14th July 2020
Dear Friends,
I am writing this letter on Tuesday the 14th day of July with a bit of good news on the horizon. You may have heard recently that the Northern Ireland Executive are beginning to ease some of the lockdown measures that we have been living under for the past 4 months. The church building has been closed, but the church (that’s us) is still very much alive and active and we will certainly not forget the word Covid-19. It has been hard for all of us socially, physically and spiritually to adhere to these lockdown rules, but it was and is for our own safety. No one could have predicted that we would have been under virtual house arrest for 4 months but, we also need to remember that this virus has not gone away and make wise decisions about moving forward.
The good news is that we are going to commence services of worship in Trinity on Sunday 2nd August at 10:00am However, there are certain procedures that we must adhere too in order to stay safe and be safe while we meet together. Please do not feel pressurised or feel guilty about not returning to church if you are concerned about your own personal health or that of a family member as we are also hoping to live-stream the service at the same time.
We should reflect on the truth that God is still in control and he knows the end from the beginning. He has given us a brain and we should use wisdom; I saw a picture of a tomato recently and written below it were these words; knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit, wisdom is knowing not to include in a fruit salad.
When we return to church the following mitigations will be in place. On arrival at the front door, your will be greeted by a member of the church who will sanitize your hands. Your contact details will be recorded for the purpose of contact tracing in case we need to get in touch with you. Then you will be guided to a seat using social distancing measures. There will be no singing during the service and no offering will be collected, but there will be an opportunity to leave offerings in the Foyer. After the service you will be guided out of the building using social distancing measures. We will have to be creative and patient in the weeks and months ahead as we adjust to this new way of worshipping God. Hopefully, more rules will be relaxed, and this virus will disappear as quickly as it appeared in 2020.
There is a song that George Beverly Shea sings that reminds us that God is still on the throne; God is still on the throne, And He will remember His own; Though trials may press us and burdens distress us, He never will leave us alone. God is still on the throne, And He will remember His own; His promise is true, He will not forget you; God is still on the throne.
Rev. Alan Craig
Verse of the day