St. John’s Hall:
Most groups are now back and places must be booked.
Hopefully after 19th July the remainder of the groups and social dances can return.
St. John’s hall has got some funding for summer holiday activities for primary age children .
For six Wednesdays there will be a two course meal followed by entertainment from Niki Noo and her forest school in the garden. Places are limited and it is aimed for children who get free school meals.
Please contact Lesley Baxter on 0784 6542035 for more details.
Hopefully everything else will be back later in July.

Prayer Points:
Maybe you would like to pray for some of the needs of the world and our community:
• For the coronavirus pandemic as we come out of the Covid restrictions. While giving thanks for our vaccination programme pray that all Western governments will be generous with supplying vaccines to less well-off countries.
• For all those in need at this time, for the work of the food bank in Brandon, and particularly the drop-in centre later. Pray that they will get the volunteers they need to run this well.
• For our church congregations as we slowly get back to unrestricted services. Pray for God’s guidance and inspiration for Fr. Carl, our Church Wardens and PCC as we work out where God is leading us for the future.
• Pray that we will be able to share God’s love with our friends and neighbours, and especially any we know who are suffering in some way at this time.

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Priest’s Letter

Well we’re into the summer now in the second year of things not being very normal. Signs of normalness are all about us though and whilst we press forward with caution, we hopefully step into better and safer times.
It’s good to see families and friends meeting up again, for those who feel it’s safe to and not least it’s good to have had a fair spell now back in our church buildings.

During lockdowns and Tier 3’s a certain toll is taken on our communities, when people can’t be together in their normal way. It’s been sad to see pubs, clubs and cafes, all shut and darkened; places where folk normally meet and socialize. The life that normally populates such places has had to lay dormant for periods of time and many of us missed the chance to chat and relax and just wind down in a social context. But we are resilient and hidden life comes out of the woodwork.

There was a point especially during the first lockdown, when many of us felt firmly within the woodwork, particularly if we were furloughed or working from home. Or maybe we were just isolated for safety’s sake. Regular walks were a good thing for many of us and I discovered local footpaths I didn’t know about before. Importantly whether we’re busy or not as busy as before, it’s good to find time for rest in whatever shape or form that comes in.

What will you do in the summer? Are you planning a break away? Or just staying at home? Whatever you do I hope you can find some relaxation and rest. Some of us busy about quite a bit and we get it into the mindset that we’ve got to be doing something. Doing things can be good and necessary. But finding time to be still is important. Being still with God and just being still from time to time is good for us and in the stillness we find rest.
Ultimately being in the presence of God means we are resting in him and we so need that. In the sometimes busyness of our lives we need to remember God’s presence with us. In our stresses and strains and times of challenge we need to remember God too. When the Israelites under the leadership of Moses, were in the wilderness, the people sometimes wondered where God was in their times of challenge. But our faithful God was always with them. When Moses said to God, ‘Remember that this nation is your people.’ The Lord replied, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”
So in the months ahead, whatever we’re doing this summer, whether we’re just staying home or going on holiday, may we find time to ‘be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him’, words from Psalm 37. And when the Lord comes to us, may we accompany him, that he might make us lie down in green pastures; lead us beside still waters and restore the soul.
Fr. Carl