Faith in Lockdown

Hello Lockdown My Old Friend….

Dear Friends,

Now all the nations of the UK are in various forms of lockdown I thought it might be useful to remind you that, even in these difficult times, we will still be sending out a daily reading, reflection and prayer early each morning AND, every Sunday, we will still be sending out a service.

We realise that many churches will wish to suspend in person worship – out of love for their members, their minister and those who lead worship, as well love for the wider community.  Many churches are able to provide some form of virtual worship but many others aren’t and these, in particular, might value the Daily Devotion services.  Here in Scotland all churches on the mainland, and in Skye, have to close leaving only one of our congregations, the Peedie Kirk in Orkney, able to open for worship.  We are also aware of many people who are shielding and limiting the occasions when they go out regardless of whether their church is offering in person worship. Of course, many people who are still attending in-person worship like to supplement that with the range of preachers that we’ve recruited for the Devotions services.  

We don’t know how long these restrictions will continue for but Dan and I have worship already produced until the end of February and preachers booked until Pentecost in May.  Over the next few weeks we will have worship is led by the following ministers:

Sunday 10th January, the Rev’d Memona Shabaz                
Sunday 17th January, the Rev’d Dr John McNeil Scott       
Sunday 24th January, the Rev’d Mike Walsh            
Sunday 31st January , the Rev’d Nicola Furley Smith
  
Sunday 7th February, the Rev’d Sue Fender
Sunday 14th February, the Rev’d William Young, 
Sunday 21st February, the Rev’d Samuel Cyuma                   
Sunday 28th February, the Rev’d Jenny Mills

The material for January has already been sent, and the material for February is about to be distributed to contacts in local churches who burn the services to CD or save to memory pens to give out and/or print the orders of service and post to people.  If you would like to do this for your church please join the early bird mailing list here – please only sign up if you will be distributing to others; the services are all queued to be sent out in the normal way to everyone.  We will, by Thursday evening, resend the January material as well as send the February services.

I hope that despite the race between virus and vaccine we all keep faith that things will get better and that God continues to hold us in the palm of His hand.

with every good wish

Andy 

The Rev’d Andy Braunston
Co-ordinator, Daily Devotions from the URC