Tower and Town, July 2020

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Clergy Letter

I have just had a wonderful holiday, or rather a staycation. My wife Jane, daughter Hannah, and I enjoyed exploring the beautiful Wiltshire countryside. We are so blessed to have walks in the Kennet valley, the Savernake Forest, the open Downs, the Kennet and Avon canal and glorious landscapes within a few miles of home. The highlight of the week came when we attended our son Peter’s marriage to Michelle in St Sebastian Parish RC Church, Akron, Ohio without leaving the lounge! As the service was livestreamed, I was able to give them a blessing via FaceTime. We should of course have been there in the church packed with their family and friends. The church looked empty with nineteen people scattered round the building keeping a social distance, but there was a worldwide congregation sharing Peter and Michelle’s joy. When they became engaged two years ago at Viking Bay in Broadstairs, no one dreamt that we would not be able to travel to America to be there or that the Church would not be available. It has made me think about how the Church, and all of us, have had to adapt to a new way of doing things.

Along with the other Churches in the town, at Christchurch we have been preparing weekly services which are either sent by email or hand delivered to all those who would like a copy. Parts of the service are recorded on YouTube and ready to download by Sunday at 10.30am when everyone joins for prayer and worship in their own homes, but knowing that they are part of the Church family joining in worship together. During the week, people telephone each other making sure that everyone is all right. People are available to do shopping and collect prescriptions and so on if needed and members have been looking out for neighbours and helping through town schemes. A Bible Study group meets through Zoom. It is sad to see the Church buildings standing empty, but the Church is still being the Church.

A little while ago a cartoon arrived by email. It showed the devil and God standing by a world globe. The devil is saying to God, “It took Covid-19 for me to close your Churches”. God replies, “On the contrary! I have opened one in every home!” Instead of gathering in a few places on a Sunday morning, numerous homes across the town have become powerhouses of prayer and worship. People who would not think of themselves as missionaries or evangelists have been passing on the Worship Sheets and YouTube links to family, neighbours and friends whom they think would find them helpful, and so sharing the good news of Jesus. As the followers of Jesus, it is wonderful to meet with other Christians to share in worship and encourage each other in the faith, but whilst the buildings are closed, we have had to peel away the layers of Christian life. We have had to take away the weekly services, (which are, or should be, the highlight of the week), the house-groups, the fellowship groups, the Bible Studies, the coffee mornings, the opening of the premises to welcome various groups and organisations, the meetings to organise the running of the church and so on. We are left with the core of our faith, what really matters.

When Jesus began his ministry he said, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent and believe in the good news”, (Mark 1:15). When Jesus called the first disciples, he said to Simon and Andrew, “Follow me and I will make you fish for people”, (Mark 1:16-17). We can come to Jesus anywhere at anytime and being in lockdown has enabled some people to spend more time with God in prayer. Some have said that although they miss seeing people at church on Sunday mornings, they enjoy being able to continue in prayer after using the Worship Sheet, rather than being surrounded by people and rushing off for coffee. We cannot go into the street with the good news of Jesus, as the disciples did at Pentecost, but we can show God’s love for others by helping neighbours, being involved in the community, supporting the NHS and key workers, working for the NHS and doing essential jobs, writing to people and telephoning them, comforting and praying for the ill and the bereaved, and passing on Worship Sheets and YouTube links. Church buildings may be closed, but the Church is open, the people are busy following Jesus, loving one another as he first loved us, (John 13:34 ), and passing on the good news.

When I came to give Peter and Michelle a blessing during their Marriage Service, the internet crashed minutes before FaceTiming! Hannah got a link on her mobile data. The screen said “Poor video connection” and so I wondered if those who were in the church could hear me. We had turned the volume down on our television to prevent feedback. So part way through my spiel, I asked if they could hear me. I asked it a couple of times before launching into the blessing, causing great amusement, lowering the tone of what was a beautiful service until then! I realised that I need to trust the wonders of modern technology. In the same way, we need to continue trusting in God who is with us and will see us through this pandemic.

Stephen Skinner