KCB Weekly news – 5th July 2020

Fourth Sunday after Trinity

Dear all – I hope that you enjoyed the first of the KCB Weekly Newsletters last week, and found it useful. Thanks to those of you who shared your thoughts on what seems to have become known across the episcopal area as ‘Bishop Nick’s grid’ – the four questions around what has been lost and gained during the lockdown, as we prepare for the future. It’s not too late to share your responses to the questions. Please e-mail, write or ring if you wish to contribute.

Remember that this is YOUR parish newsletter, so if you have any news to share or items of interest or encouragement, please contact me by TUESDAY each week.

However, as mentioned in last week’s newsletter, I’ll be on holiday this week, returning to work on Saturday 11th July, so there will be no newsletter next week. The next one will be issued on Thursday 16th in time for Sunday 19th July – so items for inclusion need to be with me by Tuesday 14th July.

Chairs for St John’s!

This week we have taken delivery of the chairs for St John’s church, following the redevelopment work that was completed earlier this year. If you’d like to see what they look like, pictures are available on the parish Facebook page and website. It feels like a big step forward to have received them, and a sign of hope for the future. They’ll be used for the first time at a wedding on 18th July (see below), and will undoubtedly enhance the occasion.

Sunday worship

I’ve prepared a new service booklet for use during July. This is being posted to those without internet access whose addresses I have, and copies can be downloaded from the website.

Re-opening church buildings – can you help?

Work is continuing on this – risk assessments have been (or are being) carried out. At the time of writing, the following is planned:

• From Sunday 12th July, St Mary’s Bradley will be open on Sundays for private prayer between 9.30am and 10.30am, and St Andrew’s Kildwick will be open in the afternoon.
• From Sunday 26th July, St John’s Cononley will be open on Sundays for private prayer (time TBC).

In order to enable St John’s to open, we’re looking for volunteers for two key activities: to supervise during the period that the buildings is opening (which will include welcoming people and informing them about what to do and where they can go; ensuring numbers in the building are safe at any time; cleaning where people have been when they have left); and regular cleaning of the building between opening.
Most of the church’s regular cleaners are in the more vulnerable categories, and should not be carrying out this activity. Can you help?

If you’re able to help St John’s by offering your services for either of these tasks (and it doesn’t matter if you live in Cononley or not!), please contact Lesley Cooke or Janet Clifford (Jill Wright, PCC secretary, will be able to put you in touch if necessary).

Re-opening church buildings for Sunday worship

The Government prohibition on regular services has been lifted with effect from 4th July. The PCC has already started thinking through what is involved in re-opening (as you can see from the plans in connection with private prayer).

Re-opening for Sunday worship will involve further thinking and planning.

The PCC will touch on this at their Zoom meeting on 14th July, and the buildings reopening working group will concentrate on this on 21st July.
It’s important to realise that even once Sunday worship resumes, it may look and feel quite different from services prior to lockdown. We will need to have plans in place to deal with practicalities such as the capacity of each building; arrangements to help maintain physical distancing on arrival and departure; the form of service (likely initially at least to involve no singing, and thought to be given about communion).

To help our planning, it would be useful to know what church members feel about returning to church services.
Are you keen to get back as soon as possible, or are you likely to be more cautious?
Have you engaged with on-line worship during lockdown (either led by me, or elsewhere), and how have you found the experience?

Do let me know what you think.

‘The Pinnacle’ Summer Issue

Huge thanks to Chris Wright for getting this out. There’s lots of good stuff to read, either as a PDF document, or on the website (and hard copies have been delivered to those without internet access).

Please pray!

Please pray for Arden and Hannah, who are to be married at St John’s on Saturday 18th July.

With my love, and with every blessing
Julie