A Reflection for Windsor MC: by Rev’d Vicci :
As you know, Windsor and Maidenhead Council has been in discussions with the Westminster Government about moving into tier 2, and the leadership team will let you know what this means for the church as soon as Church Council have completed their thinking. Rest assured that its members are working hard, spearheaded by our extremely competent leadership team, to make sure that whatever we do, you and your families will be kept safe.
However, as we grapple with an ever-evolving situation, I have been thinking about where something like this happened in the Bible, and the simple answer is that it didn’t – or not like this. There are of course, famously, the 10 plagues of Egypt. There are interesting theories around how they happened and how one would have naturally begotten the other: a particular unusual bloom of algae that made the river blood coloured, but also killed the fish for example. Based on our understanding of how God works, we may believe God created the plagues, or God said to Moses, such and such a thing is going to happen and I will guide you through it to freedom. In our own lives, we may have more experiences of God showing us opportunities which we are then able to grasp, rather than God making something happen. Whichever way you read it though, it is true that God through Moses, used the 10 plagues to free the Children of Israel.
As we continue to live with the restrictions that our one plague has given us, we can see the inter-connectedness of things affecting us and our loved ones, whether through the disease itself, a necessity to quarantine, financial loss, inability to attend routine medical procedures, loneliness etc. However, although I do not for one minute believe COVID-19 was caused by God, I do invite you to ask yourselves a question: as individuals, as members of the church and as members of the wider community, what might God be leading us out of and into through this experience? If God could use arguably naturally occurring plagues to lead his people out of slavery, through a wilderness period of growth and then into the Promised Land, is there a comparable journey that we are being led upon or that we could choose to go on?
This is the sort of question we can only answer for ourselves and I leave you with it as I leave you also with my prayers for a peaceful, hopeful and joyful week.
God bless
Vicci
Words of Encouragement from the Bible: with thanks to Alan
Love like Jesus Jesus said ‘“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind” (Matthew 22 vv 37). The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ‘Speak to all the congregation of the people of Israel and say to them: You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy’ (Leviticus 19vv2). ‘For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous’ (Psalm 1 vv 6).
Prayer: Holy God, creator of all things and source of all holiness, we praise you for all that you provide for us materially and spiritually; we give thanks for the gift of your Son, Jesus Christ, who showed to us that perfect example of human love; we praise you for your Holy Spirit, who empowers us to share that love with others. We give thanks for our local Christian communities and the worldwide church to which we belong; may we praise you with one voice. God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit; accept our praise and adoration. Loving God, as we mediate on Christ’s commandment to love, we pray for the church throughout the world; for justice and peace between and within nations; for the communities in which we live; for people who suffer in any way; and for all those on our minds today. Amen.
ALOUD!! Sing aloud! Play aloud! It's all allowed!
ALOUD!! is the new music group for 6-12 year olds. It will be led by Revd Vicci and Kim and we will be learning to play the ukulele and also learning some fun songs to sing in church, or in a concert later on next year. You don't have to be a church-goer to come; you don't have to know how to play, we will teach you. You don't even need to have your own ukulele yet as Vicci has got six that people can borrow. Come along to this fun activity that will run fortnightly in the Falder Hall from Saturday the 7th of November between 4:30 and 5:30. The 7th will be really exciting because Katie and Lily who took part in ALOUD!! in Revd Vicci's last Circuit and were in it for five years, are coming to help out.
There will be a short break in the middle for juice and biscuits and a small charge (£1 a time) which will pay for the refreshments and for music as we go on. Come along on the 7th and have a great time!
Christmas is coming!
Message from Vicci “Christmas is coming and with Christmas, even in these times where planning is difficult and life is not normal, we must have carols. In line with guidance from the government and the Methodist Church and supported by risk assessment advice from the Royal School of Church Music, we are going to form a scratch choir which will sing at the evening Carol Service on the 20th of December. There will be some choir only songs and some standard carols which we hope that the congregation will be permitted to join in with by that point. Vicci will conduct and play from the piano and we will start to rehearse on the 4th of November. This is for all age-groups, but if children come, they must remain with their parents at all times and be comfortable in an adult rehearsal environment. Songs will be a mix of part singing and unison and lines will be taught by listening and then singing back so you don't have to be able to read music, just like to sing and want to come along and have a good time.”