September, the end of summer and the beginning of autumn. September, the beginning of the 6th month of managing the risks and fears of Covid 19. A season during which we are conscious of our loss of freedom of movement whilst we deal with uncertainty as the death toll around the world continues to increase.
We are about to enter a time of noticeable change as we move into autumn. This year we are also facing change and uncertainty as we consider the implications of returning to worship in church. We have resumed our weekly pattern of services and although it is strange not be able to sing together, we are blessed to have a church building in which we can manage safe distancing, honouring each other as we come together in prayer. Over the coming months we expect to be able to offer Baptism services and Weddings, yet these will both be services with constraints and risk management challenges.
Further challenges lie ahead of us as we cannot be sure how we will mark Remembrance Sunday and All Souls, two occasions when many people come to join us in church, honouring the memory of those who have been loved and lost.
Whilst we face ongoing unknowns, we can hold onto the certainty that we have through faith. St Paul had to deal with the uncertainty of imposed lockdown when he was imprisoned. Yet his faith remained strong as is well reflected through the letters he wrote whilst imprisoned. He wrote words of affirmation and encouragement to early Christians, small groups of people coming together in their homes to pray and worship. He reached out in faith, lovingly nurturing people he might never meet.
We are gathered people of faith at Holy Trinity and whatever constraints we face through the era of Covid-19, we too can reach out in faith through prayer to encourage others. Through our prayers, words and actions we can live the truth of the words of Jesus: ‘I came that they may have life and live it to the full’ John 10.10
