Church Blog

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 40:10

Dear Friends

Everything seems a little unreal at the moment and yet as the days go on and as we are asked to remain in our homes we can all sense the seriousness of the moment which is upon us. It is almost as if as a nation we are preparing for a war against an unseen but potentially deadly enemy which we now know as Covid -19.

We know it is coming our way and daily we hear reports of those affected by the virus increasing. We have seen its devastating effects in other countries and we now seek to lessen its effect upon our country. In asking us to follow the guidelines now set out by our Government, it is as if each of us has been called to be part of the ‘resistance movement’ against this enemy.

Of course, part of this resistance lies in slowing down the spread of the virus and in the past few weeks we have been urged to "self-isolate" if we have symptoms and "social distance" at all times and now we are to remain at home whenever possible to prevent the spread of the virus and to prevent our front line troops in the NHS from being overwhelmed. Each of these measures is crucial not only for our own well-being but also for the common good.

 Another form of resistance is looking out for one another and especially those who are on their own and who now feel even more disconnected from friends as community groups, churches and activities, which previously gave shape to their lives, have had to close.

Someone has wisely said this week that "We should not be engaging in social distancing, but rather physical distancing, while remaining social." The point being that we must maintain social connections with people, because such engagement, by telephone or social media, for example, combats fear and isolation and lets folk know that they are not forgotten.

As we know faith in God has always been a source of strength in times of crisis and although faith communities are no longer able to meet for worship that does not mean that the resources of faith are not available to us. One of the big stories of the Bible is of the people of God being uprooted from their homeland with its great temple and familiar religious services and being taken off into exile by their Superpower enemy. Some could only weep and wail and remember the good old days, but others discovered that God was not restricted to one place or Temple, but was with the people in their place of exile. At this time of crisis we too can pray to God who cares deeply for our human race. It is part of our resistance to the destructive power of this disease and a real support to those who are working tirelessly and at great personal risk to overcome this unwelcome virus.

So, please follow the guidelines no matter how hard and do try and join the ‘resistance movement’, keeping your physical distance, remaining at home where possible, but always trying to maintain your social connectedness with those who are isolated and let us all pray for God's blessing on all of us in this time of crisis.

Loving Lord, we may be fearful, our connectedness may be interrupted, the distance between us may feel so great, but you are our ever present Lord. Come, take away our fears and help us to fill the distance between us with love and hope and compassion. Amen. 

Blessings

Caryl