Parish Newsletter

St Werburgh’s Church Closed

In common with all public buildings and places where people gather together, St Werburgh’s has had to be closed for the duration of this Coronavirus outbreak. We all regret this hugely, the first time in our history we have needed to close our church: but we also recognise we must play our part in preventing the spread of this killer virus, by avoiding gathering together and, wherever possible, staying in our own homes. We know that, both as individuals and as a community, we will co-operate to the full in these instructions. The sooner we get on top of this infection, the sooner normal life can return, and our Churches once again be open.

 

Keeping in Touch during this Period

Newsletters and Information Sheets will be available two ways, as usual: hard copies, in the Newsletter Box on the Front Door of the Church; and on the website, as you’ve always done. Log on to: www.stwerburghchester.co.uk. On the home page, you will see two links: one takes you to all the official statements that have come out from Bishop Mark, the Bishops’ Conference of England & Wales, and our own Information Sheet; the other takes you to the incredibly irritating Parish Priest’s Daily Blog. You have been warned…

 

On-Line Catholic Resources at our Cathedral

We have compiled as complete a list as we can of on-line resources. Our own Cathedral in Shrewsbury has many excellent ways of keeping in touch with the church, including live streaming of Mass. The website which takes you straight through is: www.dioceseofshrewsbury.org 

 

Welsh Railways Trip: Five Places Left!

Wednesday 6^th May: 43 of the 48 places have been booked. At the moment it is still going ahead, but if we need to postpone, we will let you know via this Newsletter immediately. No cheques or cash have been banked.

 

Churches Together in Christleton

So sorry to lose our wonderful Lent Programme, visiting five local Houses of Prayer on Tuesday afternoons during Lent. Huge thanks to our wonderful Secretary, Judith, for organising everything this year. We will live to fight another day!

 

Our Mission Together Day Chapel

As soon as this emergency is over, our Church and Day Chapel will be open for you to have a look at, and to give us your views. It’s an exciting space, and a key part of our church, and we need your views and your ideas on how we develop it fully in the future.

 

CAFOD Lent Fast Day Envelopes

They’re in the Newsletter Box on the Front Door of Church: if you can make your contribution, CAFOD will be very grateful, and you can pop them back through the Parish House Letter Box.

  

High School and CathSoc Students

Almost all home again now. A worrying time for our youngsters: our many GCSE students were keying themselves up for the first big set of Public Examinations in their lives, and there’s an inevitable sense of anti-climax as they will no longer be sitting them. One slight silver lining: for those already committed to coming back to the Sixth Form, a Heaven-sent opportunity to make a head-start with their A Level Subjects and be streets ahead by the time their A Level Courses actually begin in September. For those facing A Levels, and hoping to go on to College or University, a very real level of stress and uncertainty. Their A Level Grades will be assessed on the basis of other exams they have done and their Course Work but given how competitive it is getting into University these days. I’m just not sure how the Appeals System is going to work if a student is one or two points short of their Offer. Tense times ahead. And then for our Uni Finalists, they all have major Dissertations to write with the Libraries closed. As you all know, caring Uni Chaplain that I am, I’m the first to tell them when they’re being snow-flakes: but in this situation, they actually have got a very worrying time ahead of them, and they do need our TLC and prayers. Not that I’d ever say that to their faces, of course…

 

Parish Council Meeting on Wednesday

We’ll have a “Virtual Meeting” if we may, please, on Wednesday at 7.00 pm, communicating by email rather than face to face. I know trendy parishes now have skype and conferencing facilities, but when was St Werburgh’s ever trendy?

 

Collection Money During this Emergency

Probably the last thing on anyone’s mind at the moment; but, like all Parishes, we will take a huge hit during this emergency in terms of our income. If you make your contribution by Standing Order, you can have a Smug Very badge. If you use envelopes, please keep using them and let us have them when convenient, even after this is all over. If you make a cash contribution, please continue to put it in your jam jar on the mantle-piece and let us have it when this is over. Or, if you’re a posh kid, you could always send us a cheque. Thanks, everybody!

 

First Holy Communion Masses in May

Still going ahead at present but watch this space!

 

Self-Isolating Contact List

The joint List we are operating between the Parish and the SVP seems to be working well. If you know of anyone – including you yourself – who would like to go on the “Please Contact” list, do let us know. Alternatively, if you’re willing to go on the “Willing to Contact” List, we’d love to hear from you.

 

Photo of the Week: Tahitian Stations of the Cross

From the Cathedral in Tahiti in Polynesia, with a heavy French influence, seen by Brian and BC on their amazing trip to the South Seas last year. (Getting ready for another one, to see Young Brian? Yes, I thought so…)