|
We head into July… the second July under covid restrictions. I’m
pretty sure none of us thought our lives would be still wrapped up in a global pandemic for quite so long. Even this time
last year, when we’d been watching and waiting for five months, it had lasted too long. Now after nearly eighteen long
months, restrictions are being lifted… in different ways, in different places and with varying results. Most of us
have had at least one vaccine, some are “double jabbed” and raring to get out and about. Some are still a little
wary… being told it’s not safe to be outside amongst people can leave you feeling a little unwilling to risk
it. But hopefully as the summer progresses we will find that life does return to something more like what it used to be like…
but not exactly…
Life may well stay that little bit different for a long time… masks may remain a
necessary evil, maybe we’ll keep on washing our hands more, thinking a bit more before we cough or sneeze… Maybe
we’ll continue with some of the other changes we’ve brought about. There have been some good changes, additions
and alterations to behaviour and ways of life. Maybe we’ll carry on looking after our neighbours, shopping for each
other, volunteering in local events and help schemes, chatting to people in the street, doing what is needed to be done even
if it’s not what we want or is inconvenient because it’s better for everyone else if we do…
It
often takes a huge event- like a global pandemic… or a war… to make people pull together and work for a common
good. Usually we’re not very good at putting others… or the world… first. It’s each man (or woman)
for himself. In fact if you think back to the beginning of all this covid battle, we were very slow at adapting to the rules
because we didn’t want to! Why did we need masks, all that keeping at a distance and then keeping apart from friends
and family. People broke, or didn’t follow the rules… and we got cross again. How dare they?! Everyone
should follow the rules -it’s only fair and sensible…
So… how did you take to a whole upturn
in your way of life? Did you follow the rules from day one? Or take a while to accept they were necessary and reluctantly
change your habits? Or are you a rebel and you’ve been flouting the rules all along?!
Here in
church we’ve tried to follow the advice given out, particularly by our local health officers. Hopefully soon restrictions
will be lifted further, we’ll be able to sing, have meetings in the hall , sit in any pew we choose, have coffee after
services… all those things we’ve missed. And maybe we’ll realise how these things which didn’t seem
very big or important actually mean quite a lot. Hopefully our friends in The Hosanna Congregation will be able to resume
their worship on Sunday afternoons. It will be good to welcome them back.
Until we are able to hold meetings other
than worship services, we will continue to hold our members meetings in church after morning service on the 4th Sunday …
in July and August, to review the restrictions for the September meeting. Please do make every effort to be there.
Keep safe, God Bless
The Deacons.
.
Elsewhere in this Newsletter:
|
