Links

17th March 2020 : Please click here for a formal communication concerning the ongoing Coronavirus situation in the UK, from The Methodist Church in Great Britain and the Vale of Stour Circuit.

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Christianity - what’s it all about in the face of Coronavirus
Why not explore...

https://christianity.org.uk/help-me

There is help here, and good news for all.

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(Links Updated Wednesday 27th May)

Please click on any of the links below, to go to...

CIRCUIT NEWS

Superintendent Minister's letter April 2020 - Coronavirus v2 pdf, courtesy of Rev Alan Combes

Rev Rachel Parkinson, our District Chair, reflects on Psalm 23 YouTube link.

A Sunday Reflection from our District Chair - Rev Rachel Parkinson YouTube link.

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Please see the Spring Newsletter pdf, from Claire Biggs, our Children And Families Worker

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Christian Aid Week

Please support Christian Aid Week pdf

Christian Aid Week Resources  
This year we are not going to be able to collect for Christian Aid Week in the same way as normal.
 
Christian Aid resources for Christian Aid Week can be found at https://www.christianaid.org.uk/appeals/key-appeals/christian-aid-week/resources

We would like to offer a short adult quiz (pdf) and a children’s activity sheet (pdf).
We have also created our own children’s quiz (pdf) based on children’s books.
 
Donations can be made online at https://www.christianaid.org.uk/give-money/make-donation

Stourbridge Churches Christian Aid Quiz

A virtual Quiz held on Zoom over your computers

You are invited to support fundraising for Christian Aid this year
by attending the Stourbridge Churches Christian Aid Quiz.

THURSDAY 28th May at 6.45pm (early, to allow people to support the NHS Clap at 8pm)

If you would like to join the Quiz, please clck here to contact the Circuit Office
- select the category "Christian Aid Quiz enquiry" -
for the Zoom link, Meeting ID and Password.

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Vale of Stour Circuit Services and Prayer Meetings On-Line

We are now able to provide a dedicated Vale of Stour on-line centre for activities such as services and prayer meetings.
See the Virtual Church tab for more information and technical details !

On Sunday morning (24th May) there will be two services - at 10:00am and 11:30am - and evening worship at 6:30pm.  By spreading out the congregation we hope all will be able to enter the Virtual Church and share in worship.
Morning worship will be led by Rev Michael Payne, and evening worship by Rev Josephine Soon.

We look forward to welcoming you to the VoSWorship Room at one of those times :
https://church.valeofstour.org.uk/vosworship
- or
go to the Virtual Church tab and click on the link there.

The morning Order of Service is here : 24th May 2020 pdf, and will be led by Rev Michael Payne, continuing our journey into 'what is church'. You are welcome to read this file at any time, but if you intend to attend either of the Virtual Church services on Sunday, you could choose to wait till then, where the included prayers and readings will enable you to join in, should the technology prove... uncooperative...

Thank you for sharing this journey and bearing with us along the way.  And thanks to all those working in the background.

We look forward to seeing you on Sunday as we continue to pray for our communities, the church and ourselves.  

God bless

Alan and the Team

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Holy Habits on Facebook Live

You are invited to join our very own Rev Andrew Roberts on Tuesdays, at 7:30pm, where he will be presenting the start of eight Holy Habits Facebook Live home groups followed by a 30-minute Q&A session live on Facebook.

To join the home groups and watch parties, simply follow the links below :

facebook.com/groups/holyhabitshomegroup

facebook.com/groups/holyhabitshomegroupaustralia

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Why not join the Circuit-Wide Lent WhatsApp Group ?

Rev Alan Combes invites you to join his WhatsApp Lent group - receiving daily reflections through WhatsApp (if you have a smart phone).  E-mail or phone the circuit office, or contact Rev Alan to find out how to do this :

  • Click here to contact Rev Alan - select the category "Circuit-Wide Lent WhatsApp Group"

  • or phone 01384 823146
     

NEW LINKS

Ministers' and Preachers' Reflections, Sermons, and Orders of Service

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Health, Guidance, and Support Resources
 

Young Minds website, featuring

Self-Isolation Conversation Starter pdf
Young Minds Matter pdf

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NSPCC website - advice for you and your family with coping emotionally

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Looking After Your Feelings And Body pdf from Public Health England

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NHS site - tackling Working From Home

NHS site - looking after children and young people during COVID-19

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Poster for a Black Country Welfare 24-7 Support Line, showing links to

Sandwell Healthy Minds - 0303 033 9903
Wolverhampton Healthy Minds - 0800 923 0222
Black Country 24-7 Mental Health Support Line - 0345 6460827
and
Improving Access to Psychological Therapies :
- Dudley IAPT - 0800 953 0404
- Walsall IAPT - 0800 953 0995

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New Online Resources from Christianity.org.uk

Run by the Christian Enquiry Agency and part of Churches Together In England.
Visitors to the site can read a number of well written articles or watch short video that may answer their questions.
It’s worth a browse and visitors can then ask questions, request a free copy of Luke’s Gospel, or find a church from the site.  All this is available to your church website for free.

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Links for helping families dealing with children who are grieving :

https://parentingforfaith.org/post/death-grief-and-coronavirus link

Supporting_bereaved_children_through_difficult_times pdf

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Click here for MH Self-Isolation Survival Guide pdf

An excellent home-schooling resource
for those of you with older children/teens to help them through isolation.

Provided by Forward Thinking Birmingham NHS Women and Childrens' Trust

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URC On Line Resources During the Crisis including Daily Devotions

The United Reformed Church (URC) is offering regularly updated advice and resources from a variety of sources about the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic. Please follow government advice: stay at home, protect the NHS, and save lives. God is with us and being worshipped in creative ways around the denomination as churches are closed. 

The URC has produced a list of its churches providing digital services, available here. 

The URC Daily Devotions team is also offering a Sunday service in both written and audio formats, featuring a range of voices from around the denomination. Since 22 March, more than 1,000 people have signed up to bring the total number of Daily Devotions subscribers to a whopping 3,988. Sign up to the Daily Devotions here.
 

While the Coronavirus situation persists, this page will contain useful links to :

We trust and pray that these links may prove helpful, beneficial and a source of comfort for you in this uncertain time.

Please be aware that these links will take you to external sites, and although they have been checked, the Vale of Stour Circuit is not responsible for their contents.