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A Message for Friday

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COSTA BLANCA ANGLICAN CHAPLAINCY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

Christ is Risen! He is Risen Indeed! Alleluia!

Good Morning to you all, and Easter Greetings.

We are a Resurrection People, and Alleluia is our name.

We hope that you, and those you love and pray for are managing to keep safe and well during this very difficult times. 
It has been the most unusual Holy Week of our lives, but in a particular way, the online Prayers from Fr Jim, the Videos that Fr Marcus produced, and the wonderful live stream services from Fr Rodney and Fr Robin made it all seem very real. I for one found Good Friday incredibly moving, which in turn made our Easter service totally joyful. Thank you.

But on to more mundane things.
The Standing Committee and clergy have been in close contact with each other, and the diocese concerning the consequences of our current lockdown situation. To put it bluntly, we are very worried about our finances.

At present there are no services, so no cash collections, no fundraising activities, no Wedding Blessings, or even funerals, so we have very little money coming in. Our collections in church normally amount to between 5 and 6 Thousand Euros per month!

Yet most of our expenditure is continuing.
It would be good to flatten the curve!

All chaplaincies are in the same position, and there has been some relief from the diocese in that they have delayed increases to our contribution to the Common Fund, and set up a Hardship Fund for Chaplaincies that are struggling. So that is a help. 

We have been praying, talking and thinking about what to do, and this is where we are at the moment.1. We are coping financially at the moment by using the reserves built up, by you, over the years – though if the ‘lockdown’ persists, we will begin to struggle as these reserves become depleted. 2. This is not a request for money – yet. 3. Rather, we would ask now that among all the other worries and stresses that the international response to the virus is causing, you might spare a thought and pray about your response if and when our reserves are such that we begin to have difficulty meeting our costs, and we need to ask for help. 4. If you are able now, you can help by ‘saving up’ your normal offering until such time as we can all be together again, or, we have explored ways that we can facilitate donation by giving directly instead of ’cash on the plate’ each week, to try to make it easier to give regularly; there will be no pressure to do either, we are well aware that there may well be other pressures on your finances.5. There is a ‘Donate’ button on our web site and using this, you can donate using Paypal, or you can set up a direct payment through your existing bank account, either here in Spain or in the UK – Carole, who is our stewardship secretary can help you with this, or you can contact Dennis, our treasurer.6. Our costs, operating even at this very basic level, amount to about 7000 euros per month in stipends, social security and other regular costs – even though travel is limited, our cars have to be paid for.7. As a committee, we are monitoring our financial situation closely, and we believe that it will beprudent to keep you updated in about a month or so – the situation may well have changed, and we may have more information then.8. Any monies that come in during the time of crisis will be for Chaplaincy use, and will not go towards Diocesan funds.
9. After the Virus we will have a Freedom Party, where we will all try and gather together, and ask each church to put on at least one piece of entertainment. For example a sketch, or a choir piece, or some magic. A bit like a variety show.
Bring food and drink to share, that sort of thing.
10. We will also have a Thanksgiving Gift Day at some time when we are all able to get back to our churches.  At this event, folk will be encouraged to make a donation to chaplaincy funds in thanksgiving that together we have got through this, and that we have felt the presence of the Lord throughout.

We want to make special mention of our Local Wardens.
We cannot put into words how grateful we are for all that you do as our wardens, keeping in touch with our whole church family. We pray that we are all given God’s strength to sustain us through this.

If you need to talk about this, or anything, just call anytime.

Thank you all for everything you bring to our Church Family here in the Costa Blanca. We have much to be grateful for, and much to look forward to.

Every Blessing,

Fr Marcus Ronchetti  965 874 166   marcusronchetti@yahoo.co.uk
Martin Bentley, Warden 965 744 657 martinbentley1@gmail.com
Diana Pringle, Acting Warden   966 460 725  pdiatomic@hotmail.com
Dennis Johnson, Treasurer 966 488 467 tresoroblanca@gmail.com
Elaine Mitchell, Secretary  966 864 963 albirchurch@gmail.com
Carole Bentley  965 744 657  carole.bentley1@gmail.com

Fr. Marcus’ Easter Tuesday Message

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Alleluia! Christ is Risen!
He is Risen Indeed! Alleluia!

Good Morning you lovely people. I hope you continue to experience something of the risen Lord in your daily life in lockdown.

I know for many this is hard. The uncertainty, the separation from family and friends, the loneliness and isolation and the fear we are experiencing, along with missing those things that are so dear to us. It is all taking its toll.

So, if you are feeling grim, you are not alone. Bless you.
What you don’t need is me telling you to ‘cheer up, because everything will be fine’. For some folk it won’t be. And if you are feeling down, then honour that feeling, and work through it.

God can take it if we feel like ranting and raving at him, so feel free to let it all out. Sometimes it helps to get it all out.

On the evening of that first day, Luke tells us that two disciples were on their way to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, and they were downcast as they talked about what had happened.
Jesus came and walked with them, but they did not know it was him. He asked them what they were talking about, and they just let it all out.
Perhaps that is one of the greatest things that we can learn. To open our hearts to Jesus.
With him there is no point in putting on a brave face, or pretending we are fine when we are not. There is no point in playing a role, or washing over our fears, because he knows the secret of our hearts, and that in turn is so liberating. It means that we can really be ourselves, warts and all.

So, let Jesus know what you really feel like. Share with him you worries, frustration, cares  and concerns. Open up about how heartbreaking it is when you think of those who have lost loved ones, and can’t gather to celebrate their life, or whose Wedding has been postponed, or the families that are tearing each other apart because they are not coping.

Let it all out. Release your emotions. Be true to yourself.

Then continue with the story. You see, Luke says that Jesus then opened up the scriptures so that they could see all the bits that were about him. He was the Messiah, the chosen one of God.
Then they shared a meal, and their eyes were opened, and they recognised him in the breaking of the bread! They were witnesses to the Resurrection!

Jesus left them, and they went straight back to Jerusalem,  straight back into the thick of it, and told the disciples everything that had happened, and how they had recognised him in the breaking of the bread.

This brilliant story is in Luke 24.13 – 35, and I shall be unpacking it some more later in the week, so look it up if you get the chance, and open your hearts to Jesus, and let him reveal to you the glory that will come when we are able to release the things that bind our hearts so strongly. There is new life to behold.

Bless you, Bless you, Bless you.

Fr Marcus.

Services and Inspirations – an Update

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With regret, we are No longer able to load the video recordings of the services led by Fr Rodney and Fr Robin for later viewing. Hopefully you saw last night’s wonderful Maundy Thursday mass, followed by the Watch and Compline (evening prayer). And today’s Good Friday service, which included the reading of the Passion.

Tomorrow Fr. Rodney is leading the Easter Eve service of light at 8pm on his Facebook page, with Fr. Robin.

Here is the link to Fr. Jim’s prayer guide for Holy Saturday – Click here.

And remember that on Sunday we will celebrate our risen Lord in a Eucharist led by Fr. Rodney at 11am on his Facebook page, and Fr. Marcus will be live on Pure Gold FM from 6pm to 8pm. All times are Spanish time (one hour earlier in the UK, Ireland and Portugal).

There will also be a video from Fr. Marcus tomorrow, which will be circulated from here as usual.