Pastoral Letter from the Vicar and Churchwardens: 3rd November 2020
Dear brothers and sisters at St Luke’s,
We write because the latest announcements of the authorities mean there will be no services in church for the next four weeks (and maybe more!).
This is disappointing news as our regular 9am Sunday and 10.30 Wednesday small services had been going well. People were positive. Numbers were averaging 30 on Sundays and 20 on Wednesdays. We have made the most of our window of opportunity since the end of July, and thank you for your responsible participation. We will write again when we are able to re-open church services in church.
Zoom church services will continue at 10.30am on Sunday mornings. It is best to log in between 10.25 and 10.30 [Zoom ID856 031 5150 password 902272] but you are welcome to join us after we have started.
10.30 on Zoom will be our service every Sunday, followed by Zoom After-Church Coffee. We plan most of our special Christmas services to be on Zoom as well.
Arrangements for Remembrance Sunday are rather unique this year. The British Legion and the Parish Council have organised a small Wreath Laying Ceremony only for those invited. We have decided to leave the church building open from 11.15am until 4pm for private prayer and personal appreciation of the church flowers and poppy decorations. Personal poppies may be planted by the Cenotaph.
Our 10.30 Zoom service will have traditional Remembrance hymns and include an act of remembrance. It’s not the same as being in a large gathering, but there is opportunity to mark the day helpfully and appropriately.
We recognise that this extended period of lockdown comes at a dark time of year. Some of us were already finding things difficult. Please let us know if you would be glad of a chat on the phone. Do consider joining us for Zoom Morning Prayer at 9am Mon, Tues, Weds. Also Housegroups will continue and we are considering setting up a new one. If anyone is interested, tell Rob.
The Organ & Lighting Appeal raised £33,000 in the month of October and we thank the Lord and all of you who have helped make a good early momentum towards our £80,000 target. The professional work of taking our new organ out of its present church on The Wirral should commence soon, but the work in our church will happen next year.
Thank you for your fellowship within St Luke’s.
Canon Rob, Alastair Cragg and Jayne Weaver