STEPPINGSTONES

From the Editor 

At this time when our buildings are closed and we are unable to meet and worship together, it is important to remember that as a church we are still open. Alongside Cecil’s resources, there are many online resources which we can use to continue worship (albeit in a way, many of us may be unused to doing) with both of our denominations putting up lots of extra ways on their websites of doing so. 

On the Methodist church website methodist.org.uk/ there are service sheets for Sunday service as well as live streamed prayers and services during the week as follows: 

Morning Prayers 

09:00 Monday-Friday - from Wesley House Cambridge: www.facebook.com/wesleycambridge. Resources for following the prayers and readings are available at: www.wesley.cam.ac.uk/prayer-space/. 

10:00 Monday-Friday from Wesley’s Chapel London: www.youtube.com/channel/UCUAUqhmhevz5sqh h72LIMxA 

Worship services 

Wesley's Chapel London 

Wednesdays 12:45 Thursdays 12:45 Sundays 9:45 and 11:00. 

All these services will be available at: www.youtube.com/channel/UCUAUqhmhevz5sqhh72LIMxA 

On the URC website urc.org.uk/ there are daily devotions which involve a Bible passage, reflection and prayer and on Sundays an additional post will go out, a radio-style / podcast service with hymns, readings, prayers and a sermon. The Sunday Service email will contain an order of service and words for you to sing along with the hymns. There will also be additional services during Holy Week, the link for this is here: devotions.urc.org.uk/ and you can subscribe to these so that they are emailed to you. A number of URC churches around the country are putting services out on online, the list of those doing so are here: urc.org.uk/latest-news/3385-coronavirus- worshipping-digitally. Issues of the URC magazine, Reform from the past decade have been made available for free and can be viewed here: www.reform-magazine.co.uk/2020/03/read-reform-for-free/.  

On Sunday mornings on BBC One there is a new Sunday worship programme and on BBC local radio stations every Sunday morning there will be a service led by Justin Welby. 

Last Sunday (22nd March) in a call from Churches together in England, Christians from all over the country lit a candle in their front window united to pray as part of the National Day of Prayer and Action symbolising the light of Christ shining into the darkness. As I write this there is the call from all denominations to unite and say the Lord’s prayer altogether. These calls for prayer and solidarity among all Christian denominations I expect will continue please regularly check the Methodist and URC websites as well as Haebea to keep up to date. 

COME AND LET YOURSELVES BE BUILT AS
LIVING STONES INTO A SPIRITUAL TEMPLE
1 Peter Ch.2 v5 (New English Bible)

Christmas Card
As in previous years we are continuing the custom of sending our Christmas
Greetings to one another by signing a card for all to view and donating the money
we would have spent on cards to a charity.
The card will be on the piano in the Church along with a collecting box for
donations. This year we have chosen Crisis at Christmas as our charity. Crisis works
all year to help the Homeless, at Christmas when we are all celebrating, the
homeless feel even more rejected and desperate. The Crisis Christmas Centres
provide food, clothing, health care, advice and even a Christmas present.
Volunteers give up their time to show someone does care.
Please give generously, even if you still want to send personal cards!!

The Leprosy Mission
Our annual Reception of boxes/donations will be held on Sunday 23rd February.
Please bring (or send) your donation – either in the collection box, or in one of
the special envelopes available on the table in the Church.
Grateful thanks to our loyal and generous donors.
Please accept the return of your box for another year and continue to help
funding the necessary research and treatment to overcome this dreadful
disease in some of the poorest countries in the world