Graham Taylor

From: Wendy Sanderson – Churchwarden

Dear All. Hope you are keeping well.

Now that we are officially in the state of “normality” it is time for us to move forward. A decision has been made for church services to restart on Sunday 26th July at 11am.  Due to cleansing regulations we will be unable to hold the earlier service of 9.30am until the Spanish Government announces that the Covid virus is completely under control.  The Wednesday service will resume at 10am on 29th July followed by Bible Study.  The Prayer Group will restart the following Wednesday, 5th August.

As I advised in my newsletter article there are many regulations we have to adhere to in order to ensure the safety and protection of our congregation.  The service will not be the normal Sung Eucharist as we are unable to sing in the church until the virus is controlled. Therefore the service will be Holy Communion.  As we are unable to use the service booklets a single use service sheet will be available at the church entrance and must be thrown in the pedal bin provided when leaving the church.

We are required to keep a register of names and contact details of those attending services.  In the event of one of our congregation contracting Covid 19 we must provide the Spanish authorities with contact details.  Provision of your details is not an option but a requirement of attendance.  The Standing Committee is holding a meeting on Monday 29th June to discuss this and produce a set of protocols to comply with all the regulations.  This will be posted on the Church noticeboards and also the Church Facebook and web page.

It is important to prepare you for what to expect when you arrive for the Service:

Social distancing of 1.5m must be maintained at all times both inside and outside the church.

The wearing of face masks is obligatory.  Anyone arriving without a face mask will be offered one at the entrance.  Anyone refusing to wear a face mask will not be permitted to enter the church.

A hand sanitizer will be available for use in the entrance to the church.  Gloves will also be available if required.

All pews will be marked to reflect the 1.5m social distancing.  Couples and families living together will be able to sit together in the same pew.  All other attendees must maintain social distancing.  There will also be markers on the floor to ensure that the distance is kept whilst walking to the pew seat.  No cushions or kneelers are allowed so if you need a cushion please bring your own.

Holy Communion will be provided whilst maintaining social distancing.  The procedure will be explained by the Reverend Ron during the service.  The communion itself will be in the form of bread only which according to the teaching of the Anglican church is fully sufficient in itself without the taking of the chalice of wine.  The chalice of wine will be reintroduced at a later date.

At the end of the service an orderly exit will be supervised to ensure once again that distancing is maintained.  Don’t forget to deposit your service sheet in the pedal bin provided.

These changes will take time to get used to.  However it will be good for us to get together again and worship in our beautiful church.  Hopefully it will not be too long before a vaccination is found to control the virus and we can get back to a proper “normality”!  I will keep you informed of developments as we get nearer to the 26th July so we are all fully prepared.

On a lighter note I am pleased to announce that the Reverend Ron´s licensing will be held in the church on Thursday 6th August at 11.30am. Numbers attending will be governed by the maximum permitted inside the church (75 percent capacity). However, I hope that as many people as capacity allows will be able to join in this joyous service. A small celebration will be held in the parsonage grounds after the service during which food and refreshments will be available.

Take care and I look forward to seeing you all again soon.

Wendy Sanderson – Churchwarden

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The Paschal Candle will remain on this front page until Ascensiontide, in the same way that it would be lit at all services in church during this period.  One of the many symbolisms of the candle is that of the presence of the Risen Christ on earth among His disciples, and before His ascension into heaven.  Some churches keep it lit until Pentecost.

 

Christ is Risen – Alleluia, Alleuia!
He is risen indeed – Alleluia, Alleluia!

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An Easter Week reflection from the Revd Ron Corne.

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One of the All Saints’ traditions we’ve missed this year was the Parish Lunch and Easter Bonnet Parade, which would have taken place after Easter Day’s Sung Eucharist.  Here is the creation which one of our parishioners was planning to wear.  Would it have won first place?  Sadly we will never know . . . . although perhaps we should plan to hold the parade and competition when the current isolation period is over!

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THIS COMING SUNDAY, we will remember the 138 passengers and 8 crew members who lost their lives in the Dan Air 1008 accident from Manchester to Los Rodeos (TFN) on the afternoon of April 25, 1980. The plane fell about 20 kilometers from the Los Rodeos airport, crashed against the El Diablillo mountain in the municipality of El Rosario. At All Saints’ we have a rose garden to commemorate each victim. We will never forget the families of the victims and the 146 men, women and children who lost their lives on that tragic day.

The anniversary of the disaster is marked each year at the Sunday service nearest to the date as the congregation gather in the garden to remember those who died that day.  This would have been this coming Sunday, however our Chaplain will remember the victims in his reflections.  Fr Ron has written a reflection about the Rose Garden which you can read here.

As well as our memorial garden here at All Saints’, there is a memorial in the Southern Cemetery, Manchester commemorating the victims of the disaster, whose names are inscribed on a series of slate tablets within a small grassed enclosure.