Faith in the Pandemic

It's been a strange year and one that no-one would have anticipated. No Wimbledon, no Chelsea Flower Show, theatres shut, restrictions on movement, worries about food shopping, unable to see family and friends for long periods - all victims of a tiny new virus. And then Christ Church shut - we were no longer able to worship in person together. But then an IT 'saviour' came along, little expected, unknown - ZOOM! We are blessed to have Adam who really understands IT and by Easter we were up and running, with help being given to some who found this a challenge. As we continued with weekly Sunday services online, it was a blessing to see former parishioners at home and abroad able to log on while physically distant and to be joined by Joe, our previous vicar. Periodically we had a weekly quiet service which was also much appreciated. By the end of August, after much preparation our church opened again for worship, albeit to a small congregation and with great care and no singing; zoom services continue as well.

We have survived and adapted, prayed and looked after each other, even held an online auction and the Big Quiz Night in aid of Tearfund online for the first time with breakout rooms. We had an online Little Christmas Catalogue in place of our annual Christmas Fayre where people could order handmade goods and foods. In all of this, health and illness, joy and sadness, we know our God walks with us and that is the greatest comfort we can have.

With such uncertainty, we continue to make plans knowing that there will possibly be changes. We hope to hold some services in church whilst some will be online. We are planning a Christmas Cheer Event for some light and joy at the end of a dark and, for some, very painful year which will be followed by an uncertain future. For this, we have invited parishioners to decorate their windows, doors and front gardens on a variety of themes so that we can supply details for everyone to take a Christmas walk around the decorated parish from 1st December and support Sam Beare’s Children's Hospice with a donation. We are still working out how to do some Carol Singing with a maximum of six singers but our Advent Course via Zoom is well underway and we are faithfully taking part in the National Lockdown Prayer Call each day during the current lockdown.             

Chloe McCarthy, Administrator, Christ Church Ottershaw

• < Prev
• Next >