I hope you are all managing to enjoy the sensational sunshine of these Eastertide days.
Now that we know our lockdown will continue well into May, we are making plans to bring more of our normal parish activities back to (virtual) life.
So please note:
In addition to our usual activities:
Sunday Eucharist at 10.30 am Link here After-service fellowship 11.30-12.30 Zoom link here, Monday to Friday Morning and Evening Prayer at 9 am and 6 pm Zoom link here Thursday morning Primrose Tearoom 11-12 Zoom link here Earth Stewardship Assembly on Sunday at 4 pm Zoom link here Contemplative Prayer on Sunday at 6 pm Zoom link here
We will now offer:
A short 9.15 service for families prepared by our incoming curate Emily Kolltveit (link to our Youtube channel will be on the parish website at 9 am on Sunday), followed by a Zoom time of fellowship from 9.30 to 10. Natasha Delliston will send a link for this fellowship time to the 9.15 mailing list - if you do not receive 9.15 mailings and would like to join, please email her at natasha.delliston@gmail.com.
The monthly Grave Talk Afternoon Tea will take place on Sunday 10th May from 4 to 5 pm. A Zoom link will be provided nearer the time.
The book discussion group will meet by Zoom at 6 pm on Sunday 17th May to talk about Little Women with Alison Shell. Link to be provided.
As always, please don't hesitate to contact vicar@smvph.org.uk if you would like help with shopping or a regular phone check-in. And please email Marjorie to volunteer to record yourself doing readings or prayers for the Sunday Eucharist.
Another special appeal from the youthwork team - if your daily exercise or shopping takes you past the church, please consider donating food (either fresh or non-perishable) that can be delivered to the families of vulnerable young people. This week the drop-off time is Friday before 1 pm. Just leave groceries by the King Henry's Road door. Many thanks!
An important notice about church finances. Like other charities, we are taking a very big hit financially because of COVID-19. The loss of income from cash collections, fundraising events and hall lettings, while we have to continue paying our Common Fund and many other bills, means that we will have to furlough Celyn Cooke, our Parish Administrator, for the month of May and possibly longer. Several individuals have already made generous donations to the church, and I am grateful to our local Camden councillors for recommending St Mary's for an emergency grant. If your income has not been adversely affected by the epidemic, please consider making an extra donation to the churchLink here. We want to continue doing all the things that make St Mary's a beacon of hope in our local community. Thank you!
