Coronavirus - Community updates from the Revd Neil Short Wed 3 February 2021 - n

ST MICHAEL’S COMMUNITY UPDATE

No 54: 3.2.21

INTRODUCTION

• If you have a friend or neighbour who would like to receive this, please forward their details.
• I also invite you to send in poems, quizzes and jokes!
• For all correspondence please use office@stmbsands.org

LOCKDOWN UPDATE

• All church services have been cancelled until further notice. Every Sunday morning we send out an online service, so you can watch it at home at 10.30am or at any time which is convenient to you.
• During lockdown we are having a Zoom Quiz every other week. The next one is on Friday 5^th February at 7.30pm. You don’t have to be an expert; in fact, I haven’t won one yet! There will be a prize for those taking part on their own and another for those in a family group.
  If you would like to be involved send an email to Richard Kemp at blundellsands@btinternet.com
• Each week we run two ZOOM Bible Studies. One on a Monday morning 10.30-11.15am, and another on Wednesday afternoon 4.30-5.15pm. If you would like to join us just, let Helen or Neil know.

THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS
On Tuesday 2^nd February I led the funeral for Valmae Stockwell. Here is one of the many poems she wrote.

ST MICHAEL’S HIGH SCHOOL UPDATE

As you are aware schools are currently closed to most pupils. At St Michael’s we currently have 78 pupils attending face to face lessons in school and the rest are being taught via live lessons remotely.

Before the Christmas break we were able to bring a ray of light to some of our elderly community. Our Choir (socially distanced) were able to perform 2 carol concerts at College Green Care home, Crosby and Formby Manor Care centre.

GLADYS AYLWARD POSTSCRIPT

On Sunday 24^th Jan I talked about Gladys Aylward an amazing missionary to China. Soon afterwards I received the following from Wendy Fairburn:

I’ve just been watching the Sunday Service and was smiling at a memory from the past. In about 1968 I was a young teacher in Bradford. One of the older teachers announced that she would be going that evening to hear Gladys Aylward speak at the Mechanics Institute. She’d bought a new hat for the occasion. The next day, we asked her what it had been like and did she get a chance to speak to the great lady. ‘No,’ she said, ‘but she spoke to me’. ‘What did she say?’ We asked, in some awe. ‘She looked me straight in the eye, through the crowd, and said, “God won’t be interested in what kind of hat you’re wearing,”’ she replied.

Happy days.

Wendy

FOODBANK UPDATE by Lucy Faulkner

South Sefton Food Bank is especially busy at the moment, and in particular are looking for the following:

instant mash potatoes, tinned rice pudding, instant coffee, shampoo, shower gel and men’s deodorant.

Please consider popping a few of these items into your online order or shopping trolley. Lucy will still be leaving a crate by the front gate at 3 St Michael’s Road on MONDAY MORNINGS between 10-12.  Cheques can be put through the letterbox,  payable to St Leonard’s Youth and Community Centre.

We managed 1 shopping cart full of food and £120 in donations for January.  Let’s try and double it for February!

   JANUARY’S DONATIONS    

QUIZ - Submitted by Michael Stone

1.  In which century was the Doomsday Book written?
2.  Which is the world's longest mountain range?
3.  Who wrote the novel Rob Roy?
4.  Which is considered the fastest team game?
5.  What type of material is dupion?
6.  Duke Ellington is best known for playing which instrument?
7.  What was the identity Number of the 'Dambuster's Squadron'?
8.  Scrumpy is a rough form of what?
9.  According to the rhyme, which bird pecked off the maid's nose?
10. Which peas are decorative flowers?
11. Which detective lived at Whitehaven Mansions?
12. The English Civil War started in which year?
13. What sort of music is 'Tosca'?
14. In which year did Cardiff become capital of Wales?
15. The 'Witches Curse' was the original title of which Gilbert & Sullivan opera?
16. How many cards are used in a game of Bezique?
17. 'Impatients' is the latin name for which colourful bedding plant?
18. In which year was the Cunard Building completed?
19. Otology is branch of medicine concerned with what?
20. What was the old original name of Montreal?

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY by Helen
“By the rivers of Babylon we sat down and wept when we remembered Zion”.  Thus goes the starting verses of Psalm 137.  The people of Israel have been carted off into exile and are feeling pretty miserable about it.  In the psalm we are told that their enemies demand they make music, when they understandably want revenge. How can we make music in a strange land?

The last ten months have felt very much like that: we have wanted to sit down and weep as we have seen the images of our overcrowded hospitals, looked at the graphs of rising rates of cases and deaths and lost loved ones. We have wept when we remember when we could worship in fullness in our churches. We have wept with loneliness and boredom.  We haven’t even been allowed to sing to the Lord. Truly we are in exile.

Yet the prophet Jeremiah, who remained in the ruins of Jerusalem, writes to them on God’s behalf, telling them they should integrate with the populous of Babylon, settle themselves into the situation and pray for peace. How hard is that?? They are to stay there for a period until God’s word of comfort come to them and they can return.. Stop for a moment and think what it must be like to be a refugee in another country, with a different religion, when you are trying to be integrated, and when you long for your home country.

I would be amazed if you did not know the words which God speaks through Jeremiah to the people in Exile. “For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”  We have seen it on bookmarks and fridge magnets, on cushions and shopping bags, on key rings and wall hangings. It is usually taken as a personal message which comes from Jeremiah, 29 v 11, which is fine and encouraging to each of us.   However it is part of a letter from Jeremiah in Jerusalem to the people in Exile and it is not intended for the individual but for the whole nation.  Perhaps it is in that way which we should read it at the present time. How are we to live in this new strange world in which we find ourselves? .  Do we look after Number One or do we settle ourselves into the situation, pray for the restitution of peace and understand that God has plans which extend outside of our own “bubble” into the whole community, the whole nation, in fact the whole world? As we get our vaccines but continue to live in exile in this strange land, we mustn’t sit down and weep but get on with our lives corporately as best we can, giving thanks that humanity has a hope and a future. Rather than thinking smugly that we are alright (as those who remained in Jerusalem no doubt did) we remember those around the world who, are in exile now, who will never have the vaccine or who weep today for financial and personal loss.  How can we make music in this strange land?

TALKS

For those who missed our  Sunday talks you will find them here:
Sunday January 24^th https://youtu.be/JwIov_tMmeA  and

https://youtu.be/CbVB0yZCr_M
Sunday January 31^st  https://youtu.be/oTKm7AOCpr8

If you are new to accessing YouTube clips and need some help, just give Margaret or I a ring on 0151 378 0332 and we will help.

QUIZ ANSWERS

1.  11^th   2.  Andes   3.  Walter Scott   4.  Ice Hockey   5.  Rough Silk   6.  Piano  7.  617

8.  Cider   9.  Blackbird   10. Sweet   11. Hercule Poirot   12. 1642   13. Opera   14. 1955    

15. Ruddigore   16. 128   17. Busy Lizzie   18. 1917   19. The ear   20. Ville-Marie

ALWAYS LOOK ON THE BRIGHT SIDE OF LIFE

Together we will get through this.
Revd Neil Short

3.2.21