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Three Valleys Team Ministry
[It's a joy to be back in church again! To read more about going back into church on 12th July, please go to the Recent Events page.
Now that our churches are starting to open again, the "During Covid-19" page will be going into abeyance and, with luck, won't have to be used again.
For details of future services, please go to the Services page; for reports on what has happened, please go to the Recent Events page and we hope that there will soon be items on the Forthcoming Events page.]
"....Despite the announcements about re-starting our services in church, it is still far from clear what we will be able to do. Communions are likely to prove problematic for some time to come. The clergy team has met and discussed what we think will be possible and have the following suggestions. As you may know we propose to start gradually with only three services for each Sunday in the first month, one in each of the three components of the benefice. We propose to hold our first services on Sunday 12th July by which time I expect we will have received full guidance from the diocese. We would like to hold these first services in Folke for the WHV, Yetminster for the Wriggle Valley and Thornford for the Gifle Valley. These services will start at 10:00am. There will also be an electronic service for those who prefer not to expose themselves to any possible risk of a social gathering."
Some churches are now open for Private Prayer.
For up-to-date arrangements, as we receive them, please go to the Arrangements for opening churches page.
The Drunkeness of Noah by Bellini
Dear Friends
As I am sure you know the Bible is made up of a collection of many different books and scraps of writing. It consists of essays, sermons, prayers, songs, wise sayings, histories, mythologies and explanations to mention but a few. Indeed, it can be quite a tangle trying to work out what is what sometimes. One thing, though, is clear which is that every human experience is covered somewhere within its pages, and I do mean every experience. Even the experience of lockdown and the emotions that it stirs up are covered.
Noah and his family had been in lockdown on the Ark with their animals for more than 150 days. Whether you believe the story of Noah to be literally true or not is not important to what the the story then tells us. Eventually the family were able to come out of the Ark where they, like us, found a ‘New Normal’. If you read Genesis chapter 8 vs 13 to the end of chapter 9 the story of Noah goes on to relate how Noah came out of the Ark, planted a vineyard and got drunk. It is a story of how Noah dealt with the end of the stress of his lockdown.
I was struck by the calm assumption over the last few days from most of the newspapers that once our lockdown was ended, we would all go out to the pub and get drunk. I don’t generally like these kinds of blanket assumptions by the media which I find often to be wrong and misleading. However, in this case I do think the newspapers and others highlighted at least a vague understanding of a common thread in human behaviour in that after a crisis we often do need to find a release to alleviate the built up pressure it has caused.
However, the point I want to make here is that however you may feel or what ever you may have been through you can always find in the Bible an example of someone who has walked that way before you. Many people have found this to be extraordinarily comforting in times of trouble.
Yours
Tony Gilbert
Rector Three Valleys Benefice
To read the text of the Reverend Tony Gilbert's address for Easter 7 (24th May 2020)
please click here.
To read the text of the Reverend Tony Gilbert's address for VE day
please click here.
To read the text of the Reverend Tony Gilbert's address for Easter 4 (3rd May 2020)
please click here.
To read the text of the Reverend Tony Gilbert's Easter Day address,
please click here.
There is also a newer, jolly-looking website to explore: please click here
(To watch previously uploaded services, when you are into the jolly website, follow the on-line page
Allow time to upload).
There is also a text version of the Reverend George Moody's blog "Look up in Lockdown" which is blog is now completed. The Reverend George Moody is now writing a new blog called The Rectory Window (therectorywindow.blogspot.com) based on Mark's gospel. It will appear on a more occasional basis.
See the Three Valleys Team facebook page as well for more information and to watch live-streamed services.
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A PRAYER FOR ALL THOSE AFFECTED BY CORONAVIRUS
Keep us, good Lord,
under the shadow of your mercy.
Sustain and support the anxious,
be with those who care for the sick,
and lift up all who are brought low;
that we may find comfort
knowing that nothing can separate us from your love
in Christ Jesus our Lord.
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For a morning and evening liturgy, published by Lambeth, to be downloaded for use at home,
please click here
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The Reverend Tony Gilbert and his wife Nicola