Dear all,
I hope that those who watched our service on Sunday morning enjoyed being able to see one of our churches rather than our dining room. From now on, we will be streaming Sunday morning services from St Dunstan’s and weekday services from the Rectory. Neither St Alban’s nor St Oswald’s have the necessary broadband connections to allow services to be streamed and there is a lot of equipment needed, so our worship will need to be only from St Dunstan’s for the foreseeable future.
This week (18th- 24th May) is Mental Health Awareness Week. Coronavirus is putting additional stresses and strains on all of us. Many of us will be feeling particularly lonely and isolated. Our mental health is being significantly affected. The length of this crisis is taking its toll. For those with existing mental health problems, these are often being made much worse.
Mind, the mental health charity, is encouraging us to ‘speak your mind’ during this week. If you think of someone you know who may be in need, get in touch with them in some way. Share with them a positive message or some tips for making the pandemic isolation more bearable. It is important that people know that they are not alone.
There are plenty of resources on Mind’s website (click here). There is also a useful video (click here). Please have a look and consider what you might do to help someone know that, as the charity says, ‘we can get through this. Together. One day at a time’.
I am taking some leave during the coming half term break, which will hopefully benefit my own mental wellbeing! As a result, there will be no services streamed from the parish on Sunday 24th and Wednesday 27th May and there will be no newsletter next week.
A Prayer in Mental Health Awareness Week
Have pity, good God on those who cannot live with themselves
because their past looms too large, or their relationship is a mistake, or their work is a compromise, or because no one has said ‘you are good to be with’;
no one has said ‘come and visit me’; no one has said ‘I love you’. And in all of us eradicate the long miles between what we are and what we should be
until we live up how you want us to be
in and through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
(adapted from the Church of Scotland)
With love and prayers to you all,
The Reverend Dr Nicholas Peacock
Team Rector, Cheam Team Ministry
NOTICES
Worship Coming Up
The following services will be live-streamed on YouTube:
11am Wednesday 20th May Eucharist
7.30pm Thursday 21st May Eucharist for the Ascension
Sunday 24th May No Service
We recommend the following services:
· 9.00am Church of England Service (on their website)
· 9.30am A Eucharist with the Bishop of Southwark from Bishop’s House (on Twitter)
· 11.00am Eucharist at Southwark Cathedral (on Facebook)
Alternatively, please click here for list of other churches in the Diocese offering streamed services.
Wednesday 27th May No Service
9.30am Sunday 31st May Eucharist for Pentecost – Streamed from St Dunstan’s Church
Zoom Coffee
Even though there will be no service on Sunday 24th May, we will try to continue with Zoom coffee on Sunday. This will be hosted by Lucy Brice and the logon details will follow.
Coffee on Sunday 31st May will return to the usual logon details:
Meeting ID: 884 0628 5452
Password: 071441
Important Dates
· 9.30am Sunday 21st June: St Alban’s Day Festival Eucharist
Prayers
We know that there are many of you who would like us to pray for people and situations as part of our regular worship. At St Dunstan’s, we usually have a list for people to write down the names of particular people to pray for. I am sure that there are similar lists at St Oswald’s and St Alban’s. For obvious reasons, we have been unable to keep this going and we have not set up an alternative.
If you would like us to pray for someone or something, please email the office (office@cheamparish.org.uk) and Louise will compile a weekly prayer list. For reasons of privacy, we will use first names only and the person for whom you are asking us to pray should be happy for you to do this.
Children’s Services
We will be holding another service for children over Zoom at 10.30am on Sunday 14th June. These services will follow material from the Diddy Disciples programme and are aimed at children up to the age of 10 years old, although older children, parents and carers are welcome as well!
For safeguarding purposes, the Zoom login details for this service cannot be published. If you would like your child to join the service, please email the parish office and your details will be forwarded on to the Sunday School team. The login details can then be sent to you.
Please make sure that an adult is present during the service.
MU Collection for Women’s Refuge
The Mothers’ Union has had a longstanding connection with our local women’s refuge. The manager of the hostel has suggested that it would be good at this time for us to collect some treats for those in the refuge – in particular food and toiletries that they might not be able to afford. If you would like to contribute items or would like some more information, please contact Sally Steele (sally.steele@hotmail.com). Sally is happy to collect anything you may have.
‘Pray As You Go’
If you are interested in further resources for your prayer and spiritual life during the pandemic restrictions, do consider ‘Pray As You Go’ (click here). There is a short reflection for each day. The reflections can also be accessed through an app for smart phones.
Distributing this Newsletter
We are very aware that some people do not have access to electronic communication. If you know someone who would like a paper copy of the weekly newsletter, please do print a copy and deliver it to them. Without access to the Parish Office, we are not in a position to do a mass mail. Equally, deliveries around Cheam are very sporadic at the moment.
Lent Lunches (St Dunstan’s Only)
We managed to hold three of our Lent Lunches before our buildings were closed. These gatherings were intended to begin to open up important questions and issues about the future at St Dunstan’s.
We are keen to organise further meetings on Zoom for those who were either due to take part in the final lunch or had not signed up for a lunch but would like to contribute towards this process. If you are interested, please email Nick (cheamrector@cheamparish.org.uk).
Telephone Conversations
If anyone would like to be contacted, please call or email the Parish Office. We are happy to offer practical advice (where possible) or simply have a friendly chat. PLEASE DO NOT FEEL ALONE.
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