Vicar’s Mailings

4th September 2021

Dear All

Please note we have Holy Communion at 8.00 am tomorrow Sunday 5th September, kindly taken by Christopher Leffler, and Evening Prayer (a spoken service without music) at 6.30 pm; and that next Sunday, 12th, there is no 9.30am Eucharist – we have Worship in the Park at 10.00 am. Please come and sing and pray with our fellow Christians in the open air – just over the Chinese Bridge, by the children’s play area.

With love, David Revd David Busk Vicar of Godmanchester & Hilton

01480 436400 / 077 8636 1041

29th August 2021

Dear Godmanchester Church Family,

A reminder that we now have a weekly Communion service on Zoom every Wednesday at 2.30 pm: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82459088697

Next Sunday, September 4th, we will once again offer prayer for healing during the 9.30 am Sung Eucharist. The only difference from pre-Covid times is that there will be no physical contact between those praying and those being prayed for – those praying will extend a hand as a sign of God’s healing touch, but will not place their hand on the shoulder of those coming forward for prayer, as used to happen. For those who don’t know what this is, anyone is welcome to come forward to ask for prayer at the time communion is being distributed, before, after, or instead of receiving communion. You can ask for prayer for yourself or for anyone else, or any other concern in the world. If you mention a subject for prayer, those praying will pray out loud – although quietly – for what has been requested, but if you prefer to remain silent, then they will offer silent prayer – the Lord knows what is in our hearts. In either case, the time of prayer will end with a short word of blessing. Please come forward if you would like to do so; equally, if you don’t feel this is for you, please feel entirely comfortable in not doing so.

One or two people have mentioned to me the matter of standing and sitting during services. I hope that everyone feels free to do what suits them – it is traditional to stand at certain points, such as for hymns, for the Gospel and the Creed, and during the Prayer of Consecration over the bread and wine, but this is merely a convention, there to be followed if you find it helpful as an act of devotion, and to be ignored if you don’t. I think none of us finds it easy to stand out and do something different from what most people around us are doing, but I would like to encourage an atmosphere in church in which we simply don’t mind – I mean this very seriously – what the person next to us is up to by way of standing, sitting, kneeling, raising hands in the air, etc, and we feel equally free to do as we feel led by the Spirit. 

With love,

David

Revd David Busk

Vicar of Godmanchester & Hilton

01480 436400 / 077 8636 1041

 

PARISH FINANCE

As our church has been closed we are clearly not getting any plate collections, fees or donations in the wall box or votive candle holder.  Although our outgoings have reduced we still have to pay our standing orders of around £8,000 per month including our parish share of £6,647.  We have reserves that will keep us going in the short term so there is no immediate panic.  Although many of our congregation donate by bank transfer (BACS), Standing Orders or the Parish Giving Scheme, for which we are extremely grateful, I know that some people are concerned that they are not able to support the work of the church under the current restrictions.  May I offer the following suggestions:

Free-Will Envelopes – please keep your (filled) envelopes until things return to normal as I am trying to avoid handling cash and hence visits to the post office to pay it in.

Bank transfers – if you wish to donate by BACS transfer, even temporarily,  please let me know and I will email the church bank details to you.  You can then a give one-off donation without any long-term commitment.  Please include your name as the reference.

Cheques – you can send cheques payable St Mary the Virgin Godmanchester PCC  to 49 London Rd, Godmanchester, PE29 2HZ as I have a applied to our bank for postal deposit envelopes.  Please let me know if the donation is for anything specific.

Parish Giving Scheme – this is the preferred method for regular donations as we get a single monthly payment for all of the income followed by a single payment of Gift Aid.  However,  the Parish Giving staff are currently operating from home so they cannot process any new applications.

If you already have a Parish Giving pack with an addressed envelope please note the new address below and wait until things return to normal before sending in the form.

Parish Giving Scheme (PGS) Team will be operating from a new location.