The first service since lockdown

The bells rang out and Services resumed today. We’ve dipped our toes in the water and held the first Sunday service in our church building since lockdown began. The service followed the familiar form with prayers, bible readings, sermon and hymns. We were not allowed to sing, but we could still concentrate on the words as the music played. Government recommendations were followed to the letter and we felt perfectly safe. No conversations were allowed in the church building but there was opportunity to talk outside.

Worship at Home

Since the Coronavirus lockdown began we at Trinity have been following the Sunday Service Sheet that is sent by email, delivered by hand, and posted on the Trinity Website.

The service this week began with a poem about Social Isolation by R G Huff.

In our homes, we meet to worship,
far away from sacred space.
...

Then comes a well known hymn

Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty!


There follows a prayer asking that in these days of isolation we shall appreciate God's world more, and in particular  pray for endangered species. The prayer ends 'Teach us to care for your world and to respect all peoples.'

A short hymn by Isaac Watts 'From all that dwell below the skies'

We then have a reading from Peter's 1st Letter. We had a reading from Peter last week.

The preacher writes ... Peter urges us to be like Jesus even in difficult situations and reminds us that in so doing we can live in this world demonstrating God’s kingdom.

The service ended with two more well known hymns. The sheet said 'As you read or sing these hymns, may they also be your prayer. May God’s Holy Spirit help us to make these prayers'

 Brother, sister, let me serve you,
let me be as Christ to you ;
pray that I may have the grace
to let you be my servant too.
...

Make me a channel of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me bring your love ;
where there is injury, your pardon, Lord ;
and where there’s doubt, true faith in you
....

Go from your country - You must be born again

St Michael's Church joined us at Trinity today for the service led by Revd Ian and Deacon Selina.

Selina preached on two bible passages.

Abram was called by God to move from his home land (Genesis 12: 1 – 4a). Selina commented that methodist ministers had to pull up tent pegs and move on every five years. They could not get too settled.

The second passage was Nicodemus visiting Jesus at night (John 3). Nicodemus had been living  the Jewish commandments and customs. Jesus shocked him by saying you must be born again. Outward religion was not what God called for. It was inward religion, born of the Spirit. 

Ian then led us in communion in the URC way. We waited in our seats as the bread was brought round. We then shared the bread together. The same with the fruit juice. We are one family : St Michael's and Trinity. Usually the churches in Abingdon meet in their respective buildings, and today we were together.

After communion Rosemary and Malcolm led prayers. Rosemary read the words of Jesus from John 3. They shaped what Malcolm prayed for.

Thanksgiving for Liz Prout

Trinity Church was crowded. 

A lady played a Welsh harp before the thanksgiving service began.

I was next to somebody from a Welsh  choir with a very loud voice as we sang Guide me oh thou great Redeemer - the first hymn.

John Prout told us of Liz's life.  No big surprises like you get with some quieter people. We all knew her as a warm friendly smiling person. She had become a nurse. Given up her job to bring up the three daughters. Her husband travelled a lot for his business - disability aids, which he couldn't have run without her. She returned to working as a nurse, and on Tony Garret's suggestion went on to promote opportunities for disabled people to go to work. She had begun her life in Liverpool, Anfield. Gone to four Methodist Churches in her life and ended up at Trinity where she helped with lots of things. Cooking and flowers were things she loved. She helped at toddlers. She volunteered for the Monday Club with the learning disabled. She volunteered at the Abingdon Bridge, becoming their chair.  There were people from Liverpool and Monday Club and all through her life she had kept friends. John said she had a lovely soprano voice.

She had wanted to be a missionary but in a way Selina said she was like John Wesley who said "The world is my parish."

A few years ago when she got unwell I saw her being pushed on the Market Place and she did not seem to recognise or respond. Instead of the smile she looked through me.  I was aware of not knowing how to respond. She surely would have gone up to the person and smiled and held their hand.

She has been ill for some years, cared for at Bridge House. Selina said she visited and found the warm loving person within.

Family member read poems. One young lady read a prayer about a chrysalis becoming a butterfly. Selina told a story to the children about Big and Little and how Big cared for Little. There followed an adult's address.

We sang Let me be a channel of your Peace and How Great Thou Art.

A slideshow of pictures of Liz's life was shown with music.

Covenant Service

The Covenant Service was led by Revd Ian and Deacon Selina and was followed by a communion, and then a church meal in the Conduit Centre.

Before the service the steward read Ena'a note sending her love and saying she is settled in her new home. She has come regularly to Trinity and turned 101 in September.

Deacon Selina saw a rainbow on Faringdon Road on the way to church. What better way to start a Covenant Service! A pigeon was cooing from the roof as we said the Covenant words.

Revd Ian introduced the Covenant with a sermon. He also said that saying 'I am no longer my own but yours. Your will, not mine, be done in all things,' seems a sign of giving up our independence and self control to God. But what is the Christian life if not that, and doing that in love. He also said we could be doing a lot of the things already and so the covenant reinforces that resolve. He also said that sometimes we just reflect on one or two difficult lines rather than considering the covenant as a whole.

'Christ has many services to be done:
some are easy, others are difficult;
some bring honour, others bring reproach;
some are suitable to our natural inclinations and material
interests,
others are contrary to both;
in some we may please Christ and please ourselves;
in others we cannot please Christ except by denying
ourselves.
Yet the power to do all these things is given to us in Christ,
who strengthens us.'