United Reform Church News May 2020

Our response to Covid-19 & the Government's Directives:

Services continue at 10:30 am on Sundays

However, no longer able to gather in person at the Chapel, we are meeting remotely using the video calling platform Zoom. From the comfort of our armchairs we have been sharing in scripture readings, prayers, singing together, sharing our concerns and listening to Rev. Tim's thoughts for the day, lighting a candle for peace & hope.

Though prevented from meeting together in person for the time being, we continue to be "an inclusive, outward looking community and wherever you are on your life/spiritual journey we welcome you without regard to age, gender, denominational background, sexual orientation, race or ability". We have been joined by folk from Glastonbury, Somerton – all unable to meet in their usual place of worship but still wanting to join with others as best they can.

Anyone who would like to feel part of a worshipping community is invited to join with us – from any denomination or none – simply email Steve Beney on stevebeney@yahoo.co.uk expressing your interest and he will make contact with you explaining how you can join with us on Sundays @ 10:30 am.

Prayer Requests can be either emailed to our minister Rev. Tim Richards at richardstim@hotmail.com or call 01458 252799 (leave a clear message if no one is available to take your call) and they will be included in our daily & Sunday prayers for each other, our community & the wider world.

A BIG THANK YOU to those who took up our invitation to put something aside during Lent for our local foodbank: we were only sorry we were unable to provide lunch for you as a thank you!

TEMPORARY FOODBANK

Whilst the Langport Foodbank is closed (for the duration of the Covid-19 restrictions) the Langport Cares group are supporting Langport & Huish Epsicopi area. We have teamed up with Curry Rivel Voluntary Support Group (CRVSG) to bridge the gap in supplying food and necessities for the Curry Rivel community. Foodstuffs can be donated on Wednesdays & Saturdays between 12 – 1pm: Collection point = United Reformed Church.

If you are someone who would benefit from a food parcel in this way please email the CRVSG: help@curryrivel.org.uk or call the dedicated telephone number 07716 792760 (please do not contact the URC direct). All contact will be made in the strictest confidence and all data destroyed once this emergency situation is over.

Dear Curry Rivel,
Very recently I would have scoffed at the idea that 700,000 people would offer to be volunteers. In the past the reality has been that groups have found it difficult to recruit helpers; we had become a more inward looking society, too many pressures on us as individuals with no spare capacity to think of others.

I have been so encouraged by new schemes in our towns and villages. Without fuss and with little finance people have rallied to collect prescriptions, shopping, become 'phone friends', and much more.
Our NHS has been given more financial support and we have begun to reassess who we consider to be 'key' in society with growing appreciation for those who work in the food chain, utilities, social care etc.

Ecclesiastes, in the Old Testament, contains a passage which begins; 'For everything there is a season and a time for every matter under heaven'.

A vast majority of people have responded to this crisis with a sense of collective responsibility; the question now asked is, 'when will it end'? It will end when its season has passed and that will be sooner rather than later if we all continue to think and act knowing that for once we truly are all in this together.

My prayer is not that things return 'to normal', but rather that we retain this collective spirit. My hope is that we will be less selfish, more selfless; that we will act with compassion and with generosity continuing to help and support those who are most vulnerable – feeding the hungry, housing the homeless and caring for the weakest.

Revd. Tim Richards
United Reformed Church.