Church Bulletin
How confusing! Within a week we have seen the launch of Euro 2020 and Coventry 2021 -City of Cultural. The football postponed from last summer, the City of Culture launch from the beginning of this year. Both are events that bring people together, through a shared heritage and civic and national pride, to celebrate, to mark achievements and to look to the future. Personally, the City of Culture launch stirred me more than that of Euro 2020; which for me conjures up that feeling many people have about Marmite!
It has felt like we have lost a year and that 2020 happened in a miasma of restrictions and fear, coupled with hope and resilience. And resilience has been one of the themes at the start of Coventry’s City of Culture. Some of you may have seen and been part of the exhibition entitled Resilience and Remembering held in the Cathedral ruins last week. There, the resilience of our city was marked in a tribute that included remembering the lives lost in the bombing of Coventry during World War Two, and also during the Covid pandemic. Names were written on ribbons by members of the public and tied to trees, as names of those who lost their lives were read out. A poignant, immersive setting in the ruins of the cathedral as we sat looking at the new cathedral. Alongside the remembering it highlighted the resilience of the city, its rebirth and its reputation as a site of sanctuary and reconciliation. It invited us to mark the past and to look forward in hope.
So, whether you engage with and are excited by Euro 2020 or City of Culture 2021, or both remember the words from the Epistle of Peter (1 Peter 1:3-5)
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you
Sue Masters
Reader
Thank You
Thank you to Diane Wilson, Terry, Lesley Lee, Trevor Hill for all their hard work on Saturday tidying up the gardens at the front of church.
Church Opening
The church is now open for live worship every Sunday and for private prayer on Thursdays.
Due to limited seating, places may be reserved by contacting Julie on a first come, first served basis. As before, we urge you if you have an invitation not to forget and if you are suddenly unable to attend to let us know at the earliest possible moment. Face masks continue to be required. If you see anyone not wearing a face mask, it is because they have medical exemption. We are not allowing any other exception. It is imperative the rules are strictly adhered to. This means gelling hands immediately upon arrival, taking your pew straight away as directed by the steward including whether to sit by the wall or the aisle; not moving from your place at any point during the service; and leaving promptly afterwards.
To reserve a seat please contact Julie at administrator@standrews-eg.org.uk or 07756 918847.
After booking a seat, if you find that you are unable to attend a service please inform one of the churchwardens so that it can be offered to another person.
St Andy’s
If you would like to attend a service at St Andy’s please contact Julie as she will be taking bookings. Please contact administrator@standrews-eg.org.uk or 07756 918847.
Children’s Service
Our next Children’s service will take place in church on Sunday 4th July. If you would like to reserve a place, please contact Julie on 07756 918847 or administrator@standrews-eg.org.uk
Recruitment of Volunteers at St Andrew’s and St Andy’s
We would like to highlight that all church volunteers must be safely recruited and some volunteers are also required to undergo a DBS check and complete safeguarding modules. This isn’t St Andrew’s being picky, it is a legal requirement stipulated by the diocese for every volunteer role.
As lockdown eases, we must now be vigilant and ensure all the necessary checks are completed.
If you are a church volunteer and have not yet been safely recruited, please contact Julie (Parish Administrator) at administrator@standrews-eg.org.uk or Linda Chylinski (Parish Safeguarding Officer) at onelindilou@gmail.com to arrange for this to be completed.
All members of the PCC must ensure that they complete Parish Safeguarding module C0 (Basic safeguarding Awareness) which is available online.
Visit to Pontesbury
Greg & Fran are inviting members of St Andrew’s to a Thanksgiving service on Monday 21st June at 7pm. The service will be held at St George’s in Pontesbury.
The three available arrival times are 2.30pm for the full guided tour; 6pm for buffet or 7pm for service. If you would like to attend, please confirm to Julie or one of the churchwardens by Friday 18th June.
You will need to make your own arrangements to travel to and from Pontesbury.
Building our Faith
At our Wednesday evening Bible Study we are looking at the Parables of Jesus and this week Lesley will be leading us on the Parable of the persistent widow. If you would like to join us the zoom details are below. If you have not been before, or not for a while you are very welcome.
The zoom access codes are available from Sue Masters on 07958 322026.
Book Club
Our Book Club meeting has been rearranged for Tuesday 29th June at 7.30pm on zoom. The book we are reading is The Shack by William P Young and you just have time to read it before the 29th June if you would like to join our discussion. If you would like further information, please contact Sue Masters on 07958 322026.
Youth Work
We are looking to safer recruit volunteers for our Youth work. If you feel you could help with either the Drama Club, Rock Solid or the Youth Wellbeing course then please get in touch with Emma at standrewscovyouth@gmail.com
Please Pray
Please pray for St Andrew’s as work continues to take place in the process of finding a new vicar.
Do send Julie your favourite bible verses or hymn verses, names for prayer and any birthdays, celebrations or articles for inclusion in the bulletin. Julie can be contacted on 07756 918847 or administrator@standrews-eg.org.uk
Church Contacts
Churchwardens: Nick Tooby – 07951 925772 and Becky Crowe – 07875 552518
Parish Administrator: Julie Crow – 07756 918847