IMPORTANT UPDATE FROM SUNDAY JANUARY 17th
Having discussed and prayed with the ministry team about the current situation with numbers of covid infections increasing in the local area as well as nationally, we feel that it is right to worship at home using the Worship at Home Booklets and online resources for the time being. We have prioritized the following as essential and therefore will continue with the following:
- Opening St. Michael’s Church for funerals and foodbank only
- Opening St. Nicholas Church for funerals only
In addition, Simon and I are going to commit ourselves to one hour of prayer for you, the community and the world every Sunday at 10.30-11.30 am inside St. Nicholas Church. We feel that to pray for you from there, in the heart of Sutton and in the holiness of the sacred space before the altar is something that we can do for you. We will be inviting prayer requests to be given to us to pray in the time that we are there.
This is with great regret, because as you are aware, we have felt all along what a precious privilege it is to have the churches open for gathered worship and then for private prayer. However, while the message from the government is ‘behave as if you have the virus’ , ‘stay home and stay safe’. and as we listen to increasing pressure on the NHS, we want to keep you safe and not add any further risk factors to an already stressed and fragile situation.
This decision will be reviewed ongoing by we expect that the present arrangements will be until the end of this month.
The foodbank will be open 12-4pm on Sundays only at St Michaels Gartons Lane and we will be recording a Sunday Service and midweek services for SuttonParish on YouTube as usual.
Our love and our prayers surround you and your are in our thoughts daily. May the New Year be full of hope and the whole year to come be a year of restoration and healing. And this is what he says…’ I am still with you, so do not be afraid’ Haggai 2:5
with our love
Louise, Simon, Mikey, Ann and Sam.