Saint David’s Uniting Church
& Castle Square URC
Minister: Rev. Dr Phil Wall
Tel: 01443 300345 Mob: 07855090360
Website: www.stdavidsuniting.org.uk
Admin email: office1.sduc@gmail.com
15th August 2021
We welcome you all to this morning’s service which is being led by our Minister and is being live streamed from St David’s and will be available to watch later on YouTube. Those without internet will have received the script.
The services today will include two opportunities to share Christ’s meal together – this morning, we will have Communion as part of our service in St. David’s Uniting Church, which will also be livestreamed and can be viewed later on YouTube. Bread and non-alcoholic wine will be provided. We invite those at home to have bread and wine, or the equivalent ready so that you can share Christ’s meal with us.
At 4pm this afternoon on zoom, we host our second storytelling Communion. We are encouraged to come with a story to share on this month’s theme: holiday. you can share a story of a childhood holiday or family excursion; an overseas adventure or domestic wet weekend. It can be funny tale or serious; a story with a twist or a simple recollection of joy. There’s no right or wrong length or overall feeling – it doesn’t have to have a message or be a masterpiece – just be true to your experience. If you would rather come and simply listen, that’s fine. So join us at 4pm to share and celebrate!
The link for both services are at the end of this newsletter.
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Church Family and Pastoral News
We include this in the news sheet to inform our prayers.
- After a fall on Monday, Cyril is on ward 5 at RGH but in good spirits. His legs are weak after the fall and won’t support him at the moment. He will probably be in for a few days. He can have visitors by appointment and has a mobile with him so might be able to take calls. Please ask Marcia for the number.
- Pauline Robbins is in pain, but it a different type of pain which she is sure will not last!
- Chris Morris, though glad to be home, was not too well at first, but is now feeling a lot better.
- We continue to hold Micah, Peter and Audrey De Jong’s 5yr old grandson, in our prayers as he has treatment.
- We remember Brenda Elias as she continues with her treatment, which hopefully will go smoothly.
- There are several people in our churches who are concerned for close family members.
- We remember those who live with constant pain and those who are being cared for at home.
Thanks
Mair, Janice and Graham wish to thank all friends for their prayers, cards and flowers received after Mark’s sudden passing. Special thanks to those from the church who attended the memorial service. God bless you all.
“Chris would like to thank everyone for their messages, cards and best wishes while he was in hospital last week. He is beginning to feel better now and he and Margaret are very grateful for the support of you all.”
Thanks X
Good News
We congratulate Jamie Davies who having received his ‘A’ level results has been accepted at Swansea University to study Accountancy. We rejoice with his Mum Elizabeth and grandparents Jane and Hywel.
We are delighted that four former members of Kid’s Club have been successful in getting their ‘A’ Levels and have been accepted in their chosen universities:
Anna (Owen – granddaughter of Heather) is going to Cardiff to do nursing,
Ellie (Jones) has been accepted at Oxford
Ben (Oliver) will be going to Durham and
Keenan (Edwards) will be studying at Sheffield.
We send our congratulations to them all and wish them well in their future studies.
Millie (Bayliss – granddaughter of Janet), has achieved excellent GCSE results and will now study for her ‘A’levels.
Birthdays this week
People who will be celebrating their birthdays this week include Anne Hill on Tuesday 17th and Theo Davies on Thursday 19th, he will be 8.
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Ministers Diary
Phil is officially on holiday from this evening (Sunday 15th) and will not be back in the office until Wednesday 1st September. Enjoy your break Phil – it is well deserved!
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Future services:
Following the Government announcement, we are continuing with our current schedule of services until the end of September, with relaxed conditions in the sanctuary. Thus, the service schedule will be:
- 22nd August 10:45am Morning Service on Zoom with Rev Ray Vincent
- 29th August 10:45am Synod Sunday Service on zoom.
All morning services available on paper, on our website and on YouTube.
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St David’s Uniting Church Vision Document
St. David’s elders will be in touch regarding the vision document if they haven’t already done so.
If you haven’t received a phone call yet and haven’t had time to read the document, you still have time.
If you have been unable print the document or have mislaid it contact Marcia for another copy – Space will be made to discuss it at the church meeting in September and in subsequent parts of our church life.
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Covid Level Zero
Whilst we are still working out what the latest relaxation of restrictions means for church services, we have altered the seating system at St. David’s Uniting Church. We still need to sanitize, wear masks and keep conversation to a quiet level but you are now welcome to sit anywhere in the worship space, whilst being encouraged to leave at least a one-seat gap between you and someone from another household. Thanks for your understanding with this.
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Church opening?!
After our recent reflections on the future of our churches and last week’s sermon asking ‘what will pay our bills?’, Alan Hills sent in this interesting extract from Catherine Fox’s new book ‘Tales From Lindford’ (Marylebone House, 2021):
“And why say that churches are opening, as though churches haven’t been going on all the time, online and through the networks of help and support? What if we have been more open than ever, more inclusive of those who can’t, for whatever reason, get themselves across the threshold of a physical building? And what if these buildings of ours are a collection of glorious white elephants? We inherited them and are now obliged to dust them, glue back any bits that drop off, prop them up where a leg has gone missing, endlessly, endlessly maintain them without any help from the state, and with the dawning realization that the magic money tree of endowments that’s flourished for centuries in the quad of church history, well, it’s almost dead. Apologies. Asking ‘what if?’ is something novelists are legally obliged to do.”
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A Thought for the Week
A positive thinker does not refuse to recognise the negative, he refuses to dwell on it.
Positive thinking is a form of thought which habitually looks for the best results from the worst conditions.
Norman Vincent Peale 1898-1993
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ZOOM SERVICES: Log in opens at 10.30 for pre service chat. Services will start at 10.45 or as advertised. Zoom service link – https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89461145366?pwd=S3ExNTVjdGVGdXlGVlNQc2k3eldudz09
To join by phone (call 0203 901 7895. then, when asked, type in the meeting ID – 894 6114 5366; followed – when asked – by the passcode – 8453605) Calls are charged at standard UK call rates.
LIVE STREAM SERVICES – to join go to https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1ftWuXHexnfFdo1FKwXBZA where you should be able to join the service. Don’t join too early!