Sunday 13th September 2020 Trinity 14 Hello everyone, What a week! The knife-violence in our city centre last weekend is devastating (prayer below) and we watch the rising virus figures with growing concern. At the moment we can still worship in church but it behoves us to follow the guidance very carefully. This includes keeping the services shorter rather than longer. I gather the RC church has prescribed that church sermons be no longer than 5 and we are working towards this – though it is actually much harder to write a short sermon than a longer one. Similarly, the length of intercessions is having to be reduced. Thankfully, God’s love and care for us all sees no reduction! Going into school this week was rather different but the environment felt calm and as distanced as possible. We pray for the Reception children as they start full-time this week. The details of Clare Blackshaw’s funeral are coming together. It is on the afternoon of Wednesday 23rd September and strictly by invitation only. We are planning to live-stream and also have it available on YouTube afterwards. Please do NOT come to stand outside in the churchyard or near the church to pay your respects. It is only recently that we have been allowed to hold funerals in church again so we must be vigilant to keep to the government and church guidance. Saturday sees Theresa being ordained deacon at the Cathedral. It had been hoped that the service would be live streamed but sadly the equipment has been stolen. All being well it will be recorded. Maybe we can zoom it so we can watch it together in the near future and raise a glass to the Revd Theresa in our own homes…… For the moment Theresa and I are continuing to take Friday as our days off. If you do think I need to be urgently notified about something please contact Fr David or Roy Pouncett and they will pass on the message as appropriate. Remember this SUNDAY the service will be zoomed from church so the way to access it is by zoom and zoom-phone only – No conference call! Full details below and in the packs which have been sent out. The booking system will continue as it has done. How to book for services Tickets are FREE and you can book from 10am the preceding Monday with bookings closing at 2pm on Saturday * Link for ‘Sunday School Service’ at 8.30am Sunday 20th September https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/117835086917 We have now confirmed with the Infant School that 16 attendances will be needed this year in order to quality for a school place (if we have to close church again this will drop) * Link for Holy Communion 9.30am Sunday 20th September https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/117846753813 If you do not have internet access phone 07557 472096. Theresa Morton, our new Assistant Curate, will do the booking with you. She is available 10am - 4pm weekdays (EXCEPT Fridays) and 10am- 2pm on Saturdays. Blessings CanJan Church Events and News  Tapestry Project – Home is where the arch is… Join an on-line guided walk of Northfield with Suze and Tina at 11am on Saturday. They are visiting some of the places in our completed Tapestry Bricks. It’s free! https://birminghamheritageweek.co.uk/19-sept/home-is-where-the-arch-is/ More about Birmingham Heritage Week below Weekly Challenge This is being paused for the moment until we’ve got used to Zooming into services in church. If you have missed seeing any they are all available on our YouTube channel. In need of a hair-cut but not able to go to a salon or barbers? One of our Sunday School Mums, Zoe Grainger, is offering ‘hair-cuts’ in your home and even in the garden. Give her a ring on 07966 558535 For your Prayers Those who are ill Pat Turner, having fallen off her bike. Still awaiting for bones to set. May need a replacement elbow. Roger Morton, husband of Theresa. Roger was diagnosed with cancer of the brain a couple of years ago and has had treatment which has stabilised things. Vicki Reeves, in a lot of pain. Vicki sends her love to everyone and hopes to see us all soon. Those who have died Clare Blackshaw, in St Mary’s Hospice, funeral Wednesday 23rd September in St Laurence Maurice Fripp, Jenny’s father, Jessica’s grandfather, funeral 15th September Carol Ann Wylie, funeral Tuesday 22nd September in St Laurence Roger Shafi, father of Leah who has been attending church recently and planning to get married on 10th October in St Laurence. May they rest in peace and rise in Glory. Prayer for our City following the violence last weekend Loving God, amidst pain and confusion, we pray for our city in grief for the life lost and lives changed through injury, trauma, or bereavement. We hold before you Jacob Billington, his family and friends; those injured and their loved ones; and the emergency services and first responders. Across our communities, as we look again upon the horror of knife crime, give us hearts that ache with longing for peace; and the courage to lay down weapons for good. Renew our hope that you draw near to the broken-hearted; through your Son Jesus who suffered death upon the cross and now dwells for ever in your eternal kingdom. Amen. Community News  Northfield Library has re-opened for book browsing and using computers. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday 10-12 2-4pm (c45 min visits) You MUST book 0121 464 1007 Calling all budding writers... As part of National Stop Loan Sharks Week this year (1st-7th December) the England Illegal Money Lending Team are running a short story competition. There are 7 categories and the winner of each category will have their story turned into a podcast for Stop Loan Sharks week. It is aimed at adults, although young people can enter (please bear in mind the subject matter). The closing date is 16th October. More details here https://www.stlaurencenorthfield.org/uploads/6/4/4/1/6441792/loan_sharks_short_story_competition_.pdf Great British September Clean 11-27 September 2020 Make a difference to the environment in your local area by joining the this month’s national campaign. 1. Organise a private clean-up with up to five other family and friends (bearing in mind the Birmingham restrictions on social gatherings) https://www.keepbritaintidy.org/user/register 2. Do a risk assessment if a public space https://www.keepbritaintidy.org/get-involved/support-our-campaigns/greatbritish-spring-clean/resources 3. Pledge to do your own individual clean-up, you can give as little as 15 minutes to the campaign. Birmingham Heritage Week has is NOW on…. https://birminghamheritageweek.co.uk/about/ Eleven days of varied and fascinating events, from displays, walks and talks to open days. This year they invite you, for the first time, to explore Birmingham’s heritage through virtual events as well as in person (social distance) visits. You can test your Birmingham knowledge with their Brummie Quiz and take the post box challenge; what do you know about your local post-box? As part of Heritage Week, why not have a closer look at your local post box (or any other), take a photo and post it on social media with street location and tagged with #BHeritageWeek. Your record will be uploaded to help create a map showing post boxes in Birmingham from the reign of Queen Victoria to Elizabeth II. Enjoy discovering Birmingham’s history and heritage, in person or from the comfort of your home. For more information visit https://birminghamheritageweek.co.uk/ https://www.instagram.com/BHeritageWeek/ The Community Hotline continues… 0333 772 1931 (10am – 2pm Monday - Friday ) for help including shopping and picking up medication as well as advice or if you’d just like a friendly phone-call.  The Northfield Community Partnership office re-opens this week. Please phone in advance if you like to drop-off items for the food bank (or drop-off at church when open for prayer) or for financial donations: https://www.northfieldcommunity.org/ (top LEFT corner of front page) Government Guidance pertaining to places of worship The full guidance can be found here https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-guidance-for-the-safe-use-of-places-of-worship-during-the-pandemic-from-4-july/ Further information about arrangements for Holy Communion in church Worship in church will be conducted under very careful conditions in order to make this as safe as possible; please read the following very carefully. Tickets: Following guidance from the government and Church of England, we must limit numbers very strictly in order to enable social distancing. For the time being, we will operate a booking system for each service. If there are no tickets left when you try to book, please email theresa.curate@gmail.com (or phone 07557 472096) and you will be given priority the following week. In line with government guidance, all booking details will be retained for 21 days (or for the period of time the government advises) for contact tracing purposes. Arriving at church: The church will be open 20 mins before the service in order to stagger arrivals. Late arrivals may not be admitted. Hand-sanitising will be required on arrival and you will probably be directed to your seat. We will try to seat households together but this may not be possible. Please observe social distancing requirements as you find your seat and do not stop to talk to others. What will the service be like? It will be a simple, said service of Holy Communion, very much like the 8.30am service. We regret that we cannot run Sunday School alongside this service. In order to minimise transmission of the virus by droplets we are asked to say the responses quietly. There will be no singing. What about receiving Holy Communion? The bread which the people will receive will be covered during the consecration. The president will receive both bread and wine and the congregation will receive bread. The president will distribute bread wearing gloves, mask and clear plastic face shield. You will be required to stand in a particular place to receive Holy Communion and asked to outstretch your hands and then follow the one-way system to return to your seat. If your mobility is limited communion will be brought to you. Will I be required to wear a mask? YES unless exempt. If you have not got one, we will have some cloth ones available in church. What about children? Our main provision for children and families is a short service in the Pastoral Centre at 8.30am on Sundays (this also needs to be pre-booked.) If you need to bring a child to the service of HOLY COMMUNION they must have a ticket too. This includes children in pushchairs/prams. Each child MUST have an accompanying adult with them and, if of primary school age or below, they must hold the hand of the adult whilst in church except when sitting with them in their pew. Will the toilet be open? Yes, but access to it will limited. Children MUST be accompanied by the adult they have come with. Leaving church – this is the really hard bit! We will need to be quite directional about this and will probably ask you to leave a row at a time and once outside to move away from the church exits promptly. Fellowship is an important aspect of our church life; if wanting to talk to others please do so some way from the actual building and maintain social distancing (despite much talk of ‘1metre plus’ the full two metres should still be observed as much as possible including when outside.) Services and meetings for this week One of the ministers says Morning Prayer alone in church Monday-Saturday Services and Meetings this week Links and Meeting IDs Sunday  8.30am Sunday School Service 9.30am Holy Communion available later on YouTube we hope! In Pastoral Centre(booking required – see above) https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84533030134 Meeting ID: 845 3303 0134 Monday 5pm Evening Prayer https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89992167638 Tuesday 10am GridIron ‘Coffee’ 2-3pm Private Prayer 5pm Evening Prayer Contact Stuart Andrew 0121 628 0425 In church https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89992167638 Wednesday 10am Holy Communion  8.30pm Compline https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81798933169 Meeting ID: 81798933169 Conference Call only Thursday 5pm Evening Prayer https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89992167638 Meeting ID 89992167638 Saturday 10am – 11.30am Private prayer In church How to Phone in via-Zoom to any of the above (except Wednesday Compline) 1. Enter 141 (to keep your number private) 2. Dial one of these numbers 1. 0203 481 5237 0203 481 5240 0131 460 1196 0203 051 2874 1. 3. Enter the Meeting ID (without any spaces) then # 4. When it asks for your personal ID enter # How to Conference Call Phone 01902 693302 and when asked enter the code 1139 and then say your name. It then takes a few moments before you can hear and be heard. Also - You can Phone a Service 24 hours a day! freephone 0800 804 8044 for Daily Hope offers music, prayers and reflections as well as full worship services from the Church of England. And to hear one of the St Laurence Ministers preaching: 0121 270 4690 These are changed after the services on Sundays and Wednesdays (usually by early evening)