A good Advent … Events in DecemberWe continue to seek to enable our events to resume as far as possible (please be aware these may change – we will try to keep you informed!)Sunday Nov 29th Advent Sunday 10am Live streamed service from St Mary’s 4pm Live streamed Advent ‘Carol’ Service at St Mary’sMonday to Friday Noon Eucharist at St Mary’s (from Dec 3<sup>rd</sup>)Saturday Dec 5th 5pm Fratton Awards at St Mary’s presented by FBL and Stephen Morgan MP Sunday Dec 6th 8am BCP Eucharist at St Mary’s 9am Eucharist at St Faith’s 10am Streamed Eucharist at St Mary’s 4pm Eucharist at St Wilfrid’sDec 7th to 11th 5pm FBL host a streamed performance each day linked to Festival of LightsSunday Dec 13th 8am BCP Eucharist at St Mary’s 9am Eucharist at St Faith’s 10am Streamed Eucharist at St Mary’s 4pm Eucharist at St Wilfrid’s Friday Dec 18th To be arranged– the sharing of Comfort and Joy Vouchers with agencies Sunday Dec 20th 8am BCP Eucharist at St Mary’s 9am Eucharist at St Faith’s 10am Streamed Eucharist at St Mary’s 4pm Eucharist at St Wilfrid’s 6pm Streamed Lessons and Music for Christmas from St Mary’s Christmas Eve (no Noon service) 5pm Streamed Nativity from St Mary’s – led by young families Early evening Mass of the Night for Christmas at St Faith’s & St Wilfrid’s 11.30pm Live streamed Midnight Mass from St Mary’s Christmas Day 10am Streamed Mass for Christmas Day from St Mary’s Saturday Dec 26th Daily Noon Mass continues Sunday Dec 27th Only service – a 10am streamed Eucharist at St Mary’s
Worship after the 2nd LockdownStreamed ServicesSunday Eucharist 10amSaid Eucharist Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday at NoonSaturday at noon is Advent Reflections with music, a reading and prayers by the clergy and a reflection by Fr Bruce.You can pick up live streams on our portseaparish.co.uk/live-services, our Youtube Channel (search for Portseaparish), or if you have a facebook account on the St Mary’s Facebook page at facebook.com/PortseaParish. There is a Daily Reflection available at portseaparish.co.uk/daily-reflections each day. The service sheet for Sundays is “Looking for Light – Sundy Advent in our Homes“.. The service sheet for the Daily Eucharist is available at “Looking for Light – Advent in our Homes“.Worship in ChurchUntil 3rd December: There will be no services nor public worship during the lockdown, but St Mary’s church will be open for private prayer from 9am to noon every day including weekends. If visiting St Mary’s please enter by the West Door (or if needed via the ramp at the side door). Please wear a face mask (unless you are in an exempt group), sanitise your hands and go straight to a seat and observe safe distancing from other people.From 3rd December: There will be public worship allowed in Church.Sunday 8am Book of Common Prayer Communion St Mary’s ChurchSunday 9am said Eucharist at St Faith’s Church Sunday 10am Eucharist with choir at St Mary’s ChurchMonday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday at Noon said Eucharist at St Mary’s ChurchSunday 4pm said Eucharist at St Wilfrid’s ChurchFor those wishing to attend the service in Church, as guidance on safety reduces the number of seats available it will help our planning for each service if you could email vicar@portseaparish.co.uk to indicate you wish to attend, and observe instructions on social distancing and hygiene when you arrive. We request that all who attend public worship in our Churches wear a face covering unless they are in a group which is exempt from wearing them (see Government guidance or contact one of the Ministry team for details).
St Mary’s will be open for Private Prayer every day (including weekends) from 9am to noon – a place to be still, to light a candle and to be aware of Christ’s presence with us in our daily livesYou are invited to pause and pray with us at 9am and 6pm each day. Please note the evening time is part of a national call to prayer from the Archbishops for us all to pray for our communities and country.Resources for daily prayer can be found online at the Church of England website (https://www.churchofengland.org/prayer-and-worship/join-us-service-daily-prayer), or download the Daily Prayer app on to your phone . Or simply be still, light a candle and offer to God in prayer all that lies in your hearts and say the Lord’s Prayer.We will stream a celebration of the Eucharist – reflecting on Christ’s presence in our lives – at Noon Monday to Friday and a 10am service on Sunday. On Saturday we will stream Saturday Stillness with music, a reading and prayers by the clergy and a reflection by Fr Bruce.This Sunday (8th November) we will also stream an Act of Remembrance at 10.55am and again on November 11th.You can pick up live streams on our portseaparish.co.uk/live-services, our Youtube Channel (search for PortseaParish), or if you have a facebook account on the St Mary’s Facebook page at facebook.com/PortseaParish.
As you may be aware, we have continued to respond to the advice and guidance we are being given by Government, National Church and the Diocese.Our principle aim in all that we are doing is to seek to provide as safe a space as possible for everyone to be able to Be with God, be with others and be with the rest of creation.It has been good to begin to see familiar faces at services and in the churchyard, but at the same time we are very conscious of the fact that for others such things are still not possible. We are trying to ensure we support everyone, whatever they are able, or not able, to do. If we can help or support you please do let us know The situation at present is that St Mary’s is open every day for private prayers from 9am – Noon. Please follow the guidance; enter by the West Door and use the hand sanitiser; find a seat; and leave by the North Aisle Door. There are Eucharists at St Mary’s on Sunday at 8am (Book of Common Prayer) and 10am and at St Faiths at 9am and St Wilfrid’s at 4pm.There is also a celebration at Noon on Wednesdays at St Mary’s. It will help us to plan and prepare for these services if you could let me know in advance if you intend to be at them. St Mary’s currently has sufficient capacity for 80 (so far 55 has been the maximum attendance), but the other churches can only admit 20. We don’t want to have to turn people away at the door because we did not know they were coming and there is no space. We also need to keep a record for ‘Track and Trace’ of those attending.Last weekend we received advice on Face Coverings. The ‘strong’ advice’ from Church of England and Diocese is that everyone should wear a face covering at public worship. This is to reassure those who wish to attend that this is a ‘safe’ space. The ministers will wear a visor to preside and preach and then wear a face covering to administer communion. However the Prime Ministers as recently announced that from 8th August it will be a legal requirement to wear a face covering in a place of worship. Please do listen for clarification of any other changes. In the original advice there were clear exemptions from wearing a face mask listed by the Government which included –• young children under the age of 11 • not being able to put on, wear or remove a face covering because of a physical or mental illness or impairment, or disability• if putting on, wearing or removing a face covering will cause you severe distressIt is likely (but in the fast changing world we are in not certain!) these will continue to be permitted exceptions – again please ask for latest advice from us if you are not sure.Please do use your own judgement as to whether this applies to you. If you see someone without a face covering please be aware that there may well be a good reason why they are not doing so, and avoid being ‘judgemental’.This is a difficult area, but I hope we can continue to seek to work together and do all we can to support each other and overcome any challenges and issues that arise. If you are uncomfortable or uncertain then please chat to one of my colleagues.It is also important to note that in all of this we still need to maintain a 2m social distance, both inside and outside church and follow all guidance on hand washing and hygiene.
