Lockdown

Good afternoon. It's Monday 24th March 2020 and our country is in lockdown. All church services are cancelled; including weddings. There is only one obvious exception but I will not mention it here because I want this blog to be positive.

Our preparations for online-church are going well. 

• Yesterday, Jamie and I had our first Video meeting. We will be holding a ministers meeting tomorrow and a standing committee on Thursday. Both by Video.
• This morning we held our first morning prayers by video. Unfortunately, the technology defeated two planned attendees. I will post a link to a "zoom" training video on the online church page. 
  Anne Palfrey and I managed to connect in and we had a lovely time of prayer together. Anne is pointing us all towards Psalm 34. A word from God for our times. Please do look it up and pray the psalm slowly and meditatively. And please do consider joining us tomorrow and/or Thursday. See online church page.
• On Sunday we will go live, God willing, with our first broadcast service. Things are coming together very nicely. The spiritual things are coming together but I am still working with Google support to sort out a Youtube issue. They promise it will be working in 24 hours.
  So please pray for that. God is good!

It's not all bad

One of the things Anne and I discussed today was "footprints". (My word, not hers.) Where can we see God's footprints and fingerprints in this dreadful situation?

It would be very easy to be pessimistic. To think that the Evil One is having it all his own way. But when we look closely, I hope that we can all see glimmers of Hope. Let me highlight one or two:

1. Just as we are all put in lockdown, we are blessed with the most glorious weather. According to the medical experts, summer weather should slow the progress of the virus. Also, it means that we can go out in our gardens and feel less hemmed-in.
2. Lynne mentioned to me: how lucky we all are to live on the edge of Dartmoor. We can enjoy the scenery and fresh air and safely practice social distancing; also when she and Graham were there this morning you could hear the birdsong wonderfully clearly.
3. This enforced isolation is a perfect opportunity for us all to slow down and spend time with the Lord. Shock horror! Well we have all been wanting to get to know our bible's a bit better. And when we stop and listen God answers. I suspect we might find Him saying: 
   "Hello stranger. Long time no see! I am so looking forward to spending time; just you and me."

May God Bless us all.
Stay Safe
​
​Sean

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Just to encourage us all to make the best of the lovely weather.... See below.

Now that's what I call social distancing.