I imagine everybody with even a passing interest in church matters will realise that all churches have now been closed to all of us since about week 2 of lockdown. The building is still there, of course, but we would like to emphasise that the prayer is still there on behalf of all of us throughout the world and particularly for those in our beautiful little corner of this island. There are a number of distanced prayer groups in the Athelney Benefice and one in this parish of St Gregory where we remember all those people known to us specifically who are in need of prayer. If you or somebody you know would appreciate being added to this please let me know (Jane 490508 or on janepwhite@hotmail.com).
When the churches are allowed to reopen we will advertise the fact and the use to which we may put the building – which will obviously be restricted. At present we are allowed to conduct funeral services outside in the churchyard with a very limited number of people present and all at the usual distance. Any other forms of routine services must be streamed in isolation from people’s homes.
We are considering ways of assembling and distributing the Parish magazine so if and when we arrive at a reasonable solution then those on the distribution list will be receiving them again. I have been distributing by email each week a brief newsletter along with the Benefice bulletin. If you would like to be included in this then let me know (same contacts as above).
For the time being the only activity in the church I can report continuing as normal is that the swallows appear to be back in residence in the porch.