lockdown 2.0
As I write we are in the first day of the return to Stage 3 restrictions. This will be devastating for many, especially in business and job loss, and a cause of grief and anxiety as families and friends are once again kept at a distance, especially in times of grief. Our Bishop has supplied us with a suggested prayer to help us uphold others at this time.
O God our heavenly Father,
Your son, the Lord Jesus Christ, is the Great Physician, who healed the sick, cured the blind and deaf and raised the dead, and who, throughout all history, holds dominion over disease and death:
In your mercy to this world, arrest and eradicate this coronavirus. Heal the afflicted and comfort those who have suffered from this scourge; so that those who suffer may know your healing heart and hand, that those who are anxious or burdened may know your comfort and peace that passes understanding, that the watching world may know your sovereign authority, prevailing power, mercy, and grace, and that all may come to know, love and worship you; we ask in the name of Jesus, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Amen.
Grace and peace in Christ Jesus,
Bishop Paul
In our service this week Tanya picks up the theme of Chp 4 of the Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Course – ‘Journey through the Wall’. The reading is from Genesis 22:1-18: The testing of Abraham over his son Isaac.
May Abraham’s example of faith inspire us in our trust in God through the testing times upon our state and world at present.
The Tanzanian Covid Appeal remains open through July as we press toward the goal of $25,000. Our aim is to resource the Anglican Church of Tanzania in its strategic response to the danger presented by Covid 19 to its nation. With recent generous gifts the current total stands at $12,675. ($9000 of which has already been sent to Tanzania). There is still time to give if you haven’t already, as we praise God for the wider response that has brought us this far.
We are also still collecting Long Life Milk weekly for MADDV to distribute to needy families. They have experienced a great increase in people seeking assistance over the last few months. These can be left in the porch at CCD – though please do so on your way from a shopping trip or in conjunction with another valid cause to be out and about!
We have recently received the following newsletters to guide our prayers for Tavis and Kate Beer (CMS Missionaries in Darwin) here, and from Hands at Work Africa here. Please also keep Rev Mecka Ogunde in your prayers as he oversees Covid prevention and education in Tanzania.
E, A, JH and JH, P, J, S, L, CM, T Df, J, R and MML and N.
While we can now not meet in person at all, we all the more dependent on our phone contact and church Facebook site, Instagram, txt message, What’s App and email.
Consider meeting with others over zoom, as our prayer and Connect and EHS course groups are doing. It is free to install and 40-minute meetings can be had for no cost.
You can meet with a number of people at a time as long as they have email addresses and even include others on audio by phone.
I draw your attention again to the church directory which has been sent out and hard copies are obtainable from the church (while you drop off milk!) as a guide to your regular prayers for one another and a prompt for connecting.
While we cannot meet physically as church, we can find ways to still be the Church for each other and for the Lord.
God bless you, and ‘see’ you Sunday.
Wayne, on behalf also of Tanya and the staff team at CCD.