Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
With just a few days to go until Christmas Day, we hope you are keeping well and safe. We want to share some words of encouragement and to assure you that we promise to send you a bulletin as soon as the situation and guidance changes.
The circumstances are changing by the day and the Mayor of London declared a Major Incident in London recently. Last night the Prime Minister confirmed that there will be no new restrictions before 25 December.
We encourage you to carry out risk assessments ahead of each of your services. Make decisions that are wise for yourselves and your community and right for your own context. If you are worried about any aspects of public worship please speak to your archdeacon.
Please remember that you have built up a lot of experience. We are not in the same situation we were in almost two years ago. Individual churches have managed well through the various stages of the Covid Pandemic and thank you for your part in that. Trust yourselves and be affirmed in your own leadership. You know what works best in your own context.
Please continue to encourage people to be vaccinated and to take the booster.
For those unable to attend church, the Cathedral is a valued resource and will continue to live stream Morning prayer at 9am every day and on the Eucharist on Christmas Day and Sundays at 11am. Find out more here.
In his Christmas message which was shared this week, bishop Christopher said the following:
“In the birth of a child, parents and onlookers glimpse the miracle of creation, a truth which at other times is less apparent becomes amazingly visible. In the birth of Jesus Christ, we are reminded of the fulfillment of God’s loving purposes for us, for all his people, for those who do not know their need of God and those without a full experience of human love – because God is love and the archbishops this year have asked us to go to the heart of Christmas, and that is, of course, what lies at the heart of Christmas and in this Diocese, we have an opportunity to share that message of love in the way we celebrate Christmas, in the way we think about others: particularly the marginalised, particularly those who will hunger and thirst this Christmas, particularly those without a depth of experience of human love, and particularly those in particular need and those continuing to suffer from COVID and all its many ramifications. If we go to the heart of Christmas, then our message can truly be from the heart, and we will give joy and encouragement and love to others.
I wish you and those you love the peace and joy of Christmas.”
Watch the video here.
Bishop Karowei is supporting the NHS with this Stay Safe This Christmas campaign. Please feel free to share it.
We wish you all a blessed Christmas.
The Coronavirus Task Group
(Bishop Christopher, the Very Revd Andrew Nunn, the Venerable Alastair Cutting, Ruth Martin and Sophia Jones)
