TIM’S SEPTEMBER NEWSLETTER

Dear STMC Family
I hope that this Newsletter will find you well and safe?
Since the August Newsletter we have moved to Lockdown Level 1 which is good news for us as a church. Thank you for putting up with the challenges and differences of our services having to go online during lockdown.
I would like to both acknowledge and give my heartfelt thanks and deep appreciation for the commitment, time and effort given by so many people in our church family to ensure our services were successful during lockdown.
Thank you to all those who were part of our online teams responsible for preparing, creating and posting our daily devotions; thank you to our Children’s Ministry, to our Youth and Young Adults Teams and the team responsible for our Sunday morning online services. The demands of time and the ongoing, considerable pressure to be creative and meet deadlines, placed a tremendous load on our “new” online production team – I am sure you will agree that they have done a most amazing and wonderful job! Thank you.
Thank you to our Pastoral team who reached out in such creative, generous, and compassionate ways to ensure loving care and assistance was given to all those who needed support in our church family during lockdown. Well done to them!
Thank you everyone for your faithfulness and commitment to your financial giving and support for the ministry of the church. Your generosity during exceedingly difficult economic times meant we were able to continue our work as a church, we were able to pay salaries, and were in the position to assist so many that found themselves in deep need.
The good news today is that we can look forward to meeting again in our church building. It will be heart-warming to see each other again, but remember as they say, terms and conditions (and rules for social distancing and sanitising) will apply!
1. Sunday 4 October 2020 at 9.30 am
I am pleased to tell you that we are opening our Sunday morning service in our church building on the 4 October at 9.30 am. We are restricted to one morning service at this stage.

We will have to observe the following rules:
1. Only 120 people will be able to attend. If you would like to be at the service, please phone the church office (0445333430) and put your name on the list.
2. The lockdown rules and regulations for social distancing, sanitising, filling out your details on a register and wearing a cloth mask will apply.
3. Chairs have been arranged with social distancing regulations in place – please do not move them to sit closer to someone else.
4. Communion will not be offered at this time.
5. We will not be handing out a Bulletin for the week.
6. We will not be serving tea and coffee after the service.

The online services on YouTube will continue in the format they have followed during lockdown. The decision taken to offer worship both in the church and online is to ensure that we can all participate in worship every Sunday. The limited space available in our building, during lockdown level 1, should be used by those who are unable to use technology to access the service online.

2. The ORCHARD Children’s Ministries – 4 October at 9.30am:
The Children’s Ministry Team will be offering fun times of games and snacks each Sunday morning at 9.30 for the children – starting on the 4 October. The venue at this stage will be The Well and the lovely garden area (weather permitting). The Hall that would normally be used is still in use by the COVID Response team. Bible stories will continue to be posted online each Sunday morning.

3. Sunday Evening Celebration Service – 4 October at 5pm:
There has been a growing need for a Sunday evening service at STMC. This is an exciting new opportunity for STMC to offer a vibrant Sunday evening service to all those who are young at heart! The invitation is to all our Youth, Young Adults and to all those older in years but who are young at heart, to meet each Sunday evening at 5pm for a time of worship, celebration, and teaching. Space is limited to 60 people, so please contact the office (0445333430) and put your name on the list if you would like to attend.

4. FGV Fellowship Group: 6 October at 10 am:
This Fellowship Group will start up again on the 6 October for all residents of FGV only. Please observe this rule if you are not a resident at FGV.
5. Wednesday Lunch Hour Communion Service: 7 October 12.30-2pm:  The regulations for COVID make hosting a communion service difficult. So, time to reinvent how we celebrate “Communion”; with this in mind if you would like to
celebrate communion then please join me in our church each Wednesday. The format followed will be the same as our Christmas Eve communion, which offers a time for quiet and personal prayer, and then the serving of communion. This will
not be a formal liturgical service.

6. ALPHA – Young Adults: 7 October at 6 pm:
This exciting course is aimed at the Young Adults age group (18-35yrs) and will meet in the church. The course run each Wednesday evening and will end on 16 December 2020.

7. IMPACT – Youth: 9 October at 6pm:
This meeting will take place in the Youth Chapel each Friday evening (13-18yrs).

8. The Well – Coffee, Tea and Cake!
Sadly, “The Well” will remain closed until February 2021. This decision has been
taken due to COVID19 and our concern for, and the need to be vigilant in our
love and caring.

Several of our Fellowship Groups and Organisations have begun to meet again and that is good news too. At this time, the only venue STMC can offer for meetings during the week (other than the venues used by Young Adults and Impact) is the
church Foyer. All meetings must observe COVID regulations and the use of the Foyer enables us to make that requirement possible. Please make sure that if you want to meet at STMC, you make the booking with Glenda at the Office. Similarly, if
you have any queries or questions about STMC activities please call Glenda in the office on 0445333430.
The Church Office is open Monday to Friday 9am-12pm.
Please let us know if have need our help and assistance or know of someone you believe STMC should be reaching out to at this time.
It is going to be great to see us all in action again!
God bless,
Tim.