Hi everyone,
Please click here to view the Communion Service for today in Holy Week.

Rev. Paul Hartley would like to share some thoughts with you, which can be found below:

Stay, Pray, and Play

We live in strange and frightening times; times which very few, if any, have lived through before. Times that change the way we think about the way we live out our lives in the world, even the way we relate to friends and neighbours.
We live in times which hold for most an unknown future. Although the future is for the most part always unknown, we could, in times past, with some surety and confidence, make a reasonable prediction of what the future may hold for us.

Such an unknown quantity holds for many of us a fear which we have not experienced before. Fear is probably the greater pandemic than COVID-19 because fear is more insidious and more damaging to the health of individuals and communities than any virus. Fear can be an ‘infection’ itself that destroys life and damages health, more than any physical threat to health.
Fear spreads more easily than a viral infection, despite social isolation, social distancing, or lack of hospital beds or testing for illness. There's no masks, vaccines, or medicinal treatments that can protect us from fear – that is something we must protect against ourselves and, as people of faith, we are much better equipped than most.

Whilst offering mostly useful information, sadly it is the world’s media who are most skilled in spreading fear. Whether unconsciously or in an effort to sensationalise their ‘story’ through their statistics (the death count - wouldn't it be more positive to give a count of survivors(bold) of the virus?) and negative propaganda. They are masters at generating fear.

Whether or not we contract Coronavirus, the pain and distress caused by fear can be just as debilitating and anguishing. Fear is the root of many so-called modern mental illnesses such as worry, anxiety, panic, or even hysteria.

So, what can we do to protect ourselves?
Whilst praying recently I came across a passage of scripture that I found very helpful. In the first epistle of John, chapter 4, verse 18, it says:
‘There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out all fear’.
And for anyone in doubt about what this perfect love is just read two verses earlier. In verse 16 of that same chapter we read:
‘God is love and those who live in love, live in God and God lives in them.’

Apart from loving one another, of which there are many opportunities of expressing this in practical ways during this crisis, we can draw closer to the God who is love in prayer. Rev. Phil’s Newsy Emails suggest many ways we can all do this! So, in combination with Government advice about staying at home we can add other ‘At Homes’:

STAY at Home
PRAY at Home
PLAY at Home

It’s not just children that need the refreshment and renewal of play.
Too much dwelling upon the seriousness and gravity of our situation will just grow more fear! Don’t forget; All work and no play makes not just Jack a dull boy – but dulls the life and love of everybody.

God bless you and keep you all safe,
Paul