Dear Friends
The Lord is risen, Alleluia! What a joyous end to Holy week with the reassurance of God’s of love, hope and faith, and the knowledge that we are never alone. I was delighted to see so many (65 people) joining us for our Easter service on Sunday via Zoom. It reminded me that, though I miss going into our beautiful church building, our church is much more than a building. We have a strong fellowship at St.Bartholomews which I feel is brought into being through the Holy Spirit, who is alive in all of us; which is very evident as we all pull together in this unsettling time.
Lots of people, including me, have mentioned that they have had some down days over the past couple of weeks. I would presume that this is a natural response to the changes that have been imposed on us. I have found comfort in writing down, at the end of the day, five things that I am grateful to God for, and I give thanks for all the good people that he has brought into my life.
What a blessing this wonderful weather has been; allowing us to get out and marvel at God’s creation –the blossoms, the lambs, and the birds. Praise the Lord! This coming weekend we would have been celebrating Fritillary Sunday. This is an annual church event that a lot of us enjoy; enabling us to reach out to our community near and far. It is also brings a lot of money in to our church funds.
The churchwardens are concerned that we have less money coming in each month now that the plate collections have stopped. Though we are not paying for electricity at the moment, all the other church expenses have to be paid. If you feel able to contribute to the church funds the bank details are: 30-99-78, 00179381. Our Treasurer will be delighted to receive any contributions no matter how small. Or you can donate directly from here on the website.
Please continue to join us for our Sunday services. It is quite an uplifting experience and so good to worship together. If you have any problems connecting then let us know. For those who will dial in on their telephones, you can use any of these numbers:
0131 460 1196;
0203 051 2874;
0203 481 5237;
0203 481 5240
Zoom Meeting ID: 490 568 9876. Password: please apply here to gain the password.
I hope you have received a phone call from one of the Core Team to see that all is well with you. If you have not yet then let me know please leave a message (as I am still working) and I will arrange this for you. If you would like to talk about any particular concerns at this time, please do contact Paul, Roger or myself, by phone or email. Keep safe and healthy. May you know God’s presence and peace.
Gill
Churchwarden