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Spreading Love & Hope...
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'God is our refuge and strength,
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a very present help in trouble.'
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Welcome to today's devotion. With church gatherings suspended, we will be sharing through this amazing medium of technology. If you have something to share -- news, a prayer, a song, a reflection -- please send them to us at [email protected] so we can share them through these newsletters. Blessings & peace, Ana & Tod
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Today's Reflection
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How can we accompany one another pastorally through this valley of anxiety, fear, and death? Here are 10 brief guidelines. (Eileen R. Campbell-Reed writing in Christian Century)
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- Monitor and follow the health guidelines.
- Be a non-anxious presence.
- Show up for people, just not in person.
- Listen in love.
- Find ways to make community, to pull together and support each other.
- Help people take the long view. Remember that God’s loving presence was here before the universe itself, and it will be here long after the universe has passed away.
- Keep values alive -- keep leaning into God’s sustaining presence, loving our neighbours, and facing death with the same purpose and values by which we faced life.
- Don’t be afraid to talk about death.
- Pray.
- Tag out. Lean into your own community for support. Self-care is not selfish. As this outbreak continues to unfold, take steps to renew your own energy and hope in the Spirit of God.
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Music for peaceful reflection and calm. (Just click on the blue button.) Send in your favourite music links to share.
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Sit in a comfortable position with your Bible nearby. You might light a candle.
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Open to Psalm 46 and read it slowly.
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'God is our refuge and strength,
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a very present help in trouble.'
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Consider the meanings of the words and the feelings they arouse in you. What is God saying to you through this psalm?
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Today's Prayers
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Only 10 days ago the World Day of Prayer connected us with Christians around the world as we shared words from Zimbabwe. Today, and each day as we go forward, the Salvation Army invites us to join them at 12:00 noon for a time of prayer. You might set a timer to ring at 11:59 so that you have a moment to centre yourself and turn to God in prayer.
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The United Reformed Church (URC) has compiled a list of its churches which are live streaming acts of worship, offering sermons as podcasts or audio files, or offering recordings of services for people who are unable to access church due to the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.
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Click here to view the list which includes links so you can join others in worship.
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Letter from Synod Moderator
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In case you didn't already see this, here's a letter from Revd Clare Downing, Moderator of Wessex Synod URC. She writes, 'Dear friends,
I am sure that we are all aware of the challenges being caused by the coronavirus. Members of
Synod will...' Click here to read the full text.
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Click here to sign up to sign up to receive this daily devotion newsletter. You will need to subscribe to the Salisbury URC church website.
Or email [email protected] and ask to be added to the email distribution list.
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Contact us by email and visit (and join) Salisbury URC on Facebook and our website.
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