Renewed Appreciation

 

I’m not a great lover of supermarket shopping, hence our weekly order with Tesco on-line.  Over recent years I’ve taken their delivery service foregranted; that is until Lockdown.  Early in April we cancelled all our existing orders, thus freeing up slots for those shielding, and we got used to once again visiting the store with trolly and a list.

Half way through the summer Tesco contacted us and invited us to ‘come back’ online.  I remember the renewed appreciation I had of once again making an order just by clicking a few buttons.  Members of my family tell me they love choosing their fruit and veg in store, I love getting the order done and dusted in ten minutes at my desk!

We have all had cause to re-evaluate our priorities since March.  Activities we once took foregranted we might now view with a deeper appreciation than ever before.

I was half expecting that the permission to worship ‘in person’ would be withdrawn this week and the fact that it wasn’t will, I think, be appreciated by many who have loved returning. Although I know it might very well change in the future it was touching to read these words on the Church of England website yesterday: The Prime Minister emphasised that we can draw comfort from the fact that places of worship are staying open.

Last week, o Radio 4's Thought for the Day, Chief Rabbi Mirvis reflected on the theme of gratitude and renewed appreciation.  He told a story (as all good Jewish prachers do!) of a boy's reaction to being given a half filled glass of water.  How would he answer that age old conundrum of whether it was half full or empty?  The young lad answered with a wisdom above his years by saying: I think I'm just grateful to have a glass...!  Now, that's gratitude!

And so, to a few items of Church news…

Thank you for all your dry food contributions to New Hope.  After Harvest Festival these will be delivered to one of their centres in Watford.

The Partnership in Mission Committee meets this coming Tuesday morning.  We would value your prayers as we discuss together the ways our church can prayerfully and financially support various mission agencies both at home and overseas.

Next Sunday the 10.30 service will be one of Holy Communion.  This will be quite a significant moment for us as it’s the first occasion we’ve held such a service in the Sanctuary since March.  It will be different from our usual form in that the bread and wine will be available to you in the chair communion holders.  The elements will be prepared by a single person wearing gloves.  During the service you will be invited to take the cup, which will be surmounted by a small plate containing a square of bread, and eat and drink as invited.  Of course, this will be an optional part of the service – and if you wish to remember the love and grace of God without taking the bread and wine at this time please do so with our blessing.

As we leave church on Sunday we need to be very conscious of the rule of six in the car park.  To that end we would ask you to look at for the circles, drawn in chalk on the car park and stand there.  Circle fellowship, socially distanced, in groups no larger than six.  It’s very important that we observe the guidelines.

And finally our love and prayers go out to the family of Mrs Tricia O'Connor, whose funeral service will be held at the Chiltern Crematorium on Friday 9th October at 11am.