I started writing this letter on Monday… and have been re-writing it ever since, as with a heavy heart we enter lockdown #3!
As I begin I want to gently remind us that whilst we are SO grateful for the NHS, for Scientists, for vaccines, for all on the front line or in key jobs who are doing their best to keep us safe and to get us through all of this… there is only one saviour, and his name is Jesus!
I therefore want to take this opportunity to encourage you to fix your eyes on him… as St Paul said… Jesus is the “author and perfector… (the start and the end)… of our faith” and he is 100% trustworthy.
As we enter this new period of lockdown there are a few important pieces of information to share with you;
- Service times are changing from 10th Jan (from 9:15 & 10:30 to 9:30 and 11). At least for now, although we are legally allowed to open, we feel that is it right for us to move all of our services online only ( on YouTube), so the church building will sadly be closed. (It will also be closed during the week, and not open for midweek services or private prayer.) This will be kept under review and we will let you know when things change.
- Alpha is starting Thursday 21st January at 8pm online. If you’re still finding your way with faith, or if you have a friend who would like to do it, we would love you to join us. As we enter lockdown again I believe people are extra hungry for hope, so please be brave and invite someone. I have asked 2 people and they have both said “yes”! Please email me at alpha@standrewscullompton.com to book on and we will send you the zoom link.
- Giving – We realise for many people that this has been a tough time financially as well as in many other ways. However, we feel that, as we seek to set out budget for the coming year, now is the right time to encourage all of us to look again at our giving. Since March of last year, we have seen our giving decline by almost 25% and we really need to see that turn around if we are going to be able to do all that we want to in this coming year, to serve the people of Cullompton, and to see the kingdom coming. I will be saying more about this in March, but to give now please visit the giving section in church suite, or click this link https://standrewscullompton.
com/my-giving/
- New Curate – if you haven’t heard already we are super excited to announce that Marilyn Sanders will be joining us in June/July as our new curate. Please do pray for her, for husband Steven and daughter Grace, as they prepare to move down from Barnstaple.
- The centre – As I’m sure you are aware it has been a very difficult year for the community centre, however I am hugely grateful to our Interim Management Group, who are taking things forward, and I really do believe that the future for the centre is bright. So please do pray as new plans continue to emerge.
- Beth Collier – is having a planned knee operation this coming week and will be out of action for up to 8 weeks. Any emails for things that you would have sent to her please now send to operations@
standrewscullompton.com and they will be forwarded on to the right person.
- Last but not least please stay in touch! Please do not hesitate to be in contact with the church office, or with me directly, if you are in need of anything, or if you know of others who are. And please, if you are not part of a Home Group, then join one! We all need as much support and encouragement as we can find.
Thank you for reading… may God bless you as we enter 2021 (and lockdown #3) with our eyes fixed on our Lord and Saviour Jesus.
Yours persistent in faith and determined in hope, Edward
Edward Hobbs, Vicar