NEWS FROM ST MARY'S CHURCH

On Sunday morning at the start of lockdown, just after the churches had closed for corporate worship, one of the clergy sent me the above photo with the caption "offering prayers in an empty church this morning". I was a little unprepared for the depth of emotion it evoked!

In Psalm 137 the people pour out their lament, as they ache and long to be back together, worshipping God in their sacred place. We long for that too!

Cut off as we may feel, we can still praise God that He's not limited to particular buildings, and that wherever we are, at any moment, He is "not far from any one of us". (Acts 17)

Nevertheless, there is something special about once again being able to meet God in church for private prayer this week, drawing inspiration from the surroundings, and knowing that generations of worshippers have been there before us.

A WEEK IN NUMBERS

GIFTS FOR MUMS

Emma and I were having a conversation a few weeks ago and realised that if this tough situation of restriction is going to last until at least September we were only half way through - that made us both feel rather overwhelmed, not least as Mums ourselves juggling all the different needs of the family, and we decided it was time for all the Mums to have a little treat and note of encouragement and solidarity.

So we set about making that happen! We had amazing donations of beautiful flower bouquets from Helen Pooley and her team, truffles from Wild Thyme and each pack had bubble bath, a colouring book, notebook and a few other treats with a note from us attached to a tea bag!

The Mums' Bags went out with the Friday delivery last week and we know from the lovely messages of surprise and gratitude that they we much appreciated. This week it is the Dads' turn for a bag of recognition and goodies.

In our work we are seeing the very real daily struggles that Covid-19 is creating for the families in our town. Our desire to is let them know that they matter, each one of them, and show them the love of Jesus through everything we do and it has been incredible what opportunities and relationships are opening up in response. 

-Catherine

CHURCH OPEN FOR PRIVATE PRAYER

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND MORAL MACHINES

North Cotswold Gospel Partnership invite you to an evening with Prof Nigel Crook, Founder and Co-Director of the Institute for Ethical Artificial Intelligence, Oxford Brookes University.

“Can machines be programmed to know the difference between right and wrong? Can they be equipped with a ’moral compass’ to guide their behaviour? More specifically, can machines be moral agents? This is a tough question because the answer ultimately depends on our understanding of what it means to be human. In this talk I will attempt to address these as I explore the work that is being done in the emerging field of ‘moral machines’.”

Join Prof Nigel Crook on Zoom at 7pm on Thursday 25th June, when he’ll share some of his perspectives as an expert in the field.

THURSDAY THOUGHT

ENCOUNTER - THIS SUNDAY!

ALPHA

Our new Alpha Online course began very successfully on Tuesday, with 16 guests who all participated in the small groups and seemed to very much enjoy the experience.

Alpha Online is running for another five weeks and it's not too late to join us for the rest of the journey!

Each week we watch a video and then have the opportunity to discuss the content and ask questions.

If these times have raised big questions for you, or someone you know, then please get in touch, so that we can let you know how to join in. office@stmaryscnorton.com or 01608 646202.

Alpha started Tuesday 16th June and runs for six weeks. Meet at 7:30pm to watch the 20ish minute video. Or watch the video beforehand and join at 8:00pm to discuss.

CLOSE ENCOUNTERS

RESOURCE OF THE WEEK

Healthy Faith and the Coronavirus Crisis, edited by Kristi Mair and Luke Cawley

Gareth says, “This is a remarkably comprehensive collection of essays from 20 Christian leaders, thinkers and authors, considering the impact of the Coronavirus on subjects such as prayer, loneliness, work, family, grief and humour. This is a great resource for anybody who wants to more deeply consider what ‘healthy faith’ may look like during these times.”

Paperback and eBook are both available to buy from IVP Books.