Hi all,
As always it's been another franticly busy week in the Carhart household, schooling, and working and watching Formula One which is Josh's new interest. The weather isn't great, and now I think about it I'm not sure we've left the house for some days. Still restrictions are lifting still further this week, and the virus numbers are reducing even more. I have been recording the case numbers since the very early days and calculating a rolling 7 day average (It's nice to have a hobby :-))
I have tried something a little different this week, and included some photos, hope these work.
I'm not sure what Tristan will preach on this week, so I won't say much. I did read the Matthew items from the lectionary, copied below ....
Matthew 11: 16-19, 25-30
Jesus Thanks His Father
At that time Jesus said, ‘I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.
‘Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’
It is re-assuring to know that we need not carry any load on this journey, that we have God with us at all times to enable us to rest even in the most trying of circumstances. That with him there can always be peace. Indeed as we will discuss next Sunday we do not have to rely on our strength alone, we have his strength to carry us through. I trust this week you will find time, and space to rest in his presence, with his assurance.
Jon, Helen, Josh and Beth xx
SERVICES
You can find all our services on our Church website here….
http://www.elburtonmethodist.org.uk/index.php/video-services
Contact Details
The NOTICES
Please remember you can get these notices via our notices blog on this page of our website: http://www.elburtonmethodist.org.uk/index.php/notices-blog so if you don't get this email do check there, anytime.
PRAYER
For those who would like to we are continuing our Wednesday prayers, starting at 7pm we are each praying at home. We end at 715 with the Lord's prayer. You can find out more on our website.
Zoom Security
Hi all, Janet has asked me to make you aware of a recent Zoom scam, details in the document below....
From Brenda
BARLEY
Our daily dog walk often take us through sown fields of various grains and plants:
wheat, oats, rape, maize and even potatoes! In one field, this year, the farer has
been growing a crop of barley, sown last October. We have watched the tiny shots
appear like fine grass, not knowing what it will turn out to be. Gradually with warmth
and rain the growth reveals short, stiff hairs breaking through the tops of the stalks,
like miniature paint brushes. The bright green seed heads soon shoot upwards
showing the promise of a full head of seeds. As the colours change to a creamy soft
yellow the seed heads with their long ‘whiskers’ begin to turn downwards as if in
preparation to drop their seeds at the right time. Now is the waiting time until
everything is right for the harvest; colour, moisture content, and period of dry
weather.
This year, in this field, there has been something else. The autumn grain must have
contained a ‘rogue’ seed that has developed into a tall, dark green weed among the
golden barley. Does this remind you of one of Jesus’ stories? We read in Matthew
13: 25 – 30 the words:
‘The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his
field; but while men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the
wheat, and went away. So when the plants came up and bore grain, the weeds
appeared also.’ In Jesus’ time this was a method of war activity. If an enemy did this
‘sowing’ at the time the wheat was planted (sown?) it was almost impossible to
distinguish the young shoots. If left to grown the weeds (a species of darnel grass)
could cause damage to the corn, and even worse when harvested with the grain
would prove poisonous to those who had the bad fortune to eat them.
I think Jesus was telling us to be alert, (where have we heard that word recently!) to
anything in our lives that creeps in unnoticed to take us away from the way God
wants us to grow.
Even in times of lock-in, when we are receiving so much information about covid-19
and its effects, this material can cause some people to be more worried and scared
of the future. Seeds of doubt, insecurity and fear are just as dangerous as wicked
deeds and unkind thoughts. Let them know who to turn to for support, reassurance
and love, - Jesus our loving Saviour.
Perhaps this time of lock-down has given us moments to consider our pressured
lives and to weed out the unnecessary and over-important things. The sower in the
story had been ‘sleeping’ while the ‘enemy’ worked. We can ask God to keep us
aware of temptations and bad thoughts that affect us from our earliest days.
Our field will be harvested by magnificent giants of machinery which will separate
thee good grain and the weed seed. May we draw upon God’s greatness and loving
power to bring us safely into his Kingdom. May we draw upon his everlasting love to
redeem any who are overcome by the seeds of evil.
PRIVATE-PRAYER
There has been some discussion around re-opening the building for private prayer. Di has asked me to advise you that the stewards and Simon have taken the decision not to do so. Please do join us Wednesdays at 7.
PRIVATE PRAYER from Tony
We could open this church building for private prayer – but
we won’t.
Why not? Because if you came here to pray we’d have to:
Make you wash or sanitise your hands at the door.
Instruct you to wear a mask.
Ask you if you had covid symptoms, underlying health
problems or feel unwell (and turn you away if the
answer to any of those was “Yes”).
Tell you which seat you could sit in.
Warn you not to sing.
Make sure you left by a different door.
Then clean and sanitise every surface you touched.
Alternatively you could:
Sit in an armchair at home with a cup of tea.
Sit on a bench watching the birds.
Walk along the sea front,
and talk to God just as easily.
You don’t need special words, a special place, special
objects or special people to talk to God.
He loves you, and He’s listening. So just do it.
This church building is still shut. The ears of heaven are not!
JAM & IMPACT
Please do remember these both take place via Zoom each Sunday at 10:30. Please contact me for joining details.
COFFEE MORNINGS
Please remember Denise hosts a coffee morning at 1030 each Saturday on Zoom, please get in touch for zoon details.