News » Monkhill Chapel newsletter 31st December 2020

Monkhill Chapel newsletter 31st December 2020 31 December, 2020

Good evening everyone on the last day of 2020 and all the best for next year. If you don't open this until tomorrow then-- Happy New Year 2021!

First a piece of good news:-

Congratulations go to William Little on being awarded the British Empire Medal in the Queens New Year’s Honours List.
William is a Steward at our Dalston Chapel (and has been for 61 years). He is also a Councillor for Orton (Councillor for 45 year and Chair for 41). He has been a member of the Carlisle Association of Parish Councils for 38 years and the Dalston Show committee for 30. Alongside being a founder member and Director of the Watchtree Nature Reserve.
Due to COVID-19 restrictions William will be presented with his medal by the Lord Lieutenant in the Spring and will receive an invitation to the Queen’s Garden Party in due course.

Secondly, not so good but understandable:-

As you know it was planned to resume services at Chapel on Sunday 3 January with an Own Arrangement. However, Kathleen and I have decided, in the light of the latest lockdown of our area in tier 4 due to rising infection levels, that it is not wise to reopen the Chapel just yet until infection levels decline and everyone feels a little safer. I know some of you may be relieved to hear of this decision and I hope others will understand we are acting in the best interests of everyone. You will all be aware of the other Church services available to you in the media, on-line and by telephone but if unsure please contact one of the Church Stewards for further information. I aim to send out weekly e-mails to you as before.

Now some snippets from NCMC Facebook page which I would like to pass on incase you haven't seen them already:-

"The worst thing we ever did was put God in the sky out of reach

pulling the divinity from the leaf, sifting out the holy from our bones,
insisting God isn’t bursting dazzlement through everything we’ve made
a hard commitment to see as ordinary, stripping the sacred from everywhere
to put in a cloud man elsewhere, prying closeness from your heart.

The worst thing we ever did was take the dance and the song out of prayer
made it sit up straight and cross its legs
removed it of rejoicing, wiped clean its hip sway,
its questions, its ecstatic yowl, its tears.

The worst thing we ever did is pretend God isn’t the easiest thing in this Universe
available to every soul in every breath"

Chelan Harkin from her poetry book 'Susceptible to Light'

There is more to life than we previously imagined

Angels hide in every nook and cranny

Magi masquerade as everyday people

and Shepherds wear the garments of day labourers

The whole earth is brimming with glory

for those with eyes to see and ears to hear

from the Work of Christmas: The 12 days of Christmas with Howard Thurman by Bruce Epperley

A Prayer for the New Year written by Revd Richard Teal, President of the Methodist Conference (and he can be heard reading it on the facebook page)

Lord of the Years,

as we stand at the gate of a new year, we approach it with anxiety

The vulnerability, exhaustion, fear and loss we have experienced in so many ways since March is still with us

But we also approach the new year with hope

Hope born in the fragility of the Christ-like God

So in this hope lead us to live in trust

To love well

To care for your creation with gentleness and justice

And to know that you hold us and the whole world in the palm of your hand

To love and to cherish

In the name of Jesus Christ. AMEN

Finally, remember God is with us

with me and with you!

And may he bless us as we travel on together

Lynne

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