When will life return to normal?

Our Zoom service was back to normal last Sunday, apparently too many morning services across the country overloaded the Zoom servers, but they had fixed the problem, so all was well. We had a new feature this week with Darren acting as controller whilst Rdr Simon concentrated on running the service. This helped with the presentation enormously. We had 20 connections this week with 32 people taking part including some new faces but some of the usual attendees were missing so potentially there could be a larger on line congregation at any time. Rdr Simon guided us through the last of the Easter series of services as next week we enter Pentecost. Any member of St Mary’s who is not on the Sunday Link mailing list and wishes to be able receive joining instructions to take part in these services, should contact the church office at benefice.com@gmail.com. Next week’s ZOOM service will start at 10am so we hope a few more new faces can join us.

There is still no news of any applicants for the vacant Rector post, no doubt influenced by the Covid-19 situation but we hope this can be resolved soon and possibly we could have someone in post by next Christmas, or maybe the one after! Anyone who watches TV Soaps such as Emmerdale will be wondering why we haven’t simply called the Bishop to send a new incumbent, like they do in Emmerdale, and then with a new Vicar arriving the day after. Well in the real world that is very far from the truth. It is a long, very complex procedure, laid down by Church Law, to get the right person for the job, but it will happen one day, and soon we hope!

As I write this, it is the Spring Bank Holiday tomorrow and we hope people continue to take care now there is some relaxation of the lock down rules, but we don’t want to see the death rate starting to rise again because too many people went to the parks and beaches and didn’t keep to the social spacing rules. We still pray for an end very soon of this crisis in our World.