| Do | Don’t |
| Do pre book each week by phoning Jacqui on 07484 627242 on a Thursday between 1pm. and 8pm. | Don’t just turn up. You may be turned away at the door. |
| Report any covid symptoms you or anyone you’ve been in contact with have experienced in the preceding 7 days, while booking your place. This will mean you cannot attend for at least 2 weeks. If the symptoms occur after you have attended a service please let us know so that we can all self isolate. | Even when you have a booked place, don’t come to church if you or anyone you have been in contact with have experienced symptoms in the last 7 days. |
| Follow all instructions to practice social distancing. Disinfect hands, use tissues and place in the bins provided. Follow cleaning rules if you need to use the toilets. Bring and wear a face mask | Don’t complain to the stewards, they have to follow the rules too. Don’t shake hands, hug or kiss anyone. Don’t touch anything or anyone unnecessarily. Don’t worry we will all get used to it. |
| If there is a queue outside church wait in your car. | Do not get closer than 2metres to others not in your group |
| Do bring your own Bible if you want to use it during the service but please take it home with you each week. The words of readings will be on the screen. | Don’t bring hymn books as there will be no singing for the foreseeable future. Don’t sing along to any music. |
| Do continue to make your offerings to the Church. If you bring your envelope with either cash or a cheque made payable to Stocksfield Methodist Church and place in the offering bowl as you enter the church. If you would rather avoid cash or cheques you can make a standing order or bank transfer quoting your envelop number as reference directly to Sort code: 090151 Acc number 53468300 | |
| Do wait in your seat at the end of the service until you are directed to leave. | Don’t hang around outside to chat as it may stop the flow of people exiting the building. |
| Do arrange to have a coffee time with your friends over the phone. | Do not expect communion, coffee or other fellowship. We will get there when things become easier. |
| Do wear warm clothes as the doors of the church will be open to aid the flow of fresh air through the building. | |
| Do tell a steward if you feel unwell during a service. There is a first aid procedure in place. You will be shown to a toilet area. Please sit there until we can sort out your needs. | Don’t go into the kitchen area. In your eagerness to help someone who feels unwell don’t get within 2 metres of them. |
Returning to the Building for Worship Starts Sunday 6th September
We are now able to gather together with the Lord, to hear God’s word, worship and pray together, and be refreshed and equipped to serve as his disciples in the world.
Please note that the current rule of only six people being allowed to gather together does not apply to church services so these can go ahead with the number specified for the church building.
To make the return as safe as possible a thorough risk assessment has been completed and risk-mitigation measures put in place. We are sure we will benefit from worshipping together. However, in some ways it will not be what we are used to; we ask you to be patient and gracious with those things that aren’t as you (or we) would like them to be. Re-opening our building has meant a lot of hard work for a few people, and doing what needs to be done for our services involves our property stewards and others in even more work than it used to, so please be kind to everyone!
We will need to set up a new thorough cleaning rota so that we are all kept as free from Covid as possible. If you feel you could be part of that service please let Marian know. (01661 834318)
As of now there are no plans to start up any week day fellowships. As things alter we will keep you informed. Remember there will still be a phone in worship and a live streamed service from Hexham Trinity each week. The Stocksfield Phone in numbers are available for groups to use mid week so if any group want to try that see Jacqui. (07484 627242).
To avoid turning people away at the door we are operating a pre-booking system (see over). At that time, the usual covid checks will be asked as well as your contact details. These will be kept. These will make entering the Church smoother. When you enter the building, while you are sanitizing your hands you will be asked for your name. The steward on duty may be from a different church so please don’t take offense at not being recognized.
Please read the Do’s and Don’ts carefully so that you can prepare for worship too.
See “Worship” page for dates, times and preachers.
On-line Service from Hexham Trinity Methodist Church
Hexham Trinity Methodist Church is holding live Zoom services every Sunday. You can join these services live on Zoom at 10.15 am (service starts at 10.30 am). To join the service on Sunday 27th September click on the link below:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86092591529?pwd=b1hsOE8vTjVjWEZZUTZvNURyalp1dz09
If you are unable to join the service live you can enjoy it later on Facebook. The link is:
http://www.facebook.com/hexhamtrinity
Welcome!
Stocksfield Methodist Church is a small community offering a huge welcome. We are committed through worship, fellowship and service to growing as disciples of Jesus and building a vibrant Christian community.
Minister’s Letter
Dear all,
I know this has been a trying week with further restrictions predicted but I wanted to write and encourage you that ‘God is still there.’
You might well say I’m fully aware of that Jenny’ and to be honest I’d hope that you would!
but does it mean for us though to know that God is present at a time like this?
Perhaps these passages hold our answers.
Psalm 139:13-14
‘I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made’; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book.’
Jeremiah 29:11
‘ I know the plans I have for you says the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you’
1 John 4 :16 & 18
‘ God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God and God in them……..vs 18 perfect love drives out fear.’
Here we find three simple reminders of what God’s presence means to us.
Firstly, God is not only with us but he loves us with a perfect, unchanging love as our ‘grace’ theme reminded us last week. Secondly, Psalm 139:13-14 reminds us that God loves us not in a general ‘ God loves everyone’ sense, but in the sense that he knows everything about you, every detail of your character. You matter to him and are known by him 100%. Lastly, Jeremiah reminds us that God has a plan. This can be an incredibly hard theology for us when things are tough but we trust that the God who loves us utterly and knows us completely, is with us in these moments as he has been with us throughout our personal histories and the history of his world.
May God Bless you and encourage you this week,
Rev Jenny Porterpryde.
Something for a rainy afternoon!
Answers at Sunday’s Zoom, 3.30 pm – click on this link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/2732176599?pwd=dkwxOG4zOXdGWmh0NXB6a21MMklMUT09 or in your send home letter next week. This quiz is produced by Christian Aid so do think about sending them something this Harvest.
1. Apart from the United Kingdom, name two other European countries where residents drive on the left.
2. What is the capital of the US state of Alaska?
3. Which is the further distance as the crow flies: from London to New York or from London to St. Petersburg?
4. What is the name of the second-highest mountain the United Kingdom after Ben Nevis?
5. Which English city did poet Matthew Arnold describe as ‘the city of dreaming spires’?
6. In which UK city would you find Waverley station?
7. What is the national currency of Peru?
8. In which English county would you find Cotswold Wildlife Park and Gardens?
9. Name two of the three US states which border California.
10. Which is the taller structure: the Empire State Building or Trump International Hotel and Tower?
Tynedale Methodist Circuit Resources
The Tynedale Methodist Circuit website as several resources and links to help you with your devotions and spiritual growth during these difficult times.
Visit the site at:
https://www.tynedalemethcircuit.org/
Links to Acts of Worship with the Methodist Church
The Methodist Church is providing services for you to join at home during the current crisis. Click on the following link to access these services and much more:
https://www.methodist.org.uk/our-faith/worship/singing-the-faith-plus/seasons-and-themes/worship-during-the-coronavirus-pandemic/
Live Your Faith + children’s activities to enjoy at home
“Live Your Faith” is a weekly reflection based on lectionary readings. It includes prayers and readings and is produced by Roots for Churches Ltd. You can find out more by visiting http://www.rootsontheweb.com.
Click on the links below to open the PDF files
Visit the following links for children and family pages
https://www.rootsontheweb.com/media/21039/27-sept-2020-childrens-sheet.pdf
https://www.rootsontheweb.com/media/21048/27-sept-2020-colouring-sheet.pdf
https://www.rootsontheweb.com/media/21035/20-sept-2020-childrens-sheet.pdf
https://www.rootsontheweb.com/media/21046/20-sept-2020-colouring-sheet.pdf
Visit the following links for the adult Living the Faith pages
https://www.rootsontheweb.com/media/21427/liveyourfaith_109_27_sept.pdf
https://www.rootsontheweb.com/media/21425/liveyourfaith_109_20_sept.pdf
God is in Control
Trust Him.
Trust the Father, Son,
and Holy Spirit,
with those things that you don’t understand, or
that are out of your control.
When you are worried
about tomorrow,
God is not worried!
He knows what will happen –
if you trust in Him,
if you will let The Son, Jesus Christ,
be in control of your life!
For Jesus guides and protects those
who belong to Him,
who choose to believe His promises.
Have faith in God,
His promises are sure.
His love never fails.
He is not worried about tomorrow.
A moving video of churches around the UK singing “The Blessing”
Here is the link to a recording of “The Blessing” made by churches across the UK:
https://youtu.be/PUtll3mNj5U
A Prayer:
Lord bless our homes.
Bless our communities,
Bless our NHS and all key workers
and bless our World with healing health and peace.
Amen.
