Dear Friends You will have heard or seen the news headlines at some point this year saying “Christmas is cancelled” I can assure you it is not! Christmas took place over 2000 years ago in a stable in Bethlehem when God came to earth in the form of Jesus. This has been the strangest year ever for all of us in different ways and our celebration of Christmas may also be strange and probably different. However, the message of the angels was one of peace and joy: And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favour rests.” Luke Chapter 2. Matthew’s Gospel Chapter 1 tells us this: “Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel, which means, “God is with us.” Jesus, Emmanuel is God with us on earth. In all that may be strange and different this year, God came and walked on earth with us. In this season that may be different, in this time when we could be fearful, we can remember that Christmas cannot be cancelled and God walking the earth changed everything for all time. May you know the blessings of Emmanuel in this Christmas season. Rev Sarah. Happy Christmas from St Peter’s Church, Yaxley. Please do join us throughout December with our Explorers activities and in our services, which will be online on St Peter’s, Yaxley YouTube Page. There will be a service in person on Christmas Eve for our Midnight service (starting 11.30pm) and Christmas morning at 10.00am IF Coronavirus restriction allow. We will need people to book in for services in church so please do contact the Parish Office on 07939 449255. Do follow our Facebook pages – St Peter’s Church, Yaxley and/or Community of St. Peter’s Church, Yaxley for more information.
Dear FriendsI am writing this from The Holy Island of Lindisfarne, a tidal Island off the North East Coast of England. It is cut off from the mainland twice a day when the North Sea covers the causeway. It is a place that I love to come to with so much nature and beauty but there is also such a rhythm to this place as everything is dependent on the tides.I am writing this at the start of October and so it is difficult to know what the rules and regulations will be by November. I am in a part of the world that has been quite badly hit by Coronavirus, the island that I love looks a little bit different at the moment, but the rhythms of the tides don’t change. The island is known as being a particularly important place for early Christianity after Irish monks settled here in the 7th Century and took the Christian Gospel from here to many places around the country. I love sitting and looking out to a small Island known as St Cuthbert’s Island and if you get the tides right you can walk out to it but you have to be careful not to get stuck as the tide comes in (which nearly happened on one occasion!) In all that has gone on in this year, sitting and watching the tides and the sunsets, reminds me of the constants that we do have in this world that some things will never change and the Bible tells us that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever – Hebrews 13:8. With all that is going on in the world, it can be hard to remember this. But God is unchanging even through the rocky road that 2020 has been.God is unchanging, but we have had a few changes in the life of our church:We re-opened St Peter’s Church building for worship on the 4th October and plan to hold a 9.30am Service of Holy Communion in person every Sunday. You will however need to book in as such, as we can only get a certain amount of people in the building safely. If you would like to attend a service, please let me know at yaxleyvicar@gmail.com or 01733 248690/07498 230858 or contact Laura in our parish office saintpetersyaxleycomms@gmail.com or 07939 449255. Our 11am service continues online on our St Peter’s Church, Yaxley YouTube Channel.As the nights become darker earlier, we have stopped our open church on a Thursday evening for private prayer.We have also decided to postpone Alpha until 2021, but will let you know dates.As we live in a changing world with an unchanging God, may you know His comfort, peace and presence with you in this month.With every blessing Rev Sarah
Dear FriendsOver last weekend, it seemed to go from summer to autumn literally overnight. I had to go searching for jeans and warmer cardigans and on some days, I managed to resist the urge to turn on the central heating, on other days, not quite so much!!! As I write this, schools are returning and my goodness what a lot of thought and effort has gone into our schools re-opening this term – well done to all those who work in our schools and to our families as well. I found myself the other evening singing the song autumn days by Estelle White, which we used to sing in school. It talks about all of the lovely things that we think about in autumn which is one of my favourite seasons – grass being jewelled, swallow curving in the sky, shoes so comfy that there worn out and they’re battered and the taste of apple pie. It made me smile a few years ago in previous parishes, when a school sang this at their Harvest Festival – it brought back many memories and it was funny to think that the song was passing down the generations.The chorus to the song says: “So I mustn't forget. No, I mustn't forget. To say a great big thank you I mustn't forget.” As we go into October, we will be celebrating our Harvest Festival. I have loved seeing the pictures that people have taken in Yaxley across the fields, of sunflowers, combine harvesters and amazing views of nature. This year, our Harvest Festival will be different due to our ongoing Covid 19 situation but we will still gather most likely through the wonders of YouTube to give thanks for all that God has given us.I have heard so many people saying this year, in all that we have individually and collectively gone through that they have learnt about the things that are important to them. They have learnt that we don’t need so much stuff, they have learnt that what we value is our relationships with each other in our families and with our friends. That we value and want to care for our planet and we want it to be able to live, breathe and continue for those that have just started school this term and for many generations beyond.As we go into this month, let us remember to say thank you to each other for the little things, the big things and everything in between. Come and join us for our Harvest on the 4th October at 11am as we give thanks for the work of our farmers, our produce packers, for distribution networks and workers and for our God who created the beautiful world we live in and those we get to share our lives with. With every blessing for this coming month. Rev Sarah.
Dear FriendsYou will probably be aware that we have had a PCC meeting this week with many things to discuss.We will be filling you in on some of the discussions over the next few weeks but many of you have understandably been asking about whether we will be opening the church building for worship. The answer to this is YES. The PCC voted in favour of opening the church for worship from Sunday 4th October 2020.You will not be surprised to know that this is not quite as straightforward as it might sound! Please read on so that you have some awareness of what we will be doing:• We will be holding one service on a Sunday in the church building at 9.30am.• We will only be able to have 30 people at the service.• This will be a Communion Service (although we will not be able to share the wine)• People will have to sit at a 2-meter distance from other individuals/bubbles and will be escorted to and from their seats.• Face masks will have to be worn unless you have an exemption.• We will not be able to sing, although we can listen to music.• The service will be under an hour.• The toilets will not be open unless there is an emergency.• Children will have to sit with parents at all times – we are not able to open Junior Church or the Creche.Everyone is welcome to this service – we will however need to control numbers of people who would like to attend.Therefore can I ask you to contact Laura – saintpetersyaxleycomms@gmail.com or 07939 449255 and indicate whether you would like to attend a 9.30am service or not (please respond either way.) From this, a list will be created, and people will be allocated a Sunday service that they can attend. I cannot tell you how often you will be able to attend until we know how many people would like to attend, but we will be in touch with you if you indicate that you would like to attend a Sunday morning service.Please do not just turn up on a Sunday morning as we may have to turn you away, and I do not wish to do this to anyone.Please also note that our 11am online service will continue in the same way and those that receive material in the post will continue to get this.If you have any queries or concerns, then please do get in touch with me to discuss them – 01733 248690/07498 230858 or yaxleyvicar@gmail.comI am writing this on Tuesday 15th September and everything I have laid out in our plans going forward is subject to change depending on Church of England guidance and Government guidance and English law. I will communicate any changes as quickly as I am able.Please pray as we look to start opening up our church building a little further.With every blessingRev Sarah