Our 10am online Eucharist continues this coming Sunday with Palm Sunday. You can find all information about how to join here, including where to find the service booklet, the weekly notices, the hymn, etc.

For the children, the Fish and Chips Club materials and activities will be available via the St Mary’s Families WhatsApp group. For information about how to join the WhatsApp group, please contact Liz Roberts.

Next week, believe it or not, is Holy Week. Daily reflections will be posted on the website on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. On Maundy Thursday we will have a service online at 7:30pm, and on Good Friday at 2pm. On Easter Sunday we will be celebrating the Resurrection of Christ at 10am.

In the face of the ongoing epidemic, life goes on, including in the church. If you are anxious or alone, you can contact any member of the Ministry Team for pastoral support. We are here to help anyone in whatever way we can – do not hesitate to ask!

We are also continuing to feed the vulnerable. Since our usual Community Cupboard venue has had to close, we are instead providing home deliveries of groceries to around 15 families every week. Please contact Nikolaj if you need help, or if you would like to help.

Finally, a poem for this time by Lynn Ungar:

Pandemic

What if you thought of it
as the Jews consider the Sabbath—
the most sacred of times?
Cease from travel.
Cease from buying and selling.
Give up, just for now,
on trying to make the world
different than it is.
Sing. Pray. Touch only those
to whom you commit your life.
Center down.

And when your body has become still,
reach out with your heart.
Know that we are connected
in ways that are terrifying and beautiful.
(You could hardly deny it now.)
Know that our lives
are in one another’s hands.
(Surely, that has come clear.)
Do not reach out your hands.
Reach out your heart.
Reach out your words.
Reach out all the tendrils
of compassion that move, invisibly,
where we cannot touch.

Promise this world your love—
for better or for worse,
in sickness and in health,
so long as we all shall live.