Dear all

There are rumours of better times to come, though caution is still needed - I hope that even small glimpses of improvement are helping you to have a ...

HAPPY EASTER!

Last week I drew your attention to an initiative from central church, 'Daily Hope', that offers music, prayers and reflections as well as full worship services from the Church of England at the end of a telephone line on 0800 804 8044 (further details can be found here.) There is also an Oxford Diocese line for those unable to watch services online. Just dial 01865 920930 and, once connected, dial 0 for the full version of the service, or dial 1 for a short version. However - PLEASE NOTE - this line is not free, standard call rates apply. Please remember there will be a few seconds of silence before the service starts. As before, worship from the benefice is available here and a service for this Sunday will be available from 8.30am on the day.

Also included in this week's mailing - along with the Weekly Sheet - we have another sermon from Douglas which accompanies this Sunday's readings and this week looks to Rogationtide (strictly speaking the Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of this week but often kept on this Sixth Sunday of Easter as well) and the great conglomeration of Saints Days that fall in the next few days..

We are hoping - in the weeks following Pentecost - to set up an online Bible Study via the Zoom video conferencing website/app. If you would find this of interest, please contact me (edownlandrector@gmail.com) so we know whether this might be of interest.

The Diocese are also providing lots of resources and help, much of which is highlighted in their weekly news mailing, available here.

I am still hoping to broaden the input to our worship. If any of you can help and would be willing to record bits of a service - preferably video but audio would be fine - and then email them to me then I will do the editing. The material that needs recording is included below. I would need to have the clips by Friday morning in order to do the editing and subtitles, so there's plenty of time. If you have the tech, please do help!

If you would like to offer the readings then the texts for next week are:
Acts 1.6-14
John 17.1-11

Please do spread the word about our revamped benefice website, and encourage others to keep in touch with what is going on by signing up to these updates – just cut and paste the link to them in an email:

https://mailchi.mp/d58d3b280189/east-downland-sign-up

Very importantly, if there are any people who you know would like a hard copy of this then please print it off for them or let me know, and I’ll take care of it (whilst keeping physically distant!)

For now, as always, all the best, God bless, and keep safe

John