From the Churchwardens: July & August 2020

Opening Doors!

‘Behold I stand at the door and knock if anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in…..’ Revelation 3v20

In this season of Covid-19 when we have had to shut the doors of our church building, what a welcome invitation of freedom and release these words bring. The Lord’s presence is not confined to our communal places of worship, it is not bound by buildings, but He lives within us wherever we are. Many of us have been grateful also for the wonders of technology, opening virtual ‘doors’ that have enabled us to join in services not only from All Saints, but also with other church services throughout the country.

Nevertheless, there is something special about being able to come through the doors of a church building, especially All Saints, where generations have gathered together to worship the living God.

So it is, that the doors of All Saints will be open once more, initially for private prayer only, on Wednesdays and Sundays between 9.30-12.30 from July 1st. Once inside you will find that changes have been made to minimise potential areas of risk: the kitchen and toilets are closed, as are the cupboards and pigeon holes. The upholstered chairs have been replaced with wooden ones and the Bibles have been removed, so please come with your own Bible and a cushion if you wish.

There will be people on hand throughout these mornings to welcome you and to guide and help you in any way. For further information please click here.

In due course we will be able to hold services in church, and the Ministry team, led by Dave Coleshill and a PCC group, are exploring all options around when and how we may safely gather to worship together again. This will be something we will very much look forward to!

Vacancy News

At the beginning of June the Churchwardens and Parish Representatives received notification from the Archdeacon for Sheffield and Rotherham, Malcolm Chamberlain, that All Saints has been given the ‘go ahead’ to proceed with the appointment of an Oversight Minister at All Saints.

This is good news, however, it does mean that our Parish Representatives, along with others involved in the appointment process, will have to discern how best to move forward through the selection process.

The Parish Representatives, Alison Fletcher and Michael Gordon, along with the Churchwardens, Sarah Leighton and Ruth Watkin, met with the Archdeacon and the Patron’s Representative: Archdeacon John Hawley, via Zoom, on 23rd June. This meeting gave all parties an opportunity to discuss the proposal to appoint a Priest in Charge at All Saints who, along with the Priest in Charge at St.Gabriel’s, will have strategic oversight of the Mission Area of Ecclesall Bierlow and Greystones.

The process to appoint a new Minister at All Saints can now begin again. This starts by looking, again, at the Role Description and Person Specification, to ensure that both of these include the new criteria stated by the Diocese, as well as the specific requirements already identified by the All Saints PCC. It also involves work on the Parish Profile to ensure that this is up-to-date at the time of advertising. Work on all three of these documents has begun in earnest with the Vacancy Working Group working to produce new proposed documents to bring to the PCC as soon as possible.

Once the All Saints PCC has approved these documents, the Parish Representatives will work with the Archdeacon, and others involved in the appointment process, to produce the advert and discern the selection process. This would take time under ‘usual’ circumstances and is likely to take longer due to the current situation. It is, however, underway and this is good news. Please continue to pray for all those involved: the Vacancy Working Group, PCC and Parish Representatives; for wisdom, patience and understand as we discern the way forward and update the documentation.

Please continue to pray for the person God is preparing for All Saints, that He will stir in their hearts a desire to apply, and an excitement to come and minister at All Saints.

APCM update

As the church family are aware, we were not able to hold the Annual Parochial Church Meeting on 20th May 2020 due to the Covid 19 pandemic.

We very much hope that the All Saints PCC will be able to set a date for this meeting, along with the Annual Parish Meeting, in the Autumn (at the end of September or early October) but this continues to depend on government guidance regarding how restrictions are lifted.

The Annual Report was due to be made available prior to the planned APCM in May and work on this was taking place when lockdown began in March. Unfortunately, it was necessary to pause work to put together the annual reports to address challenges and changes brought about by Covid 19, and having to work and conduct the governance of the church in a different way.

Work on the Annual Report has now begun again and this will be brought to the All Saints PCC for approval as soon as possible following which it will be made available to the church family.

Thank you for your patience and understanding.

#BlackLivesMatter | A message from the Bishop of Sheffield

The Bishop of Sheffield wrote to churches of the Diocese this week. 

 #BlackLivesMatter

Today it is exactly two weeks since the shocking death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. He was killed after a white police officer knelt on his neck for almost nine minutes. The compassion of the Good Samaritan in Jesus’ parable stands in terrible contrast to that brutal act of inhumanity.

Racism is a pernicious evil. It’s an issue not just for the people of the USA, but for the UK too; it’s an issue not just in society generally, but for the Church of England too. As your bishops, we gladly associate ourselves with the statement issued by the Archbishops which you can find here.

But in one sense, statements are easily made. In February of this year, the General Synod voted by 295 votes to 0 not only to lament our past failure to confront racism within the Church of England and to acknowledge with gratitude the contribution of BAME Anglicans, but to increase their participation and representation in all parts of our church life. We firmly re-commit ourselves to that goal in the Diocese of Sheffield.

Meanwhile, if you are looking for a practical step that you can take, or that you can encourage the members of your church to take, then a good place to begin might be by investing in your own awareness of scale of the challenge we face in this area. We recommend an excellent webinar available on YouTube, which focuses on the disproportionate impact of Covid-19 on people from black and minority ethnic backgrounds but also engages with the wider challenges of, and tangible steps to address, racial inequalities in our church. You can watch it here.

The panel includes Ben Lindsay, author of “We Need to Talk About Race” and a digital version of his book is available from SPCK at just 99p until 19th June from here

Do also please look out for a forthcoming study of institutional racism and the Church of England called ‘Ghost Ship’ by Azariah France-Williams which is due for publication at the end of July. I commend these resources to every parish. 

From the Churchwardens: June 2020

Generous June

Generosity has always begun with God. Generosity began in the wondrous creation of the universe, not just in its glory, its complexity, its beauty, and its infinite nature but also in how God knitted it together with love. Genesis 1 tells of how God spoke creation into being, and at its culmination on the 6th day, declared it was very good! Our world belongs to the Creator and we are blessed by His generosity not just in its beauty but that He chooses to share it with us.

As Psalm 24 reminds us: The earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it, the world and those who live in it

Through the current COVID-19 crisis, there has been a wonderful outpouring of generosity, in our country, in our community and in our church. It began at the start of lockdown, when people identified those who were vulnerable in their neighbourhood around them. Phone trees and WhatsApp groups ushered in a wave of generosity. People have been generous with time, with money, with care and compassion as shopping has been bought and delivered, phone and zoom calls have been made. Generosity begins with God but it also brings out the best in us.

Yet as the crisis continues, we are going to continue to require generosity. Generosity to the frontline workers who are starting to tire in the marathon tasks and responsibilities they are facing. Generosity to those who are starting to experience the long-term effects of isolation, both physically and mentally. Generosity to children and young people who have lost a special time of their lives to the crisis. Generosity to those who have already started to feel financial pressures upon them and those who are already worried about their jobs and their livelihood. Generosity to organisations like All Saints that are funded through continuous generous giving.

Over the next month, we are going to be engaging with ‘Generous June’, a shared project between Diocese of Sheffield and the Diocese of Winchester. You can find out more at the website: https://www.generousjune.co.uk/. As the website declares on its frontpage – this is a month where we are looking at ‘Understanding God’s Generosity’. Over the next months through our daily reflections and in our Sunday services we are going to be looking at the theme of generosity, beginning with God’s generosity to us. Throughout this month, we will be reading through the Book of Luke. Please do join with us as we see that generosity is at the heart of the Gospel message. We will be hearing from Bishop Pete as well as Bishop David Williams, former curate of this church who was last with us at the Big Church Weekend Away. As we understand more about God’s generosity, our hope is that you will be challenged to think upon the places where you reflect that Divine generosity.

We hope you will be able to celebrate the many ways in which you are being generous already, as well as seeing other places where your generosity is needed too. Dan Christian

Alistair Stevenson

This is not so much as a farewell to Alistair and his family, as they move into the parish next door, but a message of heartfelt thanks. When Alistair arrived, as a fresh-faced enthusiastic, newly-married young man, he set about envisaging a plan for the young people of our church; transforming the work and leading so many young people to Jesus. That passion has never left: as his family grew so did his call to serve God in ordained ministry. Those whom he guided will be forever grateful for the part he played in their own discipleship journey. Houseparties, groups, cafes, sports clubs, small groups, music and worship, even a visit to Tanzania, are examples of his boundless energy and desire to encourage and serve.

Thank-you also to Catherine. Together they have shown unwavering support and love for the church family at All Saints, each playing their own part, and sacrificing family time. St Gabriel’s and the Greystones community will, undoubtedly, be blessed by Alistair’s full-time leadership and ministry; bringing all his talents and time to serving God there, talents and time that we will miss greatly at All Saints. Alistair and Catherine may God bless you and keep you as you continue your ministry to bring other to know the love of Jesus.

David Onac

We’ll be sorry to say ‘good-bye’ to David at the end of this month after two and a half years with us as Director of Choral Music. On the other hand, we’ll be pleased to ‘let him go’ as he leaves All Saints to get married and settle in Manchester. We’ve had the privilege of enjoying his many gifts as a very accomplished musician and composer. Inspired by his own living faith, David has encouraged the choir; has arranged many new settings for them, and organised and contributed to some wonderful festival celebrations, which have uplifted our spirits through praise and worship. Behind the scenes he has re-organised our music resources, including a method of identifying how hymns and songs are chosen for each service. By digitalising over 200 items from All Saints’ extensive music library, he will have left a valuable database which will be easily accessible for future musicians and worship leaders.

Our thanks go to David for his dedication and commitment to All Saints. He has blessed us in so many ways during his time with us, so we send him out now, with our blessings for a richly fulfilling future, as with his new wife Elena he embarks on the next stage of his journey.

All Saints financial update

We want to keep the church family informed as much as possible with updated information about the church finances. We are truly blessed by the giving of so many at All Saints: time, talents, experience, as well as financial. The church family has not received a financial update since the Stewardship Campaign and the brief update in January. A financial update was due to take place at the APCM scheduled for the 20th May. As this has been postponed and the financial position has changed as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdown, Julia Newton, our Deputy Treasurer, has written a paper giving updated information regarding the current financial position. You can access the financial update by clicking here.

Please take time to read through this paper. If you have any comments or questions please contact Julia using the email address: julia.newton@allsaintsecclesall.org.uk or by ringing the church office on 0114 268 7574 and leaving your name, number and a short message so that Julia can get back to you.

Stories from Isolation

Over the coming weeks we would like to share with the church family experiences and reflections from those in lockdown. As the restrictions begin to lift we will continue to share stories of the things that people are facing, and how it has both enriched and challenged their faith.

It is important for us remember that we are all experiencing this time differently. For all of us there will be good days and there will be bad days. It’s important that we ‘check in’ with one another, and keep talking.

Today’s set of stories are specifically from people who live by themselves.

Kate’s Story (retired)

The lockdown started a week early for me. I’d just come back from an international Christian medical education conference, and waved goodbye to my two Finnish friends, both nurses who’d been at the conference and stayed on for a couple of days with me. The next night I woke at 2am with a temperature, a cough and was feeling really rough. I diagnosed Covid 19. I’d clearly caught it at the conference because over the next couple of days 18 of the 70 delegates reported in with symptoms, including my two Finnish nursing friends. Although there was no testing for UK doctors and nurses, all the delegates who developed symptoms on their return to Europe and the USA tested positive for Covid 19.

So what’s having Covid 19 like when you live on your own? I’ll not go into the nitty gritty but suffice to say it was not easy. Thankfully my symptoms turned out to relatively mild, in that I didn’t need to go into hospital but they lasted three weeks. During that time I struggled to do the simplest of things. For the best part of a week I lay in bed watching feel good movies and never seeing the end because I kept falling asleep. Loosing my sense of smell and taste meant that it didn’t matter too much that I wasn’t up to doing the washing.

But what about my faith during this time? If I’m honest I found it hard to pray at first. As well as my physical symptoms I felt I was on an emotional roller coaster as I struggled with the news about the devastation the virus was causing in Italy and Spain and other people’s fears. However listening to some of my favourite Christian music that reminded me of God’s faithfulness, His love, care and compassion really strengthened me. I was also encouraged by other peoples’ prayers – especially friends who prayed over me during a phone call, and by the Wholeness team who made contact and prayed faithfully for me through the worst of my illness.

Looking back now I can see God’s hand so clearly at work watching over me, and looking after me. By way of example, the Lord provided medical oversight. My neighbour who’s a doctor insisted that I text her first thing each morning so that she could check that I was OK. Then later in the morning I made a WhatsApp call to my Finnish friend Marike who had Covid 19 post-conference, to check how she was. Marike was being monitored daily by public health and infectious diseases doctors in Helsinki who telephoned her each afternoon to assess how she was doing. I was able to feed in my questions and later that afternoon Marike would WhatsApp the answers and we’d pray together. This was particularly reassuring as at the time there was very little UK based information available about the progress of the disease.

The Lord also provided for my physical needs. We’re all familiar with how the Lord provided manna for the Israelites in the wilderness and how they became fed up of eating the same food everyday. In contrast I was really blessed by church family who brought meals round each day: nourishing home made soups, bread and cakes for lunch, and delicious evening meals when I hadn’t got the strength to cook myself. It was amazing that each day friends from church contacted me spontaneously to bring food – there was always enough and never too much.

As I started on the road to recovery, it’s been much easier to pray and read the Bible regularly. I’ve felt able to spend time each morning enjoying the Church of England Lent and Easter reflections and more recently our daily church reflections. I acquired the full set of recordings of David Suchet reading the Bible and I’m listening to a few chapters each day. His reading really brings the Bible alive. Listening to Christian music has also been uplifting. It’s also been a real joy to engage with Echo and Home Group meetings and Community Bible Study via Zoom. Sunday morning church services have given a real sense of worshipping together as church family, although I will find it hard when church services resume and I can’t start the service with a cappuccino.  

I am a keen gardener and feel really blessed to enjoy God’s amazing creation as Spring bursts forth. As soon as I felt well enough I planted lots of vegetable seeds and I am looking forward to planting the seedlings out soon. I’ve great plans for some major work in the garden but that will have to wait until I am fully recovered – two months after symptoms started I’m still not back to my former level of fitness. Bike rides through the Peak District are a distant memory and a future dream.

As I look back over the past two months I’ve been struck by how helpful our verse for the year has been ‘For God alone my soul waits in silence, for my hope is from Him; He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress: I shall not be shaken. (Psalm 62:5-6).  During the most difficult days of my illness and what has seemed like a slow recovery, God’s promises have stood firm, He has poured out His love for me, and my faith has not been shaken.

Julia’s story (retired)

The most challenging aspect is definitely so little of the face to face personal contact which is normally such an important part of our lives.  I’d never heard of Zoom before “lock down”  and I shall certainly be “Zoomed out” by the end of it!  Yes modern technology is a blessing when it works and for those of us with access to it, it is providing an invaluable means of working and staying in touch with family or friends but I struggle to fully embrace it.  When you press the “leave the meeting” button, the silence that reigns in my study is eerie and I miss that so important informal reflection on the meeting or event with colleagues  or friends. As someone who didn’t use social media before “lock down”, I shall be glad to “cast it aside” and go back to being able to meet in person. A real hug is so much better than a virtual one.  The simple pleasure of coffee and cake with a friend in a café.  A coffee not made by me!

Like other difficult times in my life, I find my faith grows stronger. Like everyone I’m having low moments and am frustrated by the inability to plan ahead, but I continue to be massively re-assured by God’s presence and love.   I was doing some research for a small group study the other week and the verse that particularly resonated was Philippians 4: v7. NRSV says “And the peace of God which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”  I was actually reading the Message translation which somehow spoke more meaningfully to me at this time.  “It’s wonderful  what happens when Christ displaces worry at the centre of your life.”

IMG_4617 (1).JPG

As someone who is used to having a full diary and a structure to my week, an empty diary in “lock down” is not going to work and so I’ve been careful to schedule things in for every day, even if some are very mundane!  I’ve drawn up a spreadsheet with all the various family and friends I am normally in contact with and am tracking when I make contact and scheduling in lots of phone calls etc.  It’s amazing how time can go by without realising that I haven’t been in contact,  if I don’t!

bday flowers (1).JPG

I find it useful to be happy to strike up conversation with strangers when standing in the shopping queue or on my walks.  The kindness of strangers has become more important. I’m thankful to those who do engage rather than look fixedly at their phones when waiting with a trolley to go into the supermarket and I’ll always be grateful to a lady (I don’t know her name) but her dog is called Henry, who stopped for a chat in the park (at a suitable distance) and rightly sensing that I was in need of a chat,  told me all about how his training as a guide dog for the blind was being interrupted by the social distancing restrictions. 

It’s been my birthday during lock down and I felt particularly blessed by the gifts that have helped keep hobbies going like a new jigsaw and pot of plants for the garden.

Anonymous Story (retired)

My experience of life on my own during lockdown has been fine so far.  I think it helps that I have been on my own for a long time and I’m quite happy with my own company.  Obviously I am missing seeing family and friends, but at least technology helps us keep in contact. Pilates continues on ‘Zoom’ as does my book group.

I know that life would be so much bleaker without my faith and the support of the church family.  Echo and Small Groups continue online and there is much laughter in them as well as the sharing of God’s word. We meet more regularly than usual, and I am appreciating the extra bible study I am doing as a result of this.

I recognise that I am fortunate that none of my loved ones have had this dreadful disease. It only takes a moment for things to change.  I know that should this happen the church family will be there to support me in prayers and love.

Rachel’s story (works full time)

I absolutely love living on my own, and I’m extremely blessed to have been able to buy a place for myself. It’s my sanctuary. My job is hectic and usually I will see and talk to many people, and do many varied tasks. Coming home to a space that I can control, that is quiet and relaxing is wonderful.

Lock down for me interrupted so many of the things that I have come to realise keep me mentally well. Not being able to leave my home, or see others is hard, as it is for everyone, but for me I found the strain of working and living in the same room awful. My mood was affected, I found it more difficult to ‘switch off’ and I got frustrated often. I had a terrible weekend a few weeks ago where I could barely get out of bed, I just felt so down.

I’m now working back in the office, in a safe and controlled environment which allows me to keep myself well both physically and mentally. When you live by yourself you don’t always have someone that you can talk to about how you are feeling, or someone who will pick up on your change of mood. It’s important to trust yourself and ‘check in’ on yourself often. I’ve also had to be kinder to myself, and accept that if I don’t get everything done that I’d like to, then as long as I’ve done what I can, that is all I can do. This counts not just for work, but also for home life. I certainly don’t think that my flat is tidier than usual, lock down has not inspired me to do more cleaning!

In terms of church, I really struggle to engage online. I think for me it’s about human contact. Worshipping together, having a laugh, feeling a part of something, it’s so much harder to do that when you are staring at a screen. My prayer life has remained important to me. I see God’s work in every good new story on the telly, every Thursday when I clap for those incredible key workers and the kindness that people have shown me. When you’re on your own, having a small meal delivered (or a brownie from a friend walking by) might sounds insignificant but it has the most amazing effect on your mood. My one request would be to remind church people that when they suggest you might like to ‘gather with your household’, it doesn’t take me very long. ‘Gather’, what an interesting concept that has become.

From the Churchwardens: May 2020

Life is what happens when we are making other plans

This quote, by Allen Saunders, was a 'Quote for the Day' on 20th April 2019. It resonated then and it is especially applicable now as we find our plans and our lives 'on hold' and confront all the effects and implications of the Coronavirus epidemic. As with any unexpected and unlooked-for change in life, it's not what happens but how we respond that matters. It's how we adapt and change that is the challenge, and for us all we will be adapting and changing to the many different situations and circumstances we now face.

This is the challenge we face too, as we seek to communicate with our church family in all the ways that are available to us; whether we are in family groups working from home connected via the internet or whether we are isolated at home alone with only the use of a landline.

Meanwhile the day to day running of the church continues. The ministry team are working hard to continue to connect with the whole church family. They continue to bring us services online, as well as provide Daily Reflections through the website and on social media. Packs have been made for, and distributed to, those in our church family who find accessing church online difficult. Pastoral care continues through personal contacts within the church family, homegroups, and the work of the Pastoral Care team. There is a clergy in residence phone for those who need to contact one of the associate vicars (07752 261693). Do ring this number to speak with either Dan or Beth. If you need to leave a message, they will get back to you that day or the following morning.

The governance of the church continues. PCC, PCC Exec and other standing committees continue to meet and conduct the business of the church though they, like others, are having to find new ways to do this.

Some things, however, are going to have to wait. The Annual Parishioners Meeting (APM) and Annual Parochial Church Meeting, both due to take place on Wednesday 20th May, have to be postponed until further notice. The current PCC members and Churchwardens continue in office until the APM and APCM, which we hope will be no later than the autumn.

We are working hard to address some of the challenges resulting from the current pandemic. In particular the impact on the church finances largely resulting from the loss of income from the Halls as they remain closed. Some members of the All Saints staff team have agreed to Furlough Leave, which is a government scheme to support businesses to retain staff during this crisis, and this covers a portion of the lost income but it does mean that these staff members are not working at the moment. Rachel, our Operations Manager continues to work, as does our Finance Office, Janet and Mike our Estates Caretaker. Beth, Dan, Alistair and Rosie continue their ministries.

Our prayer is that no-one is left out or 'forgotten' at this time. Please get in contact if you are aware of anyone to whom this applies.

While the church building remains closed, for the foreseeable future, we want to continue as Church together in all the ways that are open to us.

Please do stay in contact.

‘The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you’

Numbers 6: 24-25

Thy Kingdom Come

21-31 May 2020

The days between Ascension and Pentecost have always been special days for the Church. For the last few years Christians all around the world have joined together under the banner Thy Kingdom Come, praying that people will come to know God’s saving love in Christ. Here at All Saints we have engaged in 24-7 prayer and gathered for prayer and worship at the joint Beacon service at the Cathedral.

This year will be very different and yet very similar. Similar in that we will be encouraging each other to commit to pray over these 11 days, and to connect with others around the Diocese. We are planning to begin this on May 21st with an online prayer service on Ascension Day.

We will then join with Thy Kingdom Come daily reflections online, and there will be activities for children and youth. The members of our church family who do not have internet access will be posted a booklet of daily readings and prayers. Like last year, we will be doing a 24-hour prayerathon. On May 31st we will be celebrating Pentecost, as All Saints, and with the Beacon Service at which Bishop Sophie will be preaching.

Plans are coming together…so look out for more information soon.

From our Parish Representatives

There are so many people and situations to pray for at this time: personal, national and international, but can we please encourage you to continue to pray for the vacancy at church and our future new incumbent.

Many of us were understandably disappointed when we couldn’t advertise our vacancy at the start of the New Year as we had hoped. Of course God already knew then what was about to happen before any of us had even heard of Covid-19 or social distancing .

The timing was in His hands.

When we finally come to a point in time when the Diocese give us the green light to advertise for a new incumbent, we will most likely need to review all our existing documentation.

It is quite possible that in the light of this challenging and unusual experience, we may decide we want a slightly different emphasis on the person specification. Or maybe we won’t? 

Whoever comes, as the next vicar of All Saints, will find us in a different place post Covid-19 than had it never occurred.

God is in control and He will be working in the life of our future incumbent as they experience this season, just as He is working in all our lives - individually and as a church family. The timing remains in His hands.

 Michael Gordon & Alison Fletcher

Parish Representatives

DH_Freephone.jpg

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, has launched a free national phone line as a simple new  way   to   bring   worship   and   prayer   into people’s homes while church buildings are closed because of the coronavirus. Daily Hope offers music, prayers and reflections as well as full worship services from the Church of England at the end of a telephone line. The line is available 24 hours a day on 0800 804 8044 . It has been set up particularly with those unable to join online church services during the period of restrictions in mind.

From the Churchwardens: April 2020

‘And once again I look upon the Cross where you died,

I’m humbled by your mercy, and I’m broken inside.

Once again I thank you, once again I pour our my heart.’

The Cross of Jesus is and always has been at the centre of our faith. It is the symbol we bear and it is the crux of everything we are as Christians. Once again, this month we walk together in remembrance of the journey of Christ to the cross and yet I am sure this year will feel different. With the spread of the Covid-19 virus and with the country in ‘lockdown’, we will not be celebrating Easter as we normally do. There will be no Palm Sunday donkeys; reminding us of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. There will be no Maundy Thursday Agape/Passover meal; as we reflect on the last supper and roots of our faith in Jesus’ Jewish identity. There will be no Good Friday service, march, reflection, or even hot cross buns, and we won’t be able to meet on the most joyful Sunday of the year, celebrating Jesus’ resurrection and the hope of New Life.

Yet, even without being able to gather in these ways, once again we can look at the cross where Christ died and maybe this year, a unique perspective on it might resonate with us.

One of the most famous saying Jesus declares on the cross is, ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’ Is it often called the ‘Cry of Dereliction’. Jesus quotes from Psalm 22 and if you read the entirety of that Psalm it resounds with loneliness of the Cross. These words are so powerful because Jesus, God’s Son, is experiencing separation from his Father for the first time. This is not just a cry of anguish or pain, it is a cry of isolation as the Trinity, the very essence of God, is separated. It is through the lens of enforced isolation that this perspective on the cross becomes so important. Christ on the cross takes the consequences of the sinful world in which we live and is isolated

from his Father by dying on the Cross. As the Romans intended it to be, the Cross becomes the ultimate symbol of isolation, the place where God himself dies. The Cross is the place where Jesus experiences and understands the truest sense of ‘alone-ness’. Once again, I look at the Cross and maybe this time, I find the God who understands the isolation of those living through a pandemic.

But that is not the end of the story, Friday is always intricately linked to Sunday. The Cross can never be separated from the resurrection. We live, through Christ’s sacrifice, in the hope of Easter. It is this hope that we can hold on to through our isolation from each other. A hope which doesn’t diminish the pain and the difficulty of our sufferings, but which points to a brighter future. A hope which acknowledges the costs and sacrifices laid down, and gives them value by declaring that they were worth something. A hope which uses the isolation of God on the Cross to promise us that in his love, we are never alone. Once again I look at the Cross where you died and once again I am thankful that you meet us in our broken isolation and declare, ‘I am with you’.

There may not be any donkeys this year, but there is still the celebration of Palm Sunday that we follow ‘the Servant King’. There may not be a ‘Bring and Share meal’, but we will be in communion together as we remember the Last Supper in our own homes. There may not be Hot Cross Buns in the halls, but there is still the Cross – reminding that Christ has taken true isolation away from us. There may not be an Easter service, but there is hope, always and forever, that even through the toughest times God is bringing us into his brighter future.

                                                                 Dan Christian

You can read the full copy of the ‘From The Churchwarden’s as a PDF by clicking on this link.

Coronavirus Update- 25.03.20

In light of the Government guidance around non-essential contact, the Archbishops of Canterbury and York have issued advice that all church buildings are closed.

What does this mean for All Saints?

Following the instruction from the government, our church building is closed for the foreseeable future. We have also closed our church halls and the groups that use it are not meeting. In the coming days we will be sending out information about how we will still continue to ‘be church’ and support each other, especially the most vulnerable among us whilst we are not physically able to meet. This would include online services and access to study material.

At the moment, if you need to get in touch with us we recommend you emailing us. If you don’t have an email for a specific person then please email office@allsaintsecclesall.org.uk and we will ensure that it is passed on. You can also call us and leave an answerphone message on 0114 2687574. These messages will be picked up daily from Monday-Friday.

We are encouraging our Small Groups to keep in touch with one another and identify how they can support one another in a way that works for them. Please do check in with the other members of your small group. If you know of anyone who is not a part of a group, and who may be isolated, if you can reach out to them to offer support that would make a huge difference.

What about weddings and funerals?

The Church of England have issued clear guidance regarding weddings and funerals.

In the case of weddings, it recommends that the numbers attending the ceremony should be limited to the legal minimum of five people: the priest, the bride and groom and two witnesses.

Funerals may now only happen at the Crematorium or at the graveside. Only immediate family members can attend (if the crematorium allows) – that is, spouse or partner, parents and children, keeping their distance in the prescribed way.

What does this mean for the Church Halls?

Our church halls are closed and will remain closed until we receive updated information from the government.

Is the church office still open?

We are still functioning, but remotely. This means that it may take a little longer for you to get a response. Our post is still being checked on a regular basis.

We appreciate that this is a challenging and worrying time for many people, we want our church family, and our wider community to know that we are with you and we will remain with you throughout this time. We will provide updates as they are available.

God Bless,

All Saints, Ecclesall

From the Churchwardens March 2020

The pancakes are all eaten, and we’ve entered Lent. These six weeks leading up to Easter are a time of earnest obedience and preparation for the celebration of the death and resurrection of Jesus at Easter. From its start last week on Ash Wednesday until its conclusion on Easter Sunday, Lent has been a traditional time for fasting or giving something up. Just as we carefully prepare for events in our personal lives, as a wedding, or birthday, Lent invites us to make our hearts and minds ready for Easter and to recommit ourselves to follow Christ.

This year we are joining with the Church of England’s Lent focus, caring for God’s creation. We will be exploring the urgent need for us to value and protect the abundance God has created. We have three great guest speakers lined up for our evening services. Each week we’ll be looking at a different aspect of the creation story in Genesis 1. Jo Chamberlain (National Environment Officer for the Church of England) is speaking on 8th March on the theme of water. On 15th March Catherine Stevenson will be talking about how to make realistic and practical changes at home to be more environmentally aware. And on 29th March Sarah Robinson (Asst Director of Hope for the Future) will be sharing from her experience of being involved in campaigning for political action on climate change. Do consider coming to our 6pm services during Lent even if you do not normally come along on Sunday evenings.

Do join with us for our 40 day challenge. Pick up a booklet from church, or even better, sign up for the app. Perhaps you could try out a small group or read our Lent book by Ruth Valerio. Why not take the opportunity to connect with the beauty of God’s Creation on the women’s walk in the peaks (Angels in Dirty Boots) on 21st March. Or encourage clothing sustainability by coming to the clothes swap on 26th March, or the Proms for All and All for Prom event on 5th April. More details about each of these are on the website, in the notice sheet, or at the back of church. God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. Gen 1.31.