You can download a copy of this week’s edition here.
During COVID-19, when sadly our Churches are closed, there will be a few paper copies of Partners in the Church Porches at Breamore, Fordingbridge, Hale, Hyde and Woodgreen.
If you have an article or information that you would like to have included in Partners please e-mail it to Gail at church.office@fordingbridge.com specifying the dates that you would like it to appear.
Please ensure that all articles are sent to the church office by 9am on the Thursday before publication.
WORSHIP – Every day at 10.00a.m. – As we are unable to our Churches at the moment, we’re providing on-line worship. Every day at 10.00 there is a ‘Thought for the Day’, and on Sundays, at the same time, a Sunday Service. These can be found in one of three ways – all called ‘Avon Valley Churches’: on the Facebook box on our website (you don’t have to join Facebook to see these), on Facebook itself, or on our new YouTube Channel – again, you don’t need to sign in to use YouTube.
If there is a Sunday Service Sheet, it is also on our website, and sent out with the Partners link – which means you can pray the Service at any time, or print/view a copy to join in with the video. We’ll also try to send out copies of some of the ‘Thoughts for the Day’ by e-mail, when these are available.
HOLY WEEK
Palm Sunday, April 5th: As well as the 10.00 Holy Communion, there is a Palm Sunday Service at 6.00.
Monday of Holy Week: ‘Thought for the Day’ at 10.00; 7.00p.m., Prayer Round the Cross.
Tuesday of Holy Week: ‘Thought for the Day’ at 10.00; 7.00p.m., Sung Compline.
Wednesday of Holy Week: ‘Thought for the Day’ at 10.00; 7.00p.m., Worship & Reflection.
Maundy Thursday, April 9th: ‘Thought for the Day’ at 10.00; 7.00p.m., Maundy Thursday Communion.
Good Friday, April 10th: ‘Thought for the Day’ at 10.00; 2.00p.m., Service at the Foot of the Cross.
Easter Eve, April 11th: ‘Thought for the Day’ at 10.00; 8.00p.m., The Easter Vigil.
Easter Day, April 12th: THE EASTER COMMUNION AT 10.00a.m.
Whose trust, ever childlike, no cares could destroy,
Be there at our waking, and give us, we pray,
Your bliss in our hearts, Lord, at the break of the day.
2. Lord of all eagerness, Lord of all faith,
Whose strong hands were skilled at the plane and the lathe,
Be there at our labours, and give us, we pray,
Your strength in our hearts, Lord, at the noon of the day.
3. Lord of all kindliness, Lord of all grace,
Your hands swift to welcome, your arms to embrace,
Be there at our homing, and give us, we pray,
Your love in our hearts, Lord, at the eve of the day.
4. Lord of all gentleness, Lord of all calm,
Whose voice is contentment, whose presence is balm,
Be there at our sleeping, and give us, we pray,
Your peace in our hearts, Lord, at the end of the day.
A STREAM FLOWS
1. A stream flows,
Whispering inside me;
Deep within me it says:
Come to the Father,
Come to the Father.
2. A spark glows,
Glimmering inside me;
Deep within me it says:
Come to the Father,
Come to the Father.
3. A wind blows,
Gathering inside me;
Deep within me it says:
Come to the Father,
Come to the Father.
4. A hope grows,
Blossoming inside me;
Deep within me it says:
Rest in the Father,
Rest in the Father,
Rest in the Father.
(c) Gary Philbrick 2006, The words of verse 1 are by St Ignatius of Antioch (C.35-C.107), from his Letter to the Romans Before his Martyrdom in the Colosseum; verses 2-4 and music by G.P.
HOPE OF OUR CALLING
1. Hope of our calling: hope through courage won; By those who dared to share all Christ had done. Saints of today, Christ’s banner now unfurled, We bring his Gospel to a waiting world.
2. Hope of our calling: hope with strength empowered, Inspired by all that we have seen and heard; This call is ours, for we are chosen too, To live for God in all we say and do.
3. Hope of our calling: hope with grace outpoured, From death’s despair the gift of life restored; Our call to serve, to wash each others’ feet, To bring Christ’s healing touch to all we meet.
4. Hope of our calling: hope by faith made bold; To sow God’s righteousness throughout the world; Bring peace from conflict, fruitfulness from weeds, The kingdom’s harvest from a mustard seed.
5. Hope of our calling: Spirit-filled, unbound, Old joys remembered and new purpose found, Our call refreshed by sacrament and word, We go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
I heard the voice of Jesus say, ‘Come unto me and rest; lay down, thou weary one, lay down thy head upon my breast:’ I came to Jesus as I was, weary and worn and sad; I found in him a resting-place, and he has made me glad.
I heard the voice of Jesus say, ‘Behold I freely give the living water, thirsty one; stoop down and drink and live:’ I came to Jesus, and I drank of that life-giving stream; my thirst was quenched, my soul revived, and now I live in him.
I heard the voice of Jesus say ‘I am this dark world’s light; look unto me, thy morn shall rise, and all thy day be bright:’ I looked to Jesus, and I found in him my star, my sun; and in that light of life I’ll walk till travelling days are done.
Canon Gary Philbrick, Rector of the Avon Valley Churches
Following the latest advice from the Gorvernment and the Church of England, very sadly our Church Buildings now have to remain closed until further note.
However, The Church is very much still open and working hard to maintain our patterns of Worship and Service in different ways.
Our Worship is broadcast every day at 10.00 – Services, sometimes including Communnion on Sundays, and a Thought for the Day on each of the other days.
These can be found via this website (Click on the FaceBook link – you don’t have to sign up for FaceBook), via the Avon Valley Churches FaceBook page, or via the Avon Valley Churches YouTube – just search for (you might have guessed by now!) Avon Valley Churches – and soon also via Twitter.
Do join us, join in, comment and share these Services.
We are also keeping in touch with our congregations via Care Companions (sometimes called ‘Care-Ring Coordinators’), by telephone, and by e-mail (you can sign up for our weekly newsletter, called ‘Partners’ from the front page of the website).
And we are part of the efforts in Fordingbridge and the surrounding villages to care for our wider communities, and especially those who are more vulnerable to the worst effects of Covid-19.
Do continue in Prayer with us, be in touch if there is any way in which we might be able to help, and contact us via the website if you need to know anything.
A Covid-19 Prayer, written by Canon Roly Riem, Vice-Dean at Winchester Cathedral:
Lord Jesus, Who in your earthly life Bore our grief and carried our sorrows, Stand with us, we pray, In our fear, distress and uncertainty.
Draw near to all who are suffering; Strengthen those who care for them; And guide those involved in research.
Lead us all, through the depths of the cross, to the height and joy of resurrection. Amen.
Gary, Rector of the Avon Valley Churches, has written to all of our congregations to inform them of how we shall be continuing as the Churches of the Avon Valley in the coming weeks.
