Dear friends
I hope this finds you all well.
In my last letter to you I had hoped that by September we would be resuming our usual pattern of worship services and activities. However, due mainly to the increase in Covid rates across the province, we have decided to hold off resuming some services for now. We will concentrate on our Sunday morning worship at 10.30am, and we will resume our midweek Holy Communion starting this Wednesday (8th September) at 10.30am. We are still observing best practice of leaving as much time as possible between services, and the church premises are being cleaned by our new contract cleaners each week.
It seems inevitable that Covid measures and mitigations (in some shape or form) will be with us for quite some time yet. You will have heard on the news that there have been some relaxations with regard to social distancing and mask wearing in churches. At St Molua’s we want everyone who comes along to feel as safe as possible, therefore we have made the decision not to fully implement the new relaxations and for now to retain the existing guidelines we have been operating up to this point.
Masks will therefore continue to be worn on entry and exit of the church building(s) and for the duration of services of worship (unless exempt). Everyone must sanitise their hands on entry and exit. Soft singing is now permitted provided masks are worn. Names and contact details will be taken for track & trace purposes.
Some people have not yet felt able to return to church and that is of course a personal decision, but please be assured that we are observing all of the protocols we can to keep everyone as safe as possible whilst in church. It would be so lovely to see everyone who can attend back at church services to worship and praise Almighty God together.
I have mentioned before that Contact magazine is your church magazine and it is always lovely if we can incorporate articles, recipes and news from our parishioners and friends. Please don’t forget to get in touch if there’s something you would like to share with your St Molua’s family! There’s still a little time before the next issue goes to print.
Now for some reminders to keep you up to date before the next Contact publication. (All details previously announced in church, on Facebook, and on our website.)
A short PRAYER COURSE starts TOMORROW Tuesday evenings 7th & 14th September @ 8.00pm led by the Rev. Dr Pat Mollan (Church’s Ministry of Healing). Could we encourage you to come along? Perhaps you’ve thought, ‘I’d love to pray for someone else, but I’m not sure how.’ Or, ‘I’m not that confident praying’. Some folk attended the Prayer Ministry training Pat held for us 2 years ago which was very well received. Maybe you’d like to come along for a bit of a ‘refresher’? Everyone is welcome. And no one will be put on the spot, or placed under any pressure.
We are planning to hold regular monthly healing services in St Molua’s from October onwards, led by some folks from the Church’s Ministry of Healing. Keep up to date on Facebook and our website when the time comes.
Exciting news – next Sunday (12th September) we will hold our first MUDDY CHURCH along with our friends at Stormont Presbyterian Church. Our theme is based on the Creation story: ‘Great Big Muddy World’
Start the trail @ Stormont Presbyterian Church at 3.00pm.
Perhaps you could help? You might even be rewarded with an ice cream! Please do pray for good weather.
Starting on Wednesday 8th September – NEW Zumba Class at 10.00am. (This is not run by the church, but by a new hirer of our hall.)
Further information is on Facebook & our website.
Sunday 19 September has been designated across the diocese Vocation Sunday. Everyone has a vocation – what is yours? Join us in church at 10.30am as Bishop David (via the wonders of technology) is our guest preacher.
A request for your help!
- Do you have any skills recording/editing, that you could help to record our morning services?
- Perhaps you could help with our magazine or in our Church Office?
- Could you help us to resume Children’s Ministry? (Sunday school / Creche / Messy Church & Muddy Church)
- Could you help with mission & outreach?
Please do give this some prayerful consideration.
SOLE MATES
St Molua’s Walking Group will be meeting at 10.00am on Saturday 18th September. Further details, route etc. will be announced in church on Sunday 12.9.21
The Diocesan BIBLE WEEK was held last week. The theme was ‘A Confident Church’ – Studies in Jonah. You can catch up on all the talks that were broadcast last week by following the links on our website https://stmoluasonline.com/2021/09/03/bible-week-21-3/
CONFIRMATION
Anyone interested in Confirmation should speak to me after church services, or email stormont@down.anglican.org
Thank you!
Please do not forget to update us if any of your contact details have changed. A data form is available for download on our website at the following link: https://stmoluasonline.com/forms/
Please do feel free to share the details of activities and events with family and friends. If you haven’t been back to church yet, perhaps ‘Muddy Church’ next week might be a good start, as it is all outside.
And please do not hesitate to get in touch with me at the rectory if you have any queries or concerns. It would be lovely to hear from you. Stay safe, and please be assured of my prayers.
Yours in Christ,