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Writer's pictureAlison Padgett

Newsletter - 9 May 2020



As we enter week 8 of lockdown

Please find below some of the things that have happened this week or that you might want to be involved in over the next 7 days:-

Please join us again this Sunday at 10am (or at a time convenient for you) in our Emmanuel Family Facebook group for our “local” service and a time together in worship. This will be like the last few weeks, post after post in real time to follow a full service that takes around an hour. You can join us live or enjoy it later in the day – the choice is yours. We’ll be singing, praying, reflecting and listen to the message from Marian Olsen. Why not join us? Any problems finding the group please email us and we will be happy to help.

Christian Aid week starts on Sunday – please go to the Christian Aid website and use the resources available there and consider making a donation to this vital international charity: https://www.christianaid.org.uk/

Please find attached:-

Ø Joan spoke and had emails from various people to write “Reflections on personal experiences of VE Day”

Ø Letters from Cameron and Ben - “Emmanuel Corona Letter Week 8”

Ø A short order of service for the coming week – “Vine at Home 10 May 2020”

Ø Prayer for the week ahead - “Emmanuel Corona Prayers week 8”

Ø 2 reflective colouring sheets (for both adults or children) “Art Sheet” and “Celtic Knot” to compliment the Sunday reading this week

Ø A Children’s activity sheet “Roots sheet (kids)” which picks up the theme of this Sunday’s reading

Ø A Funeral service for those who can’t attend but want to join in at home

Ø An Excellent course online “Whole Life Worship Course” or follow the link: https://www.licc.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/WLW-Small-Group-Study-Guide.pd

  • Donations of food for the Foodbank can still be made at Tesco’s in Wilthorpe, but we would prefer only shopping from that store to be placed in the trolley there. The trolley is quite small and soon gets filled up, which means a lot of extra work for those moving food to the Foodbank. If you have bought items for the Foodbank from other stores can we suggest that you preferably drop those items not at Tesco’s, but at Emmanuel Church. The large storage box is at the back of church (where the vestry door opens up onto the back garden – by the traffic cones!) and we are getting plenty of great donations in both places – thank you for your support.

  • Why not grow a sunflower, and also encourage other people to plant a sunflower seed, and post pictures as they grow as we grow hope together. When we are unlocked you could come, bring them to church and plant them along the back fence?


Daily Hope - a free phone line of hymns, reflections and prayers. Have you seen the media coverage of the New free phone number as a simple way to bring worship and prayer and prayer into people’s homes. Over 6000 people called this number in the first 48 hours! This idea came from within the Diocese of Guildford, from the Connections group based at Holy Trinity Claygate in Surrey and the Christian Charity Faith in Later Life. Telephone: 0800 804 8044 (it’s free from landlines, but please check with your provider before using a mobile phone).

  • We’ve been working on a project for many months to share the news and reach more people as Emmanuel through a new revamped website. While this hasn’t gone live as quickly as we hoped due to the situation, we’re pleased to let you know first that it launches today! It’s been a team effort with lots of people supporting in lots of different ways – photos, writing, reviewing and planning. The site will continue to be developed – especially when we return. But for now we can use it to share the great news of Jesus and how we are practically living out our faith in our action for the community during this difficult time.

Check it out here: www.emmanuelbarnsley.co.uk

  • More people who made generous offers of help to those in need within our congregation and food packages have been sent and received to three families who have been extremely grateful. Here is one testimony:

“I would like to thank you (Cameron) for the box of food you brought to us this afternoon. I am speechless all I can say is a big thank you to Emmanuel - and the family who gave so generously. May God continue to keep us all safe till we meet again. Very much appreciated. Thank you. God bless you all.”

  • The number of people engaging with our online services and becoming part of the Facebook Emmanuel Family group is growing (we currently have over 160 members).

  • More people are taking part in our Sunday morning online worship by recording items prior to the service.

  • Cameron hosted our Church Prayer meeting online on Thursday night and many more people than last month joined in the prayer.

  • The Men’s Discipleship group had a time of fellowship during the week, reading a Bible passage together, praying, and sharing concerns and joys.

  • We are planning a Church quiz!

  • A couple of our members have experience in financial planning and they have offered their time and skills to the church family – if anyone is struggling with their finances, budgeting or generally money worries and wants to chat with a friendly person, please contact Cameron and he will put you in contact with people who can help and support you at this difficult time.

  • Meetings continue to be effective and productive online – Leadership Team continues to ‘touch base’ regularly to review and plan for the future; and Trustees regularly consult on decisions that need to be taken.

  • What have the young people been up to this week?

Ø It was great to see some of our youngest members (& their leaders) who had a special Zoom Roots session and it was aired during the service on Sunday. They completed the Scavenger Hunt Challenge, read and listened to a story, Christine’s talk, a craft and ended with a prayer (well done to all the children that took part, and a special thanks to the Roots leaders for organising). We’re now connecting with all the roots gang each week and sharing crafts and activities. And we will be holding another zoom meet up very soon!

Ø Kirstie and her team also met on Zoom twice again this week with our young people and she writes “Wow has it really been a week!! On Sunday evening we met on Zoom again - we played games and continued to think about how we can pray in tough times. This week our Thursday group had a random categories themed quiz evening! We also caught up with the young people and thought about some of our experiences we have had together as a group at things like Soul and Dyference - lots of laughter all around from killer spiders in showers to me forgetting to answer the emergency phone (I would like to add no child was actually harmed in this!). We also thought about how we can once again share these memories together after social distancing is over”.

Ø Have you checked out the Emmanuel Youth Facebook page? Lots of activities, daily challenges and practical online help group links for our young people and their families to access. One challenge for VE Day is “Why not plan a picnic using only the rations that would have been rationed to you” and on the 1st May was an “Action Calendar: Meaningful May” which is 31 actions (1 each day), to look after ourselves and each other as we face this global crisis together.

Ø Dawn W has also been in touch with the mums and carers from the Toddler Groups and Baby Chat via their private Facebook page. Dawn also writes “Every few days I post a few words of encouragement hopefully to help families feel they are not on their own. Last week I said I was missing seeing our little friends and asked for photos (if they were ok with this) of the toddlers in action. The response was great - our toddlers were making the most of the beautiful weather we’ve been having- paddling, playing in the sand, family time, hiding in tents, going for walks and planting seeds to name just a few of the activities. In a nutshell - they are happy and haven’t a care in the world - having no real idea of what’s going on around them. Just the way it should be at their age!”

· Dates for your diary:-

Ø On Sunday 17th May at 11.15am (until 12pm) come and join our 2nd Zoom virtual coffee after the Facebook service. Keep a look out nearer the time for the Zoom links and passwords.

Ø The next Zoom prayer meeting will be on Thursday 4th June at 7.15pm (the 1st Thursday of the month). If you are interested in joining in the prayer meeting, let Cameron know, either by e-mailing him on thestirks@tiscali.co.uk, leaving a message via the FB Emmanuel family page, or leaving a message on his answer phone.

As an end to this week’s newsletter, please see below a poem by Catherine Clowes (March 2020) – “Just Be”

Just be at home

How can that be so hard to do?

Most of our lives we long to slow down

Now we can there’s so much to pursue!

Just be apart

From those not known and those we love

We must keep at a safe distance

Our hearts burst with the build-up of love

Just be at work

Be it at home or on the frontline

Whether we’re fighting the virus head on

Or we’re meeting with colleagues on Zoom time!

Just be at school

All this home teaching wasn’t part of the deal!

Such pressure to keep up high standards

Know you’re doing great no matter how you feel

Just be patient

Although it feels like we’ll never get through

We’re told that if we follow the rules

This time will pass, we can start anew!

Just be at peace

Our heavenly Father has got this in hand

He hears our cries for his hurting world

He will come to heal our land

Just be at rest

Give him your worries and your fears

Let him hold you in his loving arms

Let him wipe away your tears

Just be his child

That is all we’re called to be

We can trust him with our future

Let him love you tenderly

Just be!

Many thanks & God bless

The Leadership Team















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