AS CHURCHES close their doors following government advice David Railton, rector of Holy Trinity describes how his congregation is coping.
“Well, the first Sunday without public worship, but we made a plan, and 34 of us gathered together in a virtual church in a Zoom room for a Service of the Word.
“A couple of people read from where they were, and there was a short sermon.
“All in all, I think it went well, and I think people appreciated the opportunity to come together, even if it was through a computer screen.”
He continued: “And on this strange day, moments of blessing, as we were joined by the son of one of our regular congregation and, as he said at the end, his was the first service he has been to for 25 years.
And my daughter joined us from London – these were lovely moments of grace in trying times, and signs that God is with us.
“So moments of hope, even when, you read about the selfish people who ignore the isolation guidelines and gather together in defiance, when all they are doing is prolonging the need for isolation.
“Moments of hope, like our neighbours’ gratitude when Sarah dropped a bag of flour off for her, even while people queue outside supermarkets to stack their trolleys with food they will never eat.
“We will come out the other side of this, but as a society will we come out stronger, or broken?
“Surely we can’t get through this and return to what we were before, so let’s work together and pray that we come through this kinder, more selfless, more generous, more caring, more loving, more respectful, as people and as a society.”
David added: “The picture today is a candle in the window of the Rectory, lit at 7pm on Sunday together with brothers and sisters across these islands, a candle of hope in times of darkness.
“The candle was the one given to us at the end of the Candlemass [sic] service this year … the light of Christ.”
Rev D Railton
Printed 27 March 2020
