Dear friends,
You’ll have seen that the announcement was made this week that we are permitted to return to worship in churches from 4th July. After some prayer and discussion we have decided that we will reopen our church buildings as follows:
Barlborough – first Sunday back will be 26th July for St James’ Patronal Festival at 10.00am. This will be a United Benefice Service (ie. no service in Clowne on that day).
Clowne – first Sunday back will be 2nd August at 10.00am. This will also be a United Benefice Service (ie no service in Barlborough on that day).
Thereafter we will be back to the normal pattern of alternating 9.15am and 11.00am services in both churches.
We have chosen these dates for these reasons:
- it gives us time to do the required risk assessments, clean and also complete some repair work at Clowne Church
- it gives people space to visit their families and/or take holiday in the first two weekends of July as the lockdown eases
- it protects us should the lockdown rules change yet again!
The churches will be decorated for Easter (as every Sunday is resurrection day!) for our return and we shall be lighting our Paschal Candles to celebrate. There will be no communal singing yet but we will have some music none the less.
The Flower Festival has been cancelled for this year at Barlborough, sadly, but we will be having some extra special floral displays for our Patronal Festival.
For our regular worship we will be continuing with the following pattern:
Sunday services – before reopening we’ll continue with our YouTube services, after reopening we’ll be having services in the building that adhere to the guidelines. We won’t be allowed to have communal singing but we will have music!
Tuesday evenings at 7pm – Facebook live Said Eucharist and thereafter on YouTube for catch up
Thursday mornings – Phone Church, 9am Clowne, 10am Barlborough
Dial a Sermon will continue to be available on 01246 388487. The prayer podcast will go out Monday to Wednesday every week.
When we come back into church things won’t be quite the same as before and at first we won’t have communal singing but I know it will be so special to all see one another and gather for worship again. This time of exile has helped us each to appreciate the little things and I hope that we will feel bonded together in the love of Christ.
With every blessing,
Rev Bryony Taylor
– Rector of Barlborough and Clowne
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