Week 2 of Social Distancing begins and I want to bring you another update. I should say that these updates do not contain any statistics about Covid-19 infections or Government advice on regulating our behaviour, these things change so rapidly that it is better that you go to news sources for this information. These updates are instead to provide you with alternative news and HOPE at a time when many are despairing. The aim of these updates is to help us focus on Jesus Christ (the hope of our Salvation) at a time when the media is focused elsewhere. They also aim to provide local practical information that will provide help.
Today there is information about :
A Call To Pray
The leaders of the four largest churches are calling us all to prayer next Sunday as we begin “Holy Week” and the approach to Easter, “we invite all Christians from across the whole Church to join in prayer on Palm Sunday, 5 April, from 3pm to 4pm”- remembering that we should only gather to pray within our own households, in line with government advice. Of course we are all praying daily at this time, but this is an opportunity for Christians across this island to unite together. The full text of the statement that has been released can be found at the bottom of this update. The Presbyterian Church also has a prayer initiative ...
Let’s Pray - These three remain…”
These three remain…” is an initiative of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland to draw congregations and their members together in God to express his life and witness in this moment. It provides us with material to pray so that as a church we are united in this effort. Content will also appear on the PCI website and social media in the coming days to resource the church for its continuing ministry and mission.
https://www.presbyterianireland.org/resources/prayer/let-s-pray.aspx
Keswick Concert
Last week I shared a concert from week 1 of the Keswick Convention, this concert is from week three and is by Andrew Peterson.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmUWatfnXoQ
God WIll Take Care Of You
Thank you to everyone who shared the following video with me over the past week. It is "God Will Take Care of You" filmed by Fountainview Academy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4Ez8m2ozf4
Open Doors
If you are interested in praying for the persecuted church, Open Doors have a number of videos to guide you in your prayers
https://vimeo.com/opendoorsuk?_cldee=YnVybnNpZGVjaHVyY2hAZ21haWwuY29t&recipientid=account-d2bc5a4af793e71180dd000d3a23e0d0-5929ac34c8344a1a8159d46f039504c1&esid=58f6f338-236d-ea11-a82a-000d3a2cff99
And you can find more information at the Open Doors Website
https://www.opendoorsuk.org/persecution/resources/?_cldee=YnVybnNpZGVjaHVyY2hAZ21haWwuY29t&recipientid=account-d2bc5a4af793e71180dd000d3a23e0d0-5929ac34c8344a1a8159d46f039504c1&esid=58f6f338-236d-ea11-a82a-000d3a2cff99
Day 30 - Trypraying 2020
We begin another week of Trypraying and last week we were asked to pray for Education, this week the focus is on Health. (Obviously these points were written before the Corona Virus outbreak.
Prayer focus HEALTH
The National Health Service is said to be the world’s third largest employer after the Chinese Army and Indian Railways.
In the UK many people are not well – 1000s and 1000s of them.
Let’s pray about that!
• Pray for someone you know who is not well. Pray for their healing. Pray for good medical attention.
• Pray for the doctors, nurses and technicians who are working to help them.
• Pray for the NHS, that this enormous provider of care would function in the best way possible.
• Pray for success in combating MRSA and other antibiotic resistant infections.
• Pray also for prevention of disease in reduction of smoking, drug and alcohol abuse.
• Pray for someone you know who is overweight that they would chose a healthy lifestyle.
The Theme for this whole week is Grace and the thought today is about love. “God is Love” 1 John 4:16
Shops Delivering Food
Below are a few more shops that deliver food to Portstewart, followed by the complete list. Thank you to those folk who have shared this information.
Lynas Food Services Tel. 028 70350600 https://lynasfoodservice.com/
The Belfry Delicatessen - Tea, coffee, tray-bakes, bread, preserves, soup, cheese, cured meats etc. Tel - 028 70342906
Mash Direct are a N.I. Company delivering prepacked vegetable products ready for cooking https://www.mashdirect.com
The List so far is below, if you have used any other home delivery service please let me know so that I can add it to the list.
Ballywindland Dairies - Milkman delivering in Portstewart Tel - 078 1443 2753
The Belfry Delicatessen - Tea, coffee, tray-bakes, bread, preserves, soup, cheese, cured meats etc. Tel - 028 70342906
Fresh To The Door, will deliver fruit, vegetables and milk Tel. 028 2074 1555
Lynas Food Services Tel. 028 70350600 https://lynasfoodservice.com/
Mash Direct are a N.I. Company delivering prepacked vegetable products ready for cooking https://www.mashdirect.com
Spar - University of Ulster - Tel - 028 7035 1147
Most Spar Shops https://www.spar-ni.co.uk/home-delivery
Toms Butchers, The Promenade Portstewart Tel - 028 7083 2869
Trolans SuperValu Portstewart - Tel 028 7083 2221
Warke’s Deli, The Promenade, order at info@warkesdeli.com
THE CALL TO PRAYER BY THE CHURCH LEADERS
Church Leaders encourage the community
and call Ireland to pray
In a joint statement today (27 March), following a video conference, the leaders of the Church of Ireland, Methodist Church in Ireland, Roman Catholic Church, Presbyterian Church in Ireland and the Irish Council of Churches, have paid tribute to everyone in the health and social care services and those in the frontline, for their courage in the battle against the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
The leaders of Ireland’s main Churches, together with other denominations and Christian organisations, also issued a call to pray, which will take place on Palm Sunday, 5 April from 3pm-4pm.
Church Leaders’ joint statement in full
“In these days when we can no longer gather and ‘be church’ in the traditional way, the call to live out the Gospel as agents of God’s mercy and compassion through the sacrifices that we make to protect the vulnerable, and by finding new ways to be Good Samaritans and good neighbours is as powerful as ever.
“To all who are suffering, have lost loved ones and are anxious in these unprecedented days, we pray that you may find strength and comfort in the loving presence of Christ who promised to be with his people always (Matthew 28:20).
“As Church Leaders, we want to thank everyone in our health and social care services and those working on the frontline, for their courage as they work selflessly to minimise the suffering caused by the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Alongside our chaplains and pastoral teams, they have chosen to walk towards the danger for our sake. We owe it to them to play our part in limiting the spread of this virus by staying home and practising social distancing when we need to go out.
“With this crisis has come a heightened awareness of our interconnectedness and interdependency and a new recognition of the vast array of jobs that are essential to the functioning of our society. All our workers, whether called into service at this time, or asked to stay home, need to be adequately protected.
“In the midst of this suffering, however we can see many signs of hope. The speed with which local communities, involving churches, community groups, charities, businesses and other local community leaders, who have mobilised in response to this unprecedented challenge, has been a great reassurance to many.
“We still have a long way to go in the fight against Covid-19 and its consequences. We will need many volunteers for our health service and to protect the vulnerable. Charities that provide much-needed support, also need donations, so please consider giving online. We are all called to make sacrifices, but the burden of suffering will not be evenly shared.
“In a short space of time the rhythm and pattern of our everyday lives has changed. There is however one constant throughout – an ever-loving God who tells us, “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10.)
“As we look to Him with our pastoral and practical concerns during these unparalleled times, as the island battles this pandemic, standing alongside other denominations and Christian organisations, we are today issuing a call to pray.
“As Christians, we believe that prayer sustains our life as followers of Christ. In the midst of this global pandemic, we turn to Jesus in our time of need. As Church leaders, we join together in calling all our people to pray. As we begin the journey through Holy Week towards Good Friday and Easter, we invite all Christians from across the whole Church to join in prayer on Palm Sunday, 5 April, from 3pm to 4pm- remembering that we should only gather to pray within our own households, in line with government advice.
“God loves the world and everyone in it. We will pray for those who are sick, and those feeling fearful; we will pray for those who have been bereaved and those who are isolated and alone. We will pray for our healthcare professionals, delivery drivers, essential workers and all who continue to work on the frontline. We will pray for, and with those in our communities, who are fearful about their employment and for those reaching out to provide food and shelter. We will pray for our families and friends, neighbours and civic, business and political leaders for the inevitable challenges that will arise in the coming days. We also remember those across our world who are similarly suffering. We pray for those working hard to produce new treatments and vaccines.
“Though we cannot meet as the gathered Church, we will end the hour united in prayer, asking for the Lord’s healing touch on our land and all its people. All are invited to pray, regardless of where they are in their own journey of faith, even if they have never prayed before. At this critical moment we will bring this land and our world before our loving God in prayer remembering that, “We do not make requests of you because we are righteous, but because of your great mercy” (Daniel 9:18).”
Rt Rev Dr William Henry
Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland
Rt Rev John McDowell
Church of Ireland Archbishop-elect of Armagh
Most Rev Eamon Martin
Roman Catholic Archbishop of Armagh & Primate of all Ireland
Rev Sam McGuffin
President of the Methodist Church in Ireland
Rev Brian Anderson
President of the Irish Council of Churches
Today there is information about :
- A Call To Prayer from the churches
- Another Concert form Keswick
- Prayer Information from Open Doors
- Trypraying this week
- Shops that will deliver food.
A Call To Pray
The leaders of the four largest churches are calling us all to prayer next Sunday as we begin “Holy Week” and the approach to Easter, “we invite all Christians from across the whole Church to join in prayer on Palm Sunday, 5 April, from 3pm to 4pm”- remembering that we should only gather to pray within our own households, in line with government advice. Of course we are all praying daily at this time, but this is an opportunity for Christians across this island to unite together. The full text of the statement that has been released can be found at the bottom of this update. The Presbyterian Church also has a prayer initiative ...
Let’s Pray - These three remain…”
These three remain…” is an initiative of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland to draw congregations and their members together in God to express his life and witness in this moment. It provides us with material to pray so that as a church we are united in this effort. Content will also appear on the PCI website and social media in the coming days to resource the church for its continuing ministry and mission.
https://www.presbyterianireland.org/resources/prayer/let-s-pray.aspx
Keswick Concert
Last week I shared a concert from week 1 of the Keswick Convention, this concert is from week three and is by Andrew Peterson.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmUWatfnXoQ
God WIll Take Care Of You
Thank you to everyone who shared the following video with me over the past week. It is "God Will Take Care of You" filmed by Fountainview Academy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4Ez8m2ozf4
Open Doors
If you are interested in praying for the persecuted church, Open Doors have a number of videos to guide you in your prayers
https://vimeo.com/opendoorsuk?_cldee=YnVybnNpZGVjaHVyY2hAZ21haWwuY29t&recipientid=account-d2bc5a4af793e71180dd000d3a23e0d0-5929ac34c8344a1a8159d46f039504c1&esid=58f6f338-236d-ea11-a82a-000d3a2cff99
And you can find more information at the Open Doors Website
https://www.opendoorsuk.org/persecution/resources/?_cldee=YnVybnNpZGVjaHVyY2hAZ21haWwuY29t&recipientid=account-d2bc5a4af793e71180dd000d3a23e0d0-5929ac34c8344a1a8159d46f039504c1&esid=58f6f338-236d-ea11-a82a-000d3a2cff99
Day 30 - Trypraying 2020
We begin another week of Trypraying and last week we were asked to pray for Education, this week the focus is on Health. (Obviously these points were written before the Corona Virus outbreak.
Prayer focus HEALTH
The National Health Service is said to be the world’s third largest employer after the Chinese Army and Indian Railways.
In the UK many people are not well – 1000s and 1000s of them.
Let’s pray about that!
• Pray for someone you know who is not well. Pray for their healing. Pray for good medical attention.
• Pray for the doctors, nurses and technicians who are working to help them.
• Pray for the NHS, that this enormous provider of care would function in the best way possible.
• Pray for success in combating MRSA and other antibiotic resistant infections.
• Pray also for prevention of disease in reduction of smoking, drug and alcohol abuse.
• Pray for someone you know who is overweight that they would chose a healthy lifestyle.
The Theme for this whole week is Grace and the thought today is about love. “God is Love” 1 John 4:16
Shops Delivering Food
Below are a few more shops that deliver food to Portstewart, followed by the complete list. Thank you to those folk who have shared this information.
Lynas Food Services Tel. 028 70350600 https://lynasfoodservice.com/
The Belfry Delicatessen - Tea, coffee, tray-bakes, bread, preserves, soup, cheese, cured meats etc. Tel - 028 70342906
Mash Direct are a N.I. Company delivering prepacked vegetable products ready for cooking https://www.mashdirect.com
The List so far is below, if you have used any other home delivery service please let me know so that I can add it to the list.
Ballywindland Dairies - Milkman delivering in Portstewart Tel - 078 1443 2753
The Belfry Delicatessen - Tea, coffee, tray-bakes, bread, preserves, soup, cheese, cured meats etc. Tel - 028 70342906
Fresh To The Door, will deliver fruit, vegetables and milk Tel. 028 2074 1555
Lynas Food Services Tel. 028 70350600 https://lynasfoodservice.com/
Mash Direct are a N.I. Company delivering prepacked vegetable products ready for cooking https://www.mashdirect.com
Spar - University of Ulster - Tel - 028 7035 1147
Most Spar Shops https://www.spar-ni.co.uk/home-delivery
Toms Butchers, The Promenade Portstewart Tel - 028 7083 2869
Trolans SuperValu Portstewart - Tel 028 7083 2221
Warke’s Deli, The Promenade, order at info@warkesdeli.com
THE CALL TO PRAYER BY THE CHURCH LEADERS
Church Leaders encourage the community
and call Ireland to pray
In a joint statement today (27 March), following a video conference, the leaders of the Church of Ireland, Methodist Church in Ireland, Roman Catholic Church, Presbyterian Church in Ireland and the Irish Council of Churches, have paid tribute to everyone in the health and social care services and those in the frontline, for their courage in the battle against the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
The leaders of Ireland’s main Churches, together with other denominations and Christian organisations, also issued a call to pray, which will take place on Palm Sunday, 5 April from 3pm-4pm.
Church Leaders’ joint statement in full
“In these days when we can no longer gather and ‘be church’ in the traditional way, the call to live out the Gospel as agents of God’s mercy and compassion through the sacrifices that we make to protect the vulnerable, and by finding new ways to be Good Samaritans and good neighbours is as powerful as ever.
“To all who are suffering, have lost loved ones and are anxious in these unprecedented days, we pray that you may find strength and comfort in the loving presence of Christ who promised to be with his people always (Matthew 28:20).
“As Church Leaders, we want to thank everyone in our health and social care services and those working on the frontline, for their courage as they work selflessly to minimise the suffering caused by the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Alongside our chaplains and pastoral teams, they have chosen to walk towards the danger for our sake. We owe it to them to play our part in limiting the spread of this virus by staying home and practising social distancing when we need to go out.
“With this crisis has come a heightened awareness of our interconnectedness and interdependency and a new recognition of the vast array of jobs that are essential to the functioning of our society. All our workers, whether called into service at this time, or asked to stay home, need to be adequately protected.
“In the midst of this suffering, however we can see many signs of hope. The speed with which local communities, involving churches, community groups, charities, businesses and other local community leaders, who have mobilised in response to this unprecedented challenge, has been a great reassurance to many.
“We still have a long way to go in the fight against Covid-19 and its consequences. We will need many volunteers for our health service and to protect the vulnerable. Charities that provide much-needed support, also need donations, so please consider giving online. We are all called to make sacrifices, but the burden of suffering will not be evenly shared.
“In a short space of time the rhythm and pattern of our everyday lives has changed. There is however one constant throughout – an ever-loving God who tells us, “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10.)
“As we look to Him with our pastoral and practical concerns during these unparalleled times, as the island battles this pandemic, standing alongside other denominations and Christian organisations, we are today issuing a call to pray.
“As Christians, we believe that prayer sustains our life as followers of Christ. In the midst of this global pandemic, we turn to Jesus in our time of need. As Church leaders, we join together in calling all our people to pray. As we begin the journey through Holy Week towards Good Friday and Easter, we invite all Christians from across the whole Church to join in prayer on Palm Sunday, 5 April, from 3pm to 4pm- remembering that we should only gather to pray within our own households, in line with government advice.
“God loves the world and everyone in it. We will pray for those who are sick, and those feeling fearful; we will pray for those who have been bereaved and those who are isolated and alone. We will pray for our healthcare professionals, delivery drivers, essential workers and all who continue to work on the frontline. We will pray for, and with those in our communities, who are fearful about their employment and for those reaching out to provide food and shelter. We will pray for our families and friends, neighbours and civic, business and political leaders for the inevitable challenges that will arise in the coming days. We also remember those across our world who are similarly suffering. We pray for those working hard to produce new treatments and vaccines.
“Though we cannot meet as the gathered Church, we will end the hour united in prayer, asking for the Lord’s healing touch on our land and all its people. All are invited to pray, regardless of where they are in their own journey of faith, even if they have never prayed before. At this critical moment we will bring this land and our world before our loving God in prayer remembering that, “We do not make requests of you because we are righteous, but because of your great mercy” (Daniel 9:18).”
Rt Rev Dr William Henry
Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland
Rt Rev John McDowell
Church of Ireland Archbishop-elect of Armagh
Most Rev Eamon Martin
Roman Catholic Archbishop of Armagh & Primate of all Ireland
Rev Sam McGuffin
President of the Methodist Church in Ireland
Rev Brian Anderson
President of the Irish Council of Churches
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