Amongst decisions made at a fruitful Zoom Vestry meeting last Monday was the agreement to have a congregational coffee chat on screen monthly on Sundays at 11.45, starting on 24th January, after the SEC online service.
For the Second Sunday after Epiphany, this Episcopal Church celebration of Eucharist was led by The Rt Rev Dr John Armes from his home in Edinburgh. Bishop John was joined virtually by the Provost and Vice-Provost of St Mary’s Cathedral, Edinburgh.
In addition to this Eucharist, each week the Rev Canon Audrey O’Brien Stewart hosts a short act of worship with bible stories and crafts for young church members of all ages, from 8am, also available via the SEC website.
March last year, there has been a weekly call to prayer from Church leaders in Scotland, with Christians around the country and across the whole of the church joining together at 7pm, and this past Sunday, as restrictions tightened, prayers were said once again in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, recognising that we are not hidden from God and all we face is known by the Lord, whose word endures.
For our own Thursday Eucharist, the same pattern will continue: Andrea will record it in the church and upload to YouTube. While the heating was being set for her in advance of this past week’s service, the discovery was made of a water pipe leak in the hall kitchen. A session of determined wiping up and drying, however, resulted in no obvious lasting damage. Many thanks to the emergency moppers!