Another step towards 'normal', a BBQ and Cafe...
Dear friends,
Apart from being rather warm, 'freedom day' seems quite similar to any other day so far. As we head towards our first Sunday meeting with far fewer COVID restrictions let's first look at what Paul wrote to the Corinthians:
'“I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but not everything is constructive. No one should seek their own good, but the good of others.'
1 Corinthians 10:23-24
Paul is talking about food in this case but I think it goes beyond that. Although we now have more freedom that doesn't mean we can pretend the pandemic is over. Let's be praying that we each make decisions that are beneficial, constructive, and seek the good of others.
Sunday meetings
We gather to encounter God together, but we want to do so in a way that keeps everyone feeling safe and comfortable; that is the most loving thing to do.
If you are concerned, please let us know if we can help, and be as honest as you can - if someone says 'can I sit here?' you can say 'no'!
If you are not concerned, please consider those that might be, and don't just sit next to people or hug them and then ask if it's OK!
To help us with that please consider taking a lateral flow test before you come, especially if you haven't had two jabs yet. You can order them here. I'm still doing one every week even though I had my second jab a while ago.
From this Sunday, here are the main changes. For more information you can check the updated government guidance here.
You no longer need to sign up (in fact, you can't sign up!).
Doors open 10:10, meeting starts at 10:30, we'll be done by 11:45.
Please use hand gel or wash your hands as you come in.
We can chat inside before and after, but we'll keep the car park clear (it's only for new people and those with mobility issues) so that we can chat outside too.
We're allowed to sing :)
You do not have to wear a mask but you can.
There is plenty of space in the hall to keep a safe distance, so please do that and respect others who may be more concerned than you. We'll keep an eye on numbers, at the moment the 50% capacity limit of 125 is more than enough.
The chairs will be next to each other to accommodate families/bubbles but you can create space by putting things on the chairs next to you, or let us know if you'd rather sit separately.
We will have live worship and we are finishing our Ekklesia series by thinking about evangelism. We're planning to start refreshments in August so for this week it's BYOCAC (bring your own coffee and cake).
BBQ - 25th July
Karen and Dave have kindly agreed to host us for a BBQ after this Sunday's meeting!!
Let me know if you're planning to be there so we can supply adequate meat and bread. Please bring anything else you might want, including for those with dietary requirements, drinks, etc. - bringing a chair or picnic blanket is a good idea too :)
We'll send details (time, location) later in the week to anyone that has said they are coming.
Revive Cafe
We're on track to launch our Revive Cafe on Monday 13th September. The plan is to run it every Monday at Freshwater Methodist Church from 2-4pm as a drop-in space for anyone that needs help with things like budgeting or getting a job.
The Life Skills course will run as part of the cafe, which is about living well on a budget. We're hoping to launch a Job Club next year too.
Please be praying for our team and that will some people will come along to get help!
That's more than enough from me, hope to see you soon.
Blessings, Ben