02.04.2020
Dear members and friends of St Mary's,
A number of people have been joining me remotely for the Daily Office in my "hearthhold", and I would like to encourage more of you to do so.
We say Morning Prayer at 9 am and Evening Prayer at 6 pm Monday to Friday. To join in via Zoom, you will find the link here.
The service may be found by following the Prayer for the Day link on our website. Scroll down to "Join us in a service of daily prayer" and then select "Evening Prayer (Contemporary)" to see the words of the prayers and readings.
You can also download the DailyPrayer app. More information herehttps://www.chpublishing.co.uk/apps/daily-prayer
Or you can just listen to the service being said.
Following the Palm Sunday service at 10.30 this Sunday, we will have a virtual "coffee hour" on Zoom using the same link here. Make yourself a brew and join in the fellowship. If you want to continue a conversation with someone more privately, you can do so in a "chat room" or simply by arranging to phone or Skype each other separately. The more we keep in touch with each other, the happier we'll all be!
At 10 am on Good Friday, St Mark's Regent's Park is offering a Zoom service for children and families. If you would like to take part, please email vicar@smvph.org.uk by Sunday, and I will give your emails to William Gulliford, who will send you an invitation. See details below:
Via Zoom
10 April 10 am
GOOD FRIDAY CHILDREN’S SERVICE
Dear All,
In this complicated time, when children are at home and parents trying to balance work, child-care and all other aspects of life, St Mark’s and St Mary’s will be joining together for the usual Children’s Service on Good Friday. This year we shall do this via Zoom.
This time next week, I shall send a Zoom invitation, and from my desk I shall endeavour to orchestrate a joint service, complete, with Passion Play acted remotely by parents from across North London.
It will end about 10.35 am, make sure you have hot-cross buns in and at the ready for virtual coffee afterwards.
I will send an order of service you can print out or read on another device.
I hope the invitation reaches you next week and I hope to see you on the screen!
All thoughts and prayers
William
The Primrose Tearoom will start again (via Zoom) on Thursday, 16th April, the Thursday after Easter, at 11 am. Just click the link here. I'm afraid we'll have to appreciate Christine's scones by looking at them rather than tasting them! We will conclude at 12 with a time of prayer for healing.
A reminder that the Holy Week services are as follows:
Palm Sunday (5th April) - Eucharist with dramatized Passion Gospel at 10.30 am, followed by Zoom fellowship time.
Please note that we have now been advised that we should not distribute palms on the vicarage doorstep for fear of contagion. I will bless the palms and keep them for when we meet again. If you send me an A4 SAE, I will still be able to post one to you.
Maundy Thursday (9th April) - Mass of the Lord's Supper at 8 pm, with a shortened Watch before the Blessed Sacrament afterwards for an hour.
Good Friday (10th April) - Children's service at 10 am (via St Mark's - see above to be invited to join) and St Mary's service at 12 noon with music and reflections.
Easter Sunday (12th April) - Eucharist of the Resurrection at 10.30, beginning with some elements of the Easter Vigil (readings from the Old Testament, lighting the Easter candle).
It is a great comfort to know that we are all praying for each other at this difficult time. Please do phone people who may not be connected to our internet fellowship. And let me know if you need help with shopping, or if you can offer it.
Here is a prayer from St Patrick's Breastplate:
Christ be with me, Christ within me,
Christ behind me, Christ before me,
Christ beside me, Christ to win me,
Christ to comfort and restore me.
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,
Christ in hearts of all that love me,
Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.
Blessings,
Marjorie, Mark and Nick