46 The Fort

Rochester

Kent ME1 2FE

Revsuebrewer@gmail.com

07930 49232301634 923836

27 January 2021

Dear Friends

At the PCC meeting held online last week, the decision was made that the church should remain closed for the time being. Rates of infection in this area are still extremely high and the NHS is still under a great deal of pressure, and it seems right to us, in order to protect each other and for the common good, to keep our indoor contacts to a minimum at the moment. I know this is a disappointment for some – rest assured that we are keeping the situation under constant review and we will open up again as soon as we can do so safely.

It is hard to feel that by staying at home and avoiding human contact you are doing anything to help – but you are! You are slowing the spread and hastening the day when we can all meet again. Hopefully many of the older members of our community and health workers are now getting their first shots of the vaccine and we know that the effects of that will begin to be seen over the coming weeks.

I also know that many of you are doing a great deal to support friends, neighbours and family members, and much of that practical support goes unseen… thank you for all that you are doing and all the love that you are showing to friend and neighbour. If you know anyone who needs practical help and support, please do let us know.

All around are the first tiny hints of spring to come… bulbs pushing up through the soil, buds and leaves beginning to grow, evenings that are becoming lighter… signs of hope in a long winter. They are a reminder that we can hang on and keep the faith, and that better times lie ahead of us. Do send in your photos of signs of spring hope and promise…

Paul Barrett - the Minor Prophets continued…

Visit the St Matthews Church, Borstal facebook page on Tuesday 2nd February at 8pm, when Paul will be sharing his reflections on the prophet Haggai. These studies have been informative and thought-provoking. They only last ½ hour, and are well worth listening in to. They remain available on facebook afterwards if you miss it on the day.

There will be one more study 2 weeks later, reflecting on ‘What is a prophet?’.

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… St Matthews on Ash Wednesday and during Lent

Ash Wednesday Eucharist via Zoom Wednesday 17 February at 9:00 am

A Cluster service of Holy Communion will be held on Ash Wednesday , 17 th February, at 9am via zoom.All from the 3 parishes of the cluster are warmly invited. Revd Joel Love will be celebrating Holy Communion in St Peter’s Church. If you miss the service at 9am, it will later be available on youtube. Go to Youtube and search for ‘The Parish of Rochester’.Joining instructions: Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89382450741?pwd=WnpwUGR3MGJNSUpsbGlQRTUwOHh1dz09(Meeting ID: 893 8245 0741 and Passcode: 500439)(if you have not used zoom before but have an internet connection, or smart phone, you simply need to download the zoom app and then put in the ID and passcode above, or click on the link, to join the meeting. Paul Barrett and I are willing to assist with the technology if you need help)

Cluster Lent study group every Tuesday at 7:30pm – ‘Living in Love and Faith’

Dates: 23 Feb., 2 March, 9 March, 16 March, 23 March

‘Living in Love and Faith’ are new materials produced by the Church of England with the aim of inspiring Christians to think more deeply about what it means to be human and to live in love and faith with each other.

It is the latest approach to helping Christians to look at human sexuality and to listen to one another’s point of view. The materials do not seek to ‘give an answer’ to the questions raised in the churches over recent decades, but to provide stories and personal accounts and to encourage us all to explore the questions raised and to do so together. They have been generally very well received.

All churches have been encouraged to engage with these materials and the cluster churches of St Matthew, St Peter, St Margaret and St Justus will be holding a joint lent course on ‘zoom’.

Please do consider joining if you can – it will be a fruitful time of reflection and also an opportunity to get to meet with our brothers and sisters locally during lockdown. So that you can be given further details nearer the time, you need to ‘sign up’ for this course… contact Jayne Pearson, the administrator at St Peter’s, if you would like to take part:

office@parishofrochester.org.uk

Other Lent resources

are available from the Church of England website...#LiveLent 2021 church resources: God’s Story, Our Story | The Church of England

Rochester Diocese will also be providing a weekly reflection based on these resources.

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Keeping in touch…

Caty Bradshaw has made this beautiful poster as part of her RE home schooling for World Religion Day. She had to make a poster showing the main religions in the UK and a message tying them all together.

It encircles the religions in a heart bearing the message ‘Only do to others what you want them to do to you’ and the words ‘Understanding’ ‘Community’ ‘help’ ‘love’ ‘peace’ ‘friendship’ - well done, Caty!

Also – well done to her mum, Jac Bradshaw, who raised £106 from the beautiful ‘Angels of Hope’ that decorated our Christmas trees and windows. The money will be donated to the Wisdom Hospice in memory of Ted Cooper.

We also send all our love and best wishes to Jean Cooper, for her 90th birthday on Tuesday 26th January.

Peace Garden space for prayer or reflection

We are sorry that the church must remain closed for the moment.

Andrea, Amy and Millie have created a beautiful space for prayer and reflection in the Peace Garden behind the church. This lovely space is available for all to use – please do let your friends and neighbours know. You can sit and reflect, ‘take a moment’ and leave your thoughts on the branches of the ‘thoughts and prayers’ tree.

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Giving to St Matthews

This renewed period of lockdown means that many of our regular sources of income at St Matthews have dried up - hall rentals, fund-raising events and service collection plate money in particular.

Because of the PCC’s prudence in former years, we are still keeping our financial heads above water, but we do need to ensure a regular income to the church so that our reserves don’t get completely used up. Please continue to give if you feel able to do so.

The very best way to give to church funds is by Standing Order, or maybe by ‘one off’ BACS transfer. The account details are:St Matthews Church PCC40-39-0211082620

Alternatively, cheques or cash can be sent to me at the address at the top of this letter, or put through the letterbox in the church vestry. Thank you for your faithfulness to all who give regularly.

Easter in the bag

We hope to be worshipping in Church again by Easter, although nothing is certain at the moment. Even if we are, it is unlikely that Messy Church and our regular children’s activities will have re-started by then. So St Matthews is planning to distribute ‘Easter bags’ to any families who would like them. The bags will contain a book telling the story of Easter - the heart of the Christian faith - along with seasonal treats, and craft activities to use during the run up to the Easter celebrations. These are completely free as a gift from us to all of the families that we miss so much, and that are having such a difficult time at the moment.

All we need are addresses – if you know a family with children who would like a bag, please let me know giving the name, address and the number of children. The bags will be delivered in the middle of February.

Create and Discover 21 – for all you crafters out there…

Create and Discover '21 - Arty crafts inspired by artifacts

Introducing a brand-new venture by Rochester Cathedral, starting on Monday 1st February. Throughout 2021 we’ll

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take you on a journey of discovery around Rochester Cathedral with 21 creative challenges. CD21 is open to everyone! You can take part as a family, an individual, use it as part of home learning, or just as a bit of fun.

New challenges will be release fortnightly. All are inspired by something found in the Cathedral. When the Cathedral re-opens, pop in and see if you can spot these beautiful objects in the building and find out a little more about them.

You won’t need any special equipment to take part, just ordinary things you have at home. Newspaper, old cardboard boxes, sticky tape or glue, pencils or crayons – just use what you can find.

The first challenge goes live on Monday. All you'll need is a big piece of paper or newspaper and something to decorate it with. Find CD21 on the Rochester Cathedral facebook page – from Monday 1st Feb.

See pages below for church services and readings over the next couple of weeks.

Take care and stay safe.

Sue Brewer

Useful links:

The Church of England Resourceshttps://www.churchofengland.org/more/media-centre/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-churches

Rochester Cathedral Resourceshttps://www.rochestercathedral.org/worship-online

Diocese of Rochester Resourceshttps://www.churchofengland.org/more/media-centre/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-churches

St Matthew’s websitehttps://stmatthewsborstal.com/

Collect for the fourth Sunday of Epiphany:

God of heaven,you send the gospel to the ends of the earthand your messengers to every nation:send your Holy Spirit to transform usby the good news of everlasting lifein Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

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Church services – 31 st January 2021

The Church of England offers a range of online resources every week on their website:https://www.churchofengland.org/more/media-centre/church-online

Rochester Cathedral online worship page: https://www.rochestercathedral.org/worship-online

The Cathedral is currently streaming 5.30pm Thursdays – Choral Evensong11am – Holy Communion

St Justus live stream:http://www.stjustus.org

St Peter’s and St Margaret’s live stream a service at 10.30am on zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83867733527?pwd=K1lZYmVmbVVCUUFudzcvbXZ5VUlWdz09

(Meeting ID: 838 6773 3527 and Passcode: 848226)

YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpc27pqQrzKfPHXcNq3q5Ig

… and for those who don’t have internet access…

The Church of England phone line – completely FREE OF CHARGE – ‘Daily Hope’. 0800 804 8044

Tv and Radio religious programming this week:

Sunday 31 st January …

Radio 4 ‘Sunday Worship’ 8.10am ‘Belfast – a city shaped by the sea’

BBC 1 ‘Songs of Praise’ 1.15pm Gospel singer of the year – semi final

Radio 3 – Choral Evensong from St Paul’s Cathedral, recorded in 2011

As you pray at home, here are the bible readings for the next week:

Wednesday 27th Jan Hebrews 10: 11 - 18 Mark 4: 1 - 20

Thursday 28th Jan Hebrews 10: 19 - 25 Mark 4: 21 - 25

Friday 29th Jan Hebrews 10: 32 - end Mark 4: 26 - 34

Saturday 30th Jan Hebrews 11: 1-2, 8- 19 Mark 4: 35 - end

Sunday 31st Jan Deuteronomy 18: 15 - 20 Mark 1: 21 - 28 (the 4th Sunday of Epiphany)

Monday 1st Feb Hebrews 11: 32 - end Mark 5: 1- 20

Tuesday 2nd Feb Hebrews 2: 14 – end Luke 2: 22 – 40 (feast of the presentation of Christ in the temple)

Wednesday 3rd Feb Hebrews 12: 4 – 7, 11 - 15 Mark 6: 1 – 6a

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