My dear friends

I remember way back in the early days of Facebook, I created an account and sent my children friend requests, just because I thought it would amuse them that 'Mum was on FB'! Then a few friend requests were received … and I've remained on FB ever since. I must admit that I am a bit selective about who I invite/accept as my 'friends'. I get so many requests from people who I have never heard of! Recently, there have been a lot more requests than normal and this morning I was scrolling through and I spotted someone who I met recently in Sri Lanka. So I clicked on 'confirm' and a message flashed up to say that it wasn't possible because this person had reached the maximum number of 5,000 friends … 5,000 friends … who has 5,000 friends? Can this person know or even remember who these 5,000 'friends' are?

Many of us go through life, and may be blessed with one or two proper friends...those who have a history with us and stick with us through thick and thin. Those who don't get offended if you are too busy to call and you know that when you do, it is like you were speaking just yesterday.

We may have a lot of acquaintances, people we know and love, people we get on well with, people we really like, people … who may well become some of our closest friends.

I remember Chris' grandma once telling me (she lived well into her 90s) that one of the saddest things about living a long life was crossing out the names in her address book as one by one her friends passed away. We live amongst a lot of people who have crossed out names in their address books! Many of them are not only living on their own but are now living with the loneliness of isolation. They've lived through depression, war and nuclear threats. They've seen the worst and best of life.  Yesterday on morning TV, Harry Billinge (war veteran) was interviewed online. What an inspiration that man is! Now 94years old, his stoic war-time spirit was as evident as ever. There he was, not a complaint in sight and counting his many blessings.

We can't all be a Harry Billing and that is because each one of us is unique, wonderfully formed by God. We are all dealing with this Covid crisis in our own way. There isn't a right or wrong. But one thing is sure and that is that we are all in this together. So stay safe, my friends, look after each other in the best way you can and remember that each one of you is special and loved beyond measure by Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders
and the sin that so easily entangles.
And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,

Hebrews 12:1

If only...

Have you ever thought "If only I didn't have to go to ... today, I would be able to..."? I know I have! I have a list of things that I like to do in my leisure time but the key word there is 'time'. I always seem to have so little of it! And hobbies, of course, can cost money or take some effort to allow us to get on and enjoy them. Like most of us, suddenly I find myself with some extra time on my hands and I'm reaching the point of thinking about resurrecting some of my long-lost interests...knitting, sewing, jigsaws...if ony I had made a few preparations - like buying some wool...or material...or jigsaws...if only!

Life is full of 'if onlys'! If only - we'd done something different...if only we'd said something...if only we'd made the effort...if only we'd known - if only!

My pastoral outreach has changed, as you might expect. So instead of visiting people in their homes, I am ringing people instead. The good, old-fashioned telephone is a life-line now to so many, especially to those who are isolating at home and it could well be their only link to the outside world. One of the problems that I have is that I didn't inherit a contacts list for my congregations. So, although I am trying to build up my contacts list and to keep in touch with people, there are many that I can't speak to at the present time.

My pet project at the moment is building a church website. To say it is enjoyable is a bit of a stretch. It is rewarding though when I have really struggled with something and then I get it to work.

I'm also busy putting together the service for next Sunday's online service. And as we're doing things differently at the moment, I thought that I might try some of the Common Worship Communion Prayers that we don't normally use. This may also include a BCP service at some point, that some of you may remember from your childhood, or perhaps have never experienced. We don't know how long our churches will be closed, but we need to remain positive and do our best to put this time to good use. Perhaps you might want to make a note of the services that we will be using online so that we can discuss them at a later date? I'm always open to suggestions. Worship is so important, whether within church or without!

“You are worthy, our Lord and God,
    to receive glory and honour and power,
for you created all things,
    and by your will they were created
    and have their being.”

Revelation4:11

To Zoom or not to Zoom...that is the question...

Well...we did it! This morning's worship was online from my study at the vicarage and set up and controlled by John, one of our churcwardens, from his home. Although streaming live on FB works well, we used Zoom, so that we could see people and they could join in with the responses. Other than a few coughs, and a few people losing their connection towards the end, it worked really quite well. So...next week, being Palm Sunday we are going to have the Passion Narrative and instead of a Service of the Word, we will have a Communion Service. We will even try to record it and make it public for people to view on our church FB page.

Now, you are probably reading this and wondering how that will work. I will lead the worship from my study and will consecrate the elements in the normal way. The difference is that you will receive the Body and Blood of Christ spiritually. How good is that?

Passiontide begins today...the last two weeks of Lent. Jesus' face was set towards Jerusalem and we head towards Holy week and Easter! It's normally the busiest time of the church calendar and yet here we are, confined to home and doing our best to stay positive in these very difficult times. Being at home has given many of us the opportunity to do some of the things we didn't have the time to do before...times when our busyness got in the way! Where does God fit into all this? Is God still down the list of things we will get round to? Or perhaps, you have rediscovered prayer and scripture anew?

We all have different ways of coping with crisis. It brings out the best in the majority and we see and hear about those who go to the extremes to love and care for their neighbour. We've seen others who treat this time off work as a bit of a holiday...and even worse, there are those who treat this time as one of exploitation! Some of us will turn to Christ at these time, others may even turn away from him or blame him.

This morning's Gospel reading was the story of Lazarus (John 11:1-45). Mary and Martha were angry at Jesus for not being there when their brother died. But instead of telling them off for their lack of faith...Jesus wept with them. This is the depth of God's love for each one of us. He is touched by our fear, by our sorrow, our pain and our grief. He is with us in all that we are going through and we don't have to see him in person to know he is there...he is with us in Spirit.   

"Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times 

and in every way. The Lord be with all of you."

2 Thessalonians 3:16

Pray without ceasing...

A little while ago, to mark my arrival as Priest-in-Charge, a Millennium Yew was donated to Holy Ascension Church at Settle by the ROOTS group (Respect Our Old Trees, Settle). Since that time, advice was sought to find just the right place for the sapling to go and the right permissions were acquired for the planting to take place. All that needed to happen was the tree planting it self. We thought about when it should happen but didn't get round to arranging a date and time - and then coronavirus happened! The sapling knew nothing about this and with Spring in the air, it did what trees do and it began to grow. So...yesterday, Chris and I, out for our daily walk and equipped with a spade, made our way to the churchyard and the tree finally made it into the ground. A faculty for a plaque to mark this momentous occasion will be arranged in due course.

The recent change to my daily routines has meant that quite a few things that had been 'put off' are now getting some attention. The vicarage garden is one such beneficiary. I had forgotten just how much I like gardening. I'm reading more too. Reading has always been my passion but it tends to get pushed lower down on my regular list of priorities! Another thing that I've been meaning to do for ages is to get to grips with developing the website for St Alkelda's Church. I'm pleased to say that I now have admin rights and I'm enjoying the challenges!

Talking of challenges, technology is one of the things that many of us are grappling with at this difficult time as we make extra efforts to keep in touch. Facetime and Zoom have become household names. Last Sunday, when our churches were still open, we had a go at live streaming Morning Prayer via Facebook. It wasn't the best quality and the signal kept dropping but we did our best. The video had quite a lot of views which suggests that it is something that we should do more of. I was thinking how good it would be to have a dramatised reading for Palm Sunday via Zoom so that members of the congregation could contribute. So tomorrow, live from my study, we are going to have a go to Zoom a Service of the Word. We may even have live music involved. I haven't figured out the logistics yet but I will arrange to put a link on our 'A Church Near You' websites so that people can join in. It may work well - it may not!  

Online social media is a wonderful medium, especially at these difficult times, however, I am conscious about all those who don't have access to computers and tablets etc. The good, 'old-fashioned' telephone continues to be a life-line to so many and I am so encouraged when I hear about the love and kindness shared between our congregations and the amount of telephone conversations that goes on. 

There's another conversation that doesn't need any technology...and that is prayer.  It is just between you and God...no-one else! There are no set rules. We don't need fancy words or correct grammar. It can be out loud or in silence. We don't need a set time or a sacred place, it can be done anywhere...anytime by anyone...

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, 

give thanks in all circumstances; 

for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 

One Body...

My Mum came out of hospital yesterday after being rushed in to St James' with a temparature last Sunday. Thankfully it wasn't coronavirus and she is now back home and on the mend. To say that the hosptal was busy would be an under-statement. For an elderly lady with advanced dementia, it must have been quite an ordeal. In strange surroundings, with noise and chaos and being one of  a multitude of mask-wearing strangers, her fear and confusion is painful to think about. And yet, the saints who work for the NHS, took it all in their stride and nursed her back to health, regardless of the extra dementia care necessities.

We will all have stories to tell, both good and bad, of our experiences of hospitals and nursing staff. Yet there is no denying their bravery and commitment as they work tirelessly on the front line of the pandemic crisis. My friend's son, a nurse, is living apart from his family at the moment, not just to protect them but so he can give 100% to the NHS. And he isn't alone - all over the world, medical staff are doing the same so that they can be there for the sickest amongst us.

Last night at 8pm, the nation was asked to stand at their doors and give applause for the NHS and care workers. Being a bit of an introvert (according to Myers Briggs!), personal/public shows of display isn't something that comes naturally to me and so at 8pm, I went to the door...and listened...and all around this small town of Settle, people were applauding. It was emotional to stand in unison... apart and yet connected!

Apart and yet connected...it is how I feel each time I say Daily Prayer...each time I take the body and blood of Christ... each time I read words from the Bible. We are in Communion with Christians all over the world  - part of the body of Christ.

"For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and we were all made to drink of one Spirit."

1 Corinthians 12: 12-13

Same but different!

What a glorious day... sunshine and blue skies! I'm very privileged to wake up each day to this view from my bedroom window. On the surface, it all looks the same as it always does...Pendle hills in the distance, Giggleswick School Chapel on the horizon, cars on the road, people out for a walk and Holy Ascension Church basking in the sunshine (well - maybe not the sunshine!) ...

...but it isn't the same. On a 'normal' Thursday morning - this street would be buzzing! The Co-op car park at the bottom of the street would be filling up, the surgery car park would be full and cars would be constantly searching for somewhere to park on the street. There would be the dog-walkers, the joggers, people chatting and of course, the constant stream of people setting out on the walks that Settle is so famous for.

What you might not notice is 'the safe distances', the 'No Entry' sign at the entrance of the doctor's surgery and of course...the church is all locked up. I'm pleased to say that 'Church' still goes on. Many of our congregations are now living 'in-isolation' and I am constantly amazed at their spirit and resolve to see this thing through as best they can - to keep themselves and others safe from Coronavirus.

My ministry and routine inevitably has been adapted. My physical pastoral visits may be on hold at the moment but I'm talking to a lot more people on the telepone. I introduced a 'Prayer Triplet' where groups of three people commit to make one telephone call a day. That means they have the comfort of two conversations each day. The idea is to be there at the end of a phone...a human voice of Christian love and conversation. And then to remember each other in their daily prayers. The Prayer Triplet booklet and instructions can be found on the 'A Church Near You' website' - https://www.achurchnearyou.com/church/6880/page/54162/view/

You may already have a time set aside each day for prayer? I am now saying Daily Prayer in my study each day instead of in our churches and assure you that you are all held in prayer. There are some really good resources out there to help us structure our prayers. You may have been following #LiveLent or one of the many downloadable apps. Perhaps you might like to leave a comment, below to share your favourite online prayer links?

An excerpt from the NT reading in this morning's Daily Prayer:

"Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who has promised is faithful. And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching." Hebrews 10: 23-25

Change?...We don't do change!...Or do we?

Dear friends, tomorrow it will be four months to the day since I was licensed as the Priest-in-Charge of the Parishes of Settle, Giggleswick and Rathmell with Wigglesworth.  What a lot has happened since that exciting evening at St Alkelda's Church, when we gathered to mark the beginning of my ministry here. 

Today, it was with a heavy heart that I put up signs to tell people that the churches were closed until further notice. But close we must, if we are to overcome the coronavirus pandemic that is sweeping the world.  Bishop Nick Baines, in his recent letter reminds us that: 

"The worship of the Church continues. It is being done differently. Through the prayers of clergy and lay ministers, through prayer in homes and families, via social media and streaming, we still meet, pray, care and worship."

In these very difficult times, we have to find different ways of 'being church'. So, in an effort to reach out, I thought that I would start a blog to share things with you over the coming days and weeks. It could be anything from news, scripture, a reflection or even just my 'ramblings'...we'll see where it takes us! Importantly, I'm hoping that many of you who are in isolation will feel connected with each other and with God.

Jesus said "Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in the midst of you" (Matt 18:20). He didn't say it had to be in church and I reckon that it counts just as much online.

So, stay safe, stay strong and may God bless each one of you. Amen