We have just one service in our benefice this Sunday, Holy Communion according to the Book of Common Prayer at St Andrew's, Presteigne. Social distancing will be observed, face masks must be worn unless you are exempt and we may not sing hymns, but we are very pleased that the church is open again after the Welsh lockdown.Unfortunately members of the congregations of our three English parishes are not allowed to cross the border to join us, and their churches remain closed while the English coronavirus restrictions are in place.
Dear FriendsYou might like to make use of A Short Service for Use at Home on Remembrance Sunday and the Readings to go with it.If you are intending to mark the Two Minutes Silence at 11am on Sunday - either on your doorstep or quietly in the house - there's a sheet of Words for Use Around the Two Minutes Silence.Finally, for those who would prefer to stay with one of the usual Sunday Services, there is a sheet with the Readings and Collect for the Third Sunday before Advent.Just a reminder that, as things stand today (Friday 6 November), there will be no Sunday Services in Kinsham, Lingen or Knill until December, but Sunday Services will resume in Presteigne and Discoed as per the usual pattern on November 15th.Keep safe and wellSteve‘Be joyful, keep the faith, and do the little things’St David of Wales
Services in the Presteigne Group of Parishes, as at 3 November 2020Dear Friends You will probably be aware by now that recent announcements by the English and Welsh Governments are having a major impact on church life on both sides of the border - and, therefore, for the churches in our Benefice. As far as I understand it, (and as it stands today - who knows what will happen tomorrow?!) the situation is as follows... Due to the English lockdown there can be no Sunday services in Kinsham, Lingen or Knill until the 9.30 Morning Prayer service at Lingen on December 6th.Hence, although the church buildings can be left open for private prayer, sadly the Holy Communion scheduled for Knill on Sunday Nov 8th, the Holy Communion scheduled for Lingen on November 15th and the Morning Prayer scheduled for Kinsham on November 22nd are all cancelled. When the Welsh lockdown ends on Monday November 9th Sunday services can restart in Presteigne and Discoed and churches can reopen for private prayer.Hence, although the Remembrance Sunday service scheduled for Presteigne on November 8th remains cancelled there will be a Holy Communion according to the Book of Common Prayer in Presteigne on November 15th a Morning Service (Common Worship) in Presteigne and a Holy Communion (Common Worship) in Discoed on November 22nd a Special Service for Advent in Presteigne on November 29th and a Holy Communion (Common Worship) in Presteigne on December 6th. I have to remind church members in England that, regrettably, travel across the border to attend worship in Presteigne or Discoed is not permissible under Welsh Government regulations. I'm really sorry and very sad about the closures but there is very little we can do about it.I understand that representations are being made to the Westminster Government by the leaders of various Christian denominations and of other faiths, so the situation may change in England.I will be in touch with you again if there is a change of heart and people of faith are once again allowed to freely practice their religious duties. Of course, I'll be sending out services and readings every weekend (by email and on paper) as before, but if you haven't been receiving these and would like to do so, please get in touch. With every best wish and prayer StephenRev. Prebendary Stephen HollinghurstRector
Dear Friends Please find elsewhere on this page a Short Service for Use at Home at All Souls Tide. This is a version of the lovely All Souls Memorial Service we've held at St Andrew's for the last few years. Sadly, of course, we are unable to have the service this year due to the closure of places of worship in Wales under the "Firebreak" lockdown rules. But I hope you will make use of the attached version and find it helpful. The readings follow the service in the attachment.Just a reminder that our two Welsh Churches – Presteigne and Discoed – are closed for the duration of the lockdown and that, although services will be held in Lingen on November 1st and Knill on the 8th, I must ask parishioners on the Welsh side of the border not to attend.Presteigne Church will be open again for private prayer from Tuesday 10th and there will (God willing) be a service of Holy Communion (BCP) on Sunday 15th to which all will be welcome.A word about Remembrance Sunday...There can be no service in church this year, but there will be a small gathering at the War Memorial in Presteigne at which the Names of the Fallen will be read, prayers will be offered, and wreaths will be placed on the Memorial.However, as Welsh Covid Rules state that we may not have more than 30 people gathering even in the open air and most of those places will be taken up by the members of the Royal British Legion, everyone else is asked to mark Remembrance Sunday at home - either by standing on their doorsteps to mark the Two-Minute Silence at 11am, or by watching the National Commemoration from the Cenotaph in London on the TV.It is obvious that we are entering a new and serious phase in the pandemic, so any plans we may have for the future will need to be very flexible and could be changed or abandoned at any moment and short notice.I'll do my best to keep everyone informed - so please watch this space!In the meantime, we would do well to start using St David's "signing off" words again...Be joyful, keep the faith, do the little things... with very best wishes Steve
