Category: Congregation

Messages and updates for the congregation

Church to reopen on 5 July

Posted on by Jo Dawes

St Thomas à Becket church will reopen on Sunday 5 July for a short service of Morning Prayer at 10.30 a.m.

As a result of the ongoing crisis, churches are required to offer shorter services for a greatly reduced number of people so that hygiene and safety regulations can be strictly observed. Full Holy Communion services are not yet possible.

Until our locum arrives, Morning Prayer will be led by members of the congregation. If there are too many people for the 10.30 service, it may be possible to offer a second service at 11.15 a.m.

Please read this message from the wardens and council for full details of hygiene and safety regulations.

#stayconnected: Intercessions shared during Evening Prayer on 27 June

Posted on by Dorothee Möller

These are the intercessions we prayed during last week’s Zoom Evening Prayer:

The response to the words „Lord in your mercy“ is „Hear our Prayer“

Dear Lord,

This year, because of  Corona, we have been given the opportunity, and the time, to examine the way we live and to face up to the fact that we have not been wise in our use of the world You gave into our care. Forgive us our arrogance and selfishness and show us how we must change so that we respect the delicate balance of nature and cease to destroy people, animals and other life forms through our thoughtless and insatiable consumption. 

Help us to combat the suffering caused by climate change where this is possible.

We ask You to strengthen the church in a century when Christians are often considered to be hopelessly out of date and irrelevant. We ask Your blessing in particular on those who are persecuted for  their faith. 

Father God, we thank you for the peace and prosperity we enjoy here in Germany. Send Your Spirit  to inspire us to share generously. May we help,  with humility, to bring about  justice and prosperity in all nations. Let us cease to see those from other countries as foreigners but as Your children and our brothers and sisters. Help us to escape the prison of outlived traditions and old prejudices which make us unable to move forward along your path.

Father, have mercy on us in our fight against the Corona virus. We thank you for the work of scientists seeking a cure and  a vaccine. Grant them success Lord. Bless those suffering from Covid 19, relieve their pain and fear and save them from death. Be with  the people in those countries which are most badly affected and with all those doing their best to help.

We pray for our church of St thomas à Becket, hoping  that the outcome of this sad period of closure  will help us to live even more faithfully according to the laws of love Your Son’s life showed us. Help us to be an encouragement to those in need.     We thank You for the peace you give us to comfort and strengthen us  in difficult times. We ask for your guidance for our Bishops Robert and David, Leslie our Archdeacon ,John Newsome our Dean.and for Father Pete our locum.  We trust in You to call us a new priest in Your good time.

We are grateful for the tireless enthusiasm and hard work of our Wardens and the Church Council.  and for the chance, in this time of trial, to get  to know and appreciate each other more despite the fact that our meetings are mostly online or on the phone.Lord be with those who are very much on our minds, our families and friends, those living and those gone before us.  We bring them before You in a moment of silence.

Merciful Father, accept these prayers for the sake of Your Son our Saviour Jesus Christ