Dear friends,
Yesterday I received an appointment to have my hair cut in a few weeks’ time when hairdressing businesses open again. I felt a great sense of excitement and relief — it represents for me another step towards returning to normal life. And yet, I know that on the day, I will feel the same apprehension and anxiety I experienced last week when I visited a supermarket for the first time since lockdown. This is a time of strong and mixed emotions for us as individuals and as a church. We now have permission from the Government to open the doors of St Mary’s for private prayer and at the end of next month it may be possible for us to gather for worship. I know that there is among us a yearning to return to the church building and to meet together again but that at the same time, we share a deep concern for the safety of those among us who are most vulnerable to the virus. Members of the Vestry expressed these feelings when we met to discuss how to proceed. Approaching the question prayerfully and with detailed guidance from our bishops, we decided to make the church available to individuals for private prayer by appointment only. If you or anyone you know wish to spend some time in the church, please get in touch with me and we will arrange to meet with all necessary precautions in place. Over the weeks and months to come, as lockdown is relaxed, Vestry will have more difficult decisions to make on your behalf. I ask that you continue to pray for us that these decisions will be made wisely and out of love rather than fear. My prayer for you as weeks of separation turn to months is that our sense of connection with each other as a worshiping community will stay strong and that God’s love will bind us together as we continue to serve and pray for those in need here in Dunblane and across the world.
With love,
Nerys
