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, 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?
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
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