Latest news from the Parish of Goring by Sea. 15th. July 2020.

St Mary’s Church is open for prayer every day from 10 am to 3 pm.

Welcome to the new normal (for a while anyway), we recognise that we will have to accommodate restrictions to how we worship for a little while yet. Whilst we will no doubt add services and events in the time ahead, this will be our pattern of worship until there is a further lifting of restrictions:

Services in St Mary’s Church this Sunday

09.00 Said Eucharist. Book of Common Prayer.

11.00 Said Eucharist. Common Worship. (This service will also be live streamed via Facebook)

It is our desire to accommodate everyone who wishes to attend a service. Please still register each week, so that we can keep a register of names for 21 days and avoid turning any one away. However if you plan to attend the same service regularly you can ask to be put on ‘repeat weekly’ but please let us know if you are not able to attend at anytime.

Register at office@goringbyseaparish.org or if you do not have e-mail by telephoning the Parish Office 01903 709163 and leaving a voicemail message. You will receive confirmation that you are registered for the service.

Arrangements for attending worship at St. Mary’s Church.

Thank you to everyone who co-operated so well at both services last week. Please refer to last week’s newsletter for the detailed arrangements. One or two reminders and things we need to get better at this Sunday.

• We ask that you remain in your seat, until the end of the service, with the exception of going to the chancel steps to receive communion, to read a lesson or say the intercessions. (or the Loo!)

• Social distancing (2 metres/6 feet) must be adhered to at all times. Please sit on the area marked out. Members of the same household may sit together.

• If you choose or need to wear a mask, please keep it on all the time you are in church. • For your own safety and to enable cleaning to take place, please leave the church building

immediately after the service. The church grounds particularly the hall gardens and the Bible garden provide lovely spaces to meet (weather permitting), however remember to keep a social distance of 2metres/6 feet.

• If you attended a service last Sunday, please remember to bring your order of service. These will be available for those who did not attend last week.

Online services this week

The Eucharist on Sunday at 11.00 a.m.

Compline (Night Prayer) on Wednesday evenings at 8.00 pm.

The above services will be streamed live https://www.facebook.com/StMaryAndStLaurenceGoringBySea/

Thursday Morning Prayer will be held at 10.00am via Zoom.

https://www.zoom.us Meeting ID: 955 2642 8233 Password: 386017

Worship on the first Sunday of the month

For a number of years the first Sunday in the month at St Mary’s Church has focused on All Age Worship. The present restrictions make it impossible to return to the format we know and love. However we do plan to make this service a little different.

The 11.00 am service at St Mary’s in August will begin with the showing of a short pre recorded All Age Worship service, similar to the ones we have been streaming via Facebook on the first Sunday of the month during Lockdown. This is particularly suitable for the young, and young at heart. It includes animation films, hymns, and a short drama or homily. This will be followed by a said communion service. Unfortunately at the moment we can’t have any children’s activities and so they will have to sit with their parents. Whilst children can’t move about the church in the way they are used to, parents should not be concerned if they find they are getting restless and children can be taken outside into the gardens. The recorded all Age Worship Service will be still be streamed at 11.00 am on Facebook for those who are not able to get to church. We of course welcome families who feel they can accommodate the present restrictions, and long to see you when you feel it is safe to return. Please register by e-mailing the Parish Office at: office@goringbyseaparish.org or if you do not have e-mail by telephoning the Parish Office 01903 709163 and leaving a voicemail message.

Weddings

It was rather special that our first two services in St Mary’s since Lockdown were weddings. As you saw last week on the 4th July saw the wedding of twin sisters and former church members Camilla Fowlie to James Meyrick and Abigail Fowlie to Richard Barlow.

Last Saturday the 11th July saw the wedding of our very own Sylvia Jarrett and Roger Walker. It was a beautiful day and the couple were radiant. The service and photographs can be viewed on our Facebook page. They hope to hold a celebration, to which everyone will be invited, when things return to normal. Please hold them in your prayers.

Church Cleaning

To maintain our services and keep the church open for prayer, we would still welcome more volunteers to help, please e-mail the parish office office@goringbyseaparish.org saying that you would like to help, and how often you would be able to help. (e.g. once/twice/more a week, once/twice/more a month, occasionally etc. and preference for which day(s) of the week).

Pastoral letter.

Now that we have returned to a wide range of worship opportunities at church and online, Fr. Keith will no longer be writing a pastoral letter. He will continue to deliver a message through the `church services and online services and activities.

Pastoral visits. Please let Fr. Keith or the Wardens know if you have a personal pastoral concern or may know of somebody in need.

God Bless, Gill, Janice, Ruth and Geoff.

The Parish of Goring by Sea: Working with God since 956 AD