Ministers' Letter: Wednesday 3rd March 2021

 

Wednesday 3^rd March 2021

Dear Friends,

Our Elders met on Monday to consider where we currently are and decided the following:

IN PERSON WORSHIP
This will resume at AFC this coming weekend, on Sunday 7^th March 2021 at 10.30am.  Our time together will be governed by the present restrictions which include no singing, save for three people leading us in The Chancel Singers and stringent social distancing.  At the moment that means no lingering in conversation either in the vestibule or car park. 

Both the front and back doors will be used on Sunday.  The Testing Centre use the Church Hall Monday to Friday every week and thoroughly clean after each session. However, they do not use the Sanctuary vestibule so, if you would be more comfortable in using the front doors to enter the building please do so.

The audio service will continue for the time being and we are delighted this is the case.  Everyone will sense when the time is right for them to return to church and so, for the moment, we will seek to offer: In Service worship, the Audio Service, and the Video Recording. 

AFTER SERVICE ZOOM
To enable those attending the 10.30am service to get back home and in front of their computers this will now be moved to 12noon.  The code remains the same. 

POSTPONMENT OF ELDERS’ ELECTIONS
One item we will not be dealing with at our forthcoming AGM is the election of elders.  We suggest this is postponed until the July Church Meeting, which we hope will be the first one held once again In Person.

This is because our constitution gives no facility for postal voting, which would be necessary on this occasion.  The advice from our parent denominations is that although Zoom Church Meetings are acceptable to both them and The Charity Commission, all major decisions made at a Zoom meeting (and we think Elders’ Elections fall into this category) would have to be ‘re-voted’ on at the next In Person gathering; that is because, technically, Zoom Church Meetings are not catered for in our constitution (something we might amend for the future) 

Well, this letter is in danger of becoming over ‘technical’!  So, let me end by saying I hope you are feeling encouraged as we go through these Lent days.  So much is improving, and ‘hope’ seems to be blossoming all around us.  We need to walk with a steady and gentle pace into the future. My prayer is that you know God’s blessing and peace in all you do this day and Erna joins me in sending you our love and best wishes.

Ian