 30 people.
Following support from the parish replying to a questionnaire consultation the Church Council decided to resume limited services in church on a trial basis during August on Sundays at 9am and Wednesdays at 10.30am. Attendance at these short restricted Holy Communion services has been good with around 30 communicants on Sundays. The necessary precautions including wearing face-masks, correct social distancing and cleaning were maintained to keep everyone safe and so the limited services will continue during September.
There is a Link guidance sheet available in church which sets out the ways in which we can help one another keep safe, while at the same time finding encouragement and Christian fellowship in church.
Our regular Sunday morning service using Zoom continues (new time of 10.30am) for parishioners with internet access, as do our short services of Morning Prayer on Monday – Wednesday at 9am and our Prayer Meeting on Thursday at 9.30am – please contact secy@stlukesholmeschapel.uk if you have not received access details.
Please continue to check our website and FaceBook page for support in your individual worship and prayer.
More information on the Noticeboard
Useful Links:
Sunday September 20th: 15th after Trinity
The Bible readings today are:
- Philippians 1.21-end
- Matthew 13.1-23
9.00am in St Luke’s church: our vicar Canon Rob McLaren will preside at a restricted service of Holy Communion.
The church will be open from 8.30am and will remain open after the service for private individual worship until midday.
We are limited to a maximum of around 30 inside the church for the service. Please observe all the face-covering and social distancing requirements whilst inside the church.
10.30am: our vicar Rob will lead our virtual service of Morning Prayer via Zoom available to those who are unable to attend in church.
[Please login at 10.25pm on Rob’s Zoom ID so that we can begin on time.]
Before today’s services, why not watch the short video address (below) recorded for us by our vicar, Rob, the first of a short series based around the Parables of the Kingdom
11.15am: Zoom catch up informally for a chat in small groups with other Church members; session hosted today again by Jean McLaren on her Zoom ID.
The joining details for the Zoom meetings have been sent to all our parishioners with email addresses. We’re sorry that we can’t open these Zoom meetings up to everyone but if you are local to Holmes Chapel and would like to join in, please let us know by email secy@stlukesholmeschapel.uk.
The coming week
Church Council meeting:
7.30pm MONDAY 21st September by Zoom – see agenda here
Continuation of limited corporate worship in church:
10.30am WEDNESDAY 23rd September – our vicar Rob will preside at a restricted service of Holy Communion.
The church will be open from 10am – please follow the safeguarding instructions on the notices as you enter church and on the pew Link sheet – face-masks should be worn inside church – we are limited to a maximum of about 30 people in church so that everyone can remain safely distanced.
- The Bible readings for Monday 21st – Sunday 27th September are shown below.
Our Zoom Services continue:
9am Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday: Zoom Morning Prayer service continues – led again by our vicar Rob on his Zoom ID.
9.30am Thursday: Zoom Intercessions service – led by our vicar Rob on his Zoom ID.
Opening of church for individual private prayer: please note that during September this will only be available on Wednesday and Sunday after the services until midday
- Our Prayersheet to help in our personal worship in the weeks after Trinity Sunday can be viewed below – we are using it in our Morning Prayer services. You can also download a copy here suitable for printing.
- The September e-Magazine is now published and available here.
Thank you!!
For those who helped on Sat 5th Sept tidy the memorials for cremated remains in our Knutsford Road churchyard
see Noticeboard for more details
For your continued financial support of St Luke’s during the lock-down and the limited re-opening of church.
Many people who make their donations weekly by envelope have delivered them direct to our Treasurer, William Hall. Those giving by standing order have continued to give directly through their bank. Some of our congregation have been able to make an additional donation to offer support during these uncertain times.
All your donations are greatly appreciated and enable us to continue the work at St Luke’s. So many thanks again
Jayne Weaver
Churchwarden and Parish Giving Officer
warden@stlukesholmeschapel.uk
Bible Readings: 21st - 27th September
Monday 21st: Psalm 49, 1 Kings 8.32-61, Acts 16.6-24
Tuesday 22nd: Psalms 36, 1 Kings 8.62-9.9, Acts 16.25-end
Wednesday 23rd: Psalm 34, 1 Kings 10.1-25, Acts 17.1-15
Thursday 24th: Psalms 37, 1 Kings 11.1-13, Acts 17.16-end
Friday 25th: Psalm 31, 1 Kings 11.26-end, Acts 18.1-21
Sunday 27th, 16th after Trinity: Psalm 78.1-4,12-16, Philippians 2.1-13, Matthew 13.24-30
Praying Together after Trinity Sunday
Praying Together @St Luke's, Holmes Chapel in the weeks of Trinity - to help you in your personal worship see a printable version of this prayer sheet here The Lord be with you And also with you. This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in...
Praying Together – when sickness is near
you can view or download this whole prayersheet here
God of compassion,
be close to those who are ill, afraid or in isolation.
In their loneliness, be their consolation;
in their anxiety, be their hope;
in their darkness, be their light;
through him who suffered alone on the cross, but reigns with you in glory,
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Merciful God,
we entrust to your tender care those who are ill or in pain,
knowing that whenever danger threatens your everlasting arms are there to hold them safe.
Comfort and heal them, and restore them to health and strength; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
For hospital staff and medical researchers
Gracious God,
give skill, sympathy and resilience to all who are caring for the sick,
and your wisdom to those searching for a cure. Strengthen them with your Spirit,
that through their work many will be restored to health;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
From one who is ill or isolated
O God, help me to trust you,
help me to know that you are with me, help me to believe that nothing can separate me from your love
revealed in Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Rt Revd Mark Tanner confirmed as 41st Bishop of Chester on Wed 15th July
The Rt Revd Mark Tanner, formerly Suffragan Bishop of Berwick in Northumberland, was confirmed as Bishop of Chester on Wed 15th July. Although now legally the Bishop of Chester, he is not expected to take up his public duties until September.
You can view some of his first reactions (and those of his wife, Lindsay) to his new appointment in this short video and also in his video conversation with Bishop Christine, the Bishop of Newcastle. You can also see his response to some searching questions about his faith from several young people from around the diocese who chatted online with the Bishop-elect recently, giving an idea of what may be in store when he starts his ministry with us in the autumn.
Towards normality? Your views on worship again in church
The recent relaxation of the official virus restrictions to allow some limited services to start in churches under carefully controlled conditions is very welcome but poses real problems in small churches like St Luke’s. To guide discussion at the July meeting of the Church Council about how and when to resume the limited church services now permitted, we consulted our congregations through a short questionnaire. Read more for some of the statistics and findings which led to the PCC deciding to resume limited services in St Luke’s on a trial basis in August.
Daily Hope Line 0800 804 8044
Daily Hope offers music, prayers and reflections as well as full worship services from the Church of England at the end of a telephone line. A Church of England initiative in partnership with CONNECTIONS at Holy Trinity Claygate, and Faith in Later Life The line –...
Well-being and the COVID-19 pandemic
The coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis means life has changed for all of us. It may cause us to feel anxious, stressed, worried, sad, bored, lonely, or frustrated.
If you’re finding things hard emotionally right now, you’re not alone.
Beatitudes for a global pandemic
We are sharing this video to help us remain hopeful and focus on what matters and those affected during the global pandemic.
Sailing the South Pacific during lock-down
Sailing the South Pacific - with Carole and Martin Elliott - a holiday cruise of a life-time blown off-course by the corona virus emergency We were so overwhelmed by people being concerned for our safe return from holiday this March that we decided we ought to let you...
The virus and Easter
A poem by By Kristi Bothur
Twas late in ‘19 when the virus began, Bringing chaos and fear to all people, each land.
People were sick, hospitals full, Doctors overwhelmed, no one in school.
As winter gave way to the promise of spring, The virus raged on, touching peasant and king.
People hid in their homes from the enemy unseen, They YouTubed and Zoomed, social-distanced, and cleaned.
April approached and churches were closed, “There won’t be an Easter,” the world supposed.
“There won’t be church services, and egg hunts are out, No reason for new dresses when we can’t go about.”
Announcements
September 2020 letter
We reach the start of a new school year and many of us realise that we must get on with it. Despite the difficulties of covid-19 measures and the dangers of a new outbreak, some things need to carry on anyway. Childrens’ education and social development is too important to delay any longer, and so teachers and support staff are going the extra mile to help young people forward.
Christian Communicare – help needed!
HOLMES CHAPEL CHRISTIAN COMMUNICARE - urgent need for volunteers 'Communicare' (full name Holmes Chapel & Area Christian Communicare), is our local voluntary transport service, taking patients to medical appointments when they can’t get there any other way. This...
2020 Revision of Church Electoral Roll – period extended
Because of the pandemic restrictions, our annual Church meetings need to be delayed until 25th October. However, the required annual revision of the Church Electoral Roll by the Parochial Church Council will still begin as already notified from Sunday 22nd March but the revision period will be extended until 10th October (15 days before the date of the delayed annual Church meetings).
Mothers’ Union – April 2020 Report
MU report - April 2020 Well, what a strange year! Our AGM meeting usually is in March to coincide with the financial year, but this year both Dorothy and I were going to be away for that meeting so we planned it for April. Little did we know that April wasn't going...
Genesis Update – 2nd May 2020
As you know, because of the public health restrictions, Church services and Genesis are now suspended and the church and hall buildings are now closed until further notice. We thought you would like to know what is going on using Zoom to keep our CHurch fellowship together and also to have some links to prayers and resources you can use in your families.