Dear sisters and brothers,
“Preach it, brother, preach it!”
Eleanor died of a stroke last Friday. Even in her eighties she was an unforgettable character. She and her husband met in 5th grade at school and through their local church. Brought up in a Christian home she never knew a time when she didn’t know Jesus loved her. With four children she and her husband lived in Kenya, the UK and Hong Kong with him working for the Bible Society. Everywhere they lived, even in “retirement” Eleanor sought out women to disciple and mentor. She did so individually and through small group leadership. Only the Final Day will reveal the impact of her regular phone calls with people in present and past churches, her hospitality, her thoughtful encouragement of preachers, her gospel-focussed life, her generosity and her love, especially for the struggling. She could talk easily with children, teenagers, young men and women, older men and women, people from other cultures and backgrounds, with the titled and with those who were homeless and destitute. She loved talking about Jesus. And she loved hearing about Jesus. Her favourite comment? “Preach it, brother, preach it!”
Eleanor exemplified the older Christian in a marvellous way. Which leads me to mention some of St Peter’s, St Andrew’s and Macarthur the Indigenous Church’s older Christians. It’s so encouraging to hear of our older (NB: I did NOT say, “elderly”!) believers caring for one another. COVID has brought all kinds of changes which have meant the loss of much fellowship with others. Yet numbers of our Indigenous members’ fellowship regularly around the word and singing; last week quite a number of our over 55’s got together for a fun time at the Palmers’ home. They plan to do this regularly. The Wednesday morning Growth Group is up and running again. I hear of people excited to be growing and helping others grow in their love for the Lord Jesus Christ and his word. While we are still not back to meeting face to face yet it is so encouraging to hear of older believers pressing on in loving service of others and the Lord.
COVID-19 SAFETY
While we are so looking forward to joining together again for fellowship and re-connecting in person, you will know that we need to do this safely and legally. We are, as you know, planning for some limited return to this from November 15.
At the risk of repeating myself, I remind you that meeting together will look very different to how it was back in February for our 10am and 6pm services. (At this stage we have no plans for 8am to return, but we are working on devising some). The church hall, where we have to meet, will be set out differently; there will be no congregational singing or the sharing of bibles and there are some conditions regarding entry. There can be no mingling before or afterwards, nor morning tea or supper.
Please remember this is all in place out of love for one another and in obedience to Government regulations, helping to ensure the health and safety of everyone returning to church.
We have registered our parish as COVID-19 Safe with the Government and we have COVID-19 Safety Plans which are constantly being reviewed and updated.
Whether you are joining us for a service or visiting the church during the week, please make sure you are abiding by our conditions of entry.
CONDITIONS OF ENTRY:
Those who choose to attend church in person will need to follow our church’s COVID-19 Safety Plan, which includes booking ahead of Sunday to indicate your intention to attend a service. It is highly likely we will be unable to run a kid’s program alongside church, though we continue to talk and pray about this.
So, what will need to happen?
· All site visitors must check-in upon arrival
· Please sanitise your hands as you enter the building (hand sanitiser will be provided) and/or wash your hands frequently for at least 20 seconds
· Please maintain physical distancing of 1.5m at all times
· Chairs are set out in accordance with social distancing requirements, please do not move your chair to be closer to others.
· Disinfectant wipes are provided on-site. Please use them to wipe down any hard surfaces that you touch
· There will be no sharing of bibles or news sheets
· Wearing of a mask is not required, but is highly recommended
Additionally, please do not visit the buildings:
· If you have travelled to Victoria in the past two weeks
· If you have travelled overseas in the past month
· If you have been at a COVID hotspot (as outlined by the NSW Health Public Health Orders and Restrictions)
· If you are experiencing a fever, cough, sore throat, shortness of breath or feeling generally unwell
· If you develop symptoms or start feeling sick while at Church please leave the premises immediately and inform a staff member.
That’s a lot! Of course, we will continue to livestream our 10am and 6pm services and to screen the pre-recorded 8am service each week. Provision for a kid’s program online will continue.
Churches all over the world are having to find ways to fellowship and to proclaim the gospel to a needy world. My friend Eleanor and her husband had set themselves to invite neighbours and friends over for tea or coffee on a Sunday morning to watch either their own church’s livestream service or the one broadcast each week from St Andrew’s Cathedral in Sydney. They didn’t always have their invitation accepted, of course. But it was their relaxed Jesus-centred determination to use the pandemic time profitably for the gospel which is such a great example and encouragement.
Will we be that kind of example and encouragement to others?
Your brother in our risen Lord,
Deryck
Acting Senior Minister