Vicars letter

April 2021

Click for the Vicars letter from March 2021

Easter: new hope, and new life

“Alleluia! Christ is risen. He is risen indeed. Alleluia!”

At the beginning of April we will be celebrating once more the wonder, the joy and the hope that is brought to us in the event of the resurrection of Jesus all those years ago. We plan to do so by gathering for public worship in our parish churches! That, in itself, will be a real joy.

At the time of writing, there have, regrettably, been no details released by the Recovery Group of the CoE. We, therefore, have to use the Government’s four-stage road map that was released towards the end of February and work out how to apply it to our church situation - and trust that we interpret it and the current CoE guidelines correctly. Just like the first Easter for the disciples, who were going through a time of darkness and uncertainty, apprehensions and fears; and conflicting advice and opinions. Ultimately though there was hope, and goodness, and light. We are beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel; we are beginning to feel new hope for the future, just like those first disciples on that first Easter morning. Still with many uncertainties and unanswered questions, but now also with hope that things will be alright.

All this time, St George’s Church has been open for individual private prayer and I know people have made use of this. Come Easter Sunday, though, we will be reopening for worship - not just relying on recorded services being available online. For a first taste of worshipping together, you could join us at 6.15am on Sunday 4 April at St Nicholas Church, Sandhurst, when we gather for a Sunrise Service. (No bacon butties to follow afterwards this time though I’m afraid!)

If that’s too early, then there’s a service in St Nicholas Church at 8am; and if that’s still too early, then there’s a service at St George’s Church at 10am. Until then, the online recorded service will continue to be available every Sunday; access links are available on the church website: www.benendenchurch.org. If you are reading this article during Holy Week, then please see the church website for details of the services taking place every day that week.

Once we have reopened for public worship, provided the Government restrictions are not reimposed, we plan to be open for worship every Sunday. We won’t be returning to the prepandemic full service pattern, but to begin with we will adopt the following pattern in the two parish churches:

• 1st Sunday of the month 8am St Nicholas, Sandhurst 10am St George’s
• 2nd Sunday of the month 8am St George’s 10am St Nicholas, Sandhurst
• 3rd Sunday of the month 8am St Nicholas, Sandhurst 10am St George’s
• 4th Sunday of the month 8am St George’s 10am St Nicholas, Sandhurst

We continue to look forward to better times ahead, but in the meantime let us not miss the joy, the hope, the light, and the incredible love shown in the resurrection. Alleluia! Christ is risen. Happy Easter. Keep well; keep safe; keep praying; and may God bless you.

Revd David Commander, Rector

T: 01580 240658 E: david@dc-uk.co.uk