Please read this letter from the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Archbishop of York –

(Source unknown)

Yes there is fear
Yes there is isolation.
Yes there is panic buying,
Yes there is sickness.
Yes there is even death.
But,
They say in Wuhan after so many years of noise
You can hear the birds sing again.
They say that after just a few weeks of quiet
The sky is no longer thick with fumes
But blue and gray and clear.
They say that in the streets of Assisi
People are singing to each other
across the empty squares,
keeping their windows open
so that those who are alone
may hear the sounds of family around them.
They say that a hotel in the west of Ireland
is offering free meals and delivery to the housebound.
Today a young woman I know
is busy spreading fliers with her number
through the neighbourhood
so that the elderly may have someone to call on.
Today Churches, Synagogues, Mosques and Temples
are preparing to welcome
and shelter the homeless, the sick, the weary.
All over the world People are slowing down and reflecting.
All over the world people are looking at their neighbours in a new way.
All over the world People are waking up to a new reality
To how big we really are
To how little control we really have.
To what really matters.
To Love.

So we pray, and remember that
Yes there is fear,
But there does not have to be hate.
Yes there is isolation.
But there does not have to be loneliness.
Yes there is panic buying.
But there does not need to be meanness.
Yes there is sickness.
But there does not have to be disease of the soul.
Yes there is even death.
But there can always be a rebirth of love.

Wake to the choices you make as to how to live now.
Today, breathe.
Listen, behind the factory noise of your panic
The birds are singing again,
The sky is clearing,
Spring is coming,
And we are always encompassed by love.
Open the windows of your soul
And though you may not be able
to touch across the empty square,
Sing.

Good Morning All, and Greetings to you wherever you are.

For a while at least we are needing to be a church that gathers at a distance, and I have a strange feeling that it will strengthen our bonds. Every cloud..and all that.
Maybe we can use our ‘Church time’ today to do some deep praying.
When I am on retreat I find that trying to formulate lots of prayers, remember everything and everyone, or sort things out in my mind is not the best way, but rather I find the closeness of God in the silence.
God knows what is going on, and he knows the secrets of our hearts, and we don’t need to be telling him what to do, or how to do it. Or giving him advice on making sure our own plans come to pass.
Rather we can rest in his presence. ‘Our hearts are restless til they find their rest in you.’
The monks spend a lot of time in solitude, in their cells. Initially that sounds scary, but the truth is that is where they are closest to heaven.
Maybe we can allow God to speak with us in our times of quiet, and maybe we will receive the grace to encounter heaven.
Bless you all,
Fr Marcus

Fr Marcus will be doing a particular slot on the radio for all people who for whatever reason can’t get to church. This will be on Sunday, at 7pm.
You can reach pure gold in many ways.The simplest is online. go to puregold.fm and it will come up. press the Listen Live button, and the forward arrow that appears. 
Or, tune in to Pure Gold 94.1fmOr on your smart speaker ask to listen to Pure Gold via TuneinOr go to Tunein, on your phone, and then put in Pure Gold.

Regarding the Covid-19 virus –

What a day it’s been. And I think there are many more days like this to come.
First the definite news. We will not be holding any public worship services for at least the next 15 days. Which includes Sundays 15, 22nd, we will let you know about 29th.
No midweek services either.
No APCM on Tuesday 17th.
We have been asked by Ferede not to replace services with informal gatherings or house groups. That would be just changing the venue, and therefore still risky.
The less definite news. I am not sure what will be the case for funerals. I have one tomorrow, and will see what they say at Javea, but I expect we will see a request for only immediate family. I will let you know when I know.
The love and care , and pastoral needs of our lovely congregations must continue to be met, and we need to explore ways of doing that and keeping folk safe.
We all need time to reflect on how we can ‘Be Church’ in these unprecedented times, so lots of prayer please.
I will be in touch again very soon,
God Bless us all!
Marcus

You might like to read the latest, informative post from Bishop David, on the subject of the Diocesan instructions designed to help us all to limit the spread of the Covid-19 virus. Click this link to read it. https://eurobishop.blogspot.com/2020/03/a-time-of-solidarity-responsibility-and.html?spref=fb.
You can also subscribe to his blog.

The latest advice from the bishops can be read here –

Fr Marcus writes, “Wardens, please read this thoroughly, and if possible forward it to as many of our members as possible.
Also print of a copy or more than one and make them available.
Please ensure there is adequate sanitizer at the entrance and on the credence table.
There will need to be an announcement before we begin worship on Sunday telling folk that we will only be receiving Communion in one kind, but that is fine. The celebrant will consecrate a tiny drop of wine, and consume it on behalf of the whole flock.The Peace will be a non contact sport for the foreseeable future.
It is our privilege to care for one another, so please encourage our members to do all we can to make sure everyone is safe, even if we are feeling merry and bright ourselves.
There are worrying developments in some countries where religious gatherings have been banned. We are nowhere near that state yet, so please pray that we may continue to stay free to worship.
There is no need to panic, or to over react, but we do want to ensure that we are doing our best to care for everyone.
Bless you for all that you do for our wonderful Chaplaincy,
As ever, Marcus”

Gail Johnson, our Safeguarding Officer, and one of our lay representatives to Synod this year has posted a number of documents that may interest you, including the welcome sermon from Bishop David, several presentations and papers ….. and a lighthearted sketch about high and low church, which was performed on the final night. Click the “Latest News” link below to read these documents and Gail’s report from Synod.

Yesterday Fr Rodney and Fr Robin were called upon to bless the animals at the S.C.A.N. animal sanctuary at El Vergel this afternoon. While Fr Rodney says this was not part of the plan for the day, it was apparently a super occasion.

To read the report of this year’s Synod cluck here –