Letter from the Vicar

17 March 2020

Dear church,

The Archbishops of Canterbury and York have instructed all clergy to suspend public services for the foreseeable future and we will be honouring their request.

Our church services will not be happening on Sundays for the foreseeable future. We will be providing a link to some recorded teaching each week so we can continue to study the Bible together. I will write presently with resources to assist our worship and discipleship.

This decision extends to evensong, First Steps and our midweek communion. Given the current government advice we are pausing Oasis, Men's Breakfasts and St Luke's Passion. The pub lunch scheduled for Thursday will also not go ahead.

I will be writing to PCC members regarding our upcoming meeting later.

We are keen to continue to be a prophetic voice of hope to our community. We are aware that vulnerable people and those who are self isolating might struggle with some day to day tasks. If you or anyone you know in Hampton needs help with shopping, a friendly phone call or other errands please can you direct them to www.hampton-church.org.uk/isolation where they can fill out a form. If they don't have access to the internet perhaps you could do it on their behalf if they want help. The team and I have been working on systems to make sure that we can help people in a safe way without being a source of contagion and risk. If you feel able to assist with delivering shopping, running errands or providing a friendly phone call please could you fill out the form at www.hampton-church.org.uk/isolationvolunteer 

These are unprecedented times. It may feel that not partaking in Sunday worship is somehow diminishing our faith. This is untrue for two reasons. Firstly, our faith is solely dependent on the Incarnation, Passion and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. This fact has not changed and cannot change. Secondly, many of the heroes of faith have been forced to worship in isolation. Bonhoeffer writes: "It is by the grace of God that a congregation is permitted to gather visibly to share God's word and sacrament. Not all Christians receive this blessing. The imprisoned, the sick, the scattered lonely, the proclaimers of the gospel in non-Christian lands stand alone". During this time of not meeting we stand with the oppressed and persecuted - and their faith is certainly not weak.

We are united not by our gathering on a Sunday but by the love of Jesus Christ and this has not changed at all.

Blessings,

Ben