Dear Readers
Welcome to our website during ‘lockdown’. It is a time of sometimes frantic communication via the internet whilst, at the same time, having the capacity to be a real ‘lifesaver’ – keeping us in touch with one another – as a Parish FAMILY.
Our ‘E-News’ every week also tells us the latest highs and lows you are sharing with us, as well as people and places in common for whom to offer practical, everyday help and support. Please contact Nicky in the Parish Office (Tel.873484: email stdunstan@tiscali.co.uk), especially if you would like any who are sick or anxious to be contacted or prayed for.
This time last year, to prepare for our Palm Sunday procession, I bought two identical palm trees in two large pots! Now just one has flourished and sits proudly outside our ‘other’ Vicarage front door, and my nursing the other with its brown leaves, is looking like an impossible ‘miracle’.
One of our friends in Cumbria lost both his parents to Covid-19 within 24hours.
Nearer to home, one of our parishioners similarly, lost his fight against this dire pandemic – and, it seems, there is no knowing who should survive or how, or why. At his funeral, we heard these words from Shakespeare:
“Time is very slow
For those who wait.
Very fast for those
Who are scared.
Very long for those
Who lament.
Very short for those
Who celebrate.
But for those who love
Time is eternal.”
If you click on Services etc, I have written some very localised ‘Stations of the Cross’ and these are followed by some very interesting ‘Stations of the Resurrection’ borrowed from the Blackburn Diocese. Despite all the variety and difference of individual Christian statements or beliefs, there remains an underlying unity of how death and resurrection belong intimately to each other. It is not for us to discriminate between them. Neither are we able to fully comprehend the mystery of both.
What we can do is to carry on painting the ‘miracle’ rainbow of the Easter story which leads us to Pentecost. When we are missing one another’s company right now, the Holy Spirit is with us all the time, even when words fail us. As the beautiful hymn declares:
“So be it Lord; thy throne shall never, like earth’s proud empires, pass away; Thy kingdom stands, and grows for ever, Till all thy creatures own thy sway.”
A Prayer for all those affected by Coronavirus:
Keep us, good Lord, under the shadow of your mercy. Sustain and support the anxious, be with those who care for the sick and lift up all who are brought low, that we may find comfort knowing that nothing can separate us from your love in Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.
Fr Nigel Prior
01435 873180
For any pastoral emergencies please contact Fr Nigel on 873180 or Deacon Di on 872082.
Please do look at our ‘Childrens’ Page to see the wonderful resources that Margaret Neve, who runs our Sunday Club, has provided for you and your children to share. These will be updated every week.
Updated: 27th April 2020
