Pandemic restriction relaxing; what next?
The lockdowns to protect us from the Covid-19 pandemic have largely been fully relaxed now – but knowing we’re all in different places, we’ve taken the decision to move cautiously in how we adapt our services in light of this.
We’d like to know your thoughts on how we move forward; where are you on the question of singing in the building, wearing masks, maintaining social distancing?
A church is not the building; together we are the church and together we can support each other. We hope we can therefore move forward in a way that works for our congregation.
We’ll share an updated survey in October to see how our thoughts and concerns have changed.
Regular activities
The following activities are taking place each week. All are welcome to join us:
Sundays
- 8am – BCM Communion Service
- 10am – Contemporary Service (Communion service on the first and third Sunday of the month, informal morning praise on the second and fourth Sunday of the month)
- ~10:45am – Zoom Coffee on Pennington Church general zoom link
Mondays
- 9-9:20am Morning Prayer on Zoom with Sarah and Jane – Parish Prayer zoom link
- 10:30am-12 – Zoom Study group on Pennington Church general zoom link
Tuesdays
- 9-9:20am Morning Prayer on Zoom with Sarah and Jane – Parish Prayer zoom link
- 11am-12 – TakeTime Meditation Group on Zoom – Parish Prayer zoom link
Wednesdays
- 9-9:20am Morning Prayer on Zoom with Sarah and Jane – Parish Prayer zoom link
- 10:15-11am – Zoom Coffee on Pennington Church general zoom link
Thursdays
- 9-9:20am Morning Prayer on Zoom with Sarah and Jane – Parish Prayer zoom link
- 1-2:30pm – Fareshare Larder – St Mark’s Community Hall Car Park
Fridays
- 9-9:20am – Morning Prayer on Zoom with Sarah and Jane – Parish Prayer zoom link
Saturdays
- 9-10 Parish prayers on zoom, followed by coffee – Parish Prayer zoom link
Online Connection Information
Zoom Details
- Pennington Church General Zoom link:
- From a landline phone: 0203 481 5240 Meeting ID: 971 631 0618 Passcode: 1839
- Parish Prayer Zoom Link:
- From a landline phone: 0203 481 5240 Meeting ID: 895 2990 2640 Passcode: 2020
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/PenningtonChurch
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StMarksChurchPennington
An update regarding the Bishop of Winchester
The Bishop of Winchester, the Rt Rev Dr Tim Dakin, has recently announced his retirement, having formally notified HM The Queen of his intention to step down. He will retire as Bishop in February 2022, with bishop Debbie Sellin stepping up to the role of acting diocesan bishop.
More information is available from the Diocesan website, here.
Thank you!
Thank you all so much for your incredible response to our requests for help last week. I am delighted to let you know that the costs have now been fully covered for the laptop and printer, that will enable Jane to get started in her new role as Rachel’s PA / Support Worker. Thank you too for those of you that have offered to organise events, and to support in various ways with church life. We are so fortunate to be a part of this great church and community, as we share our gifts and energy, our skills and friendship, to build this community together, inspiring love for everyone.
Green Week 2021
Lymington and Pennington Green Week team are organising various things across our community, to celebrate Green Week in the autumn. Part of this will be a knitted /crochet river to go along St Mark’s hedge. If you want to get involved, have a look at any of the attached patterns – there will be collection bags in One Stop, St Mark’s Church, and other local spots.
Check out Facebook for more information
Summer Fair
We are planning a summer fair in the churchyard on the 28th August from 10am to 12pm – and if you’d like to help, we’d love to include you! If you feel that you can help – perhaps providing refreshments or cakes, plants for a stall, your time to support the day for example – we’d love for you to get in touch. Speak with Rebecca in church, or email ‘takepart@penningtonchurch.uk‘.
St Barbe at Large … in Pennington!
FREE children’s craft activities based around St Barbe’s WILD summer exhibition. Suitable for all ages.
Drop-in anytime at the St Marks community hall from 10:30 to 12:30 on Wednesday 18th and 25th August to enjoy the fun!
Caring for our Churchyard August 2021
Ingrid Bolhoven
Our next working group meetings on Thursday August 5th at 10am – weather permitting.
All our welcome to join in to help keep the place safe and tidy and get some exercise and friendly chats! We will be filling in holes and levelling uneven ground/strimming the grass/digging out the ditch on Ramley Road/weeding borders – you choose what you feel able to do safely.
We have various garden tools but bring your own if you wish such as gloves/suitable shoes, eye protective ‘glasses’.
Later in the Autumn I am keen to invite an Ornithologist round to advise on the bird boxes in the churchyard. Roy kindly put these up many years ago, and some now need mending/replacing/renewing/re-siting etc. The final brood of Robins are about to fledge now, and it’s been fun, sitting on the bench, watching the parents go in and out of the nest box. I have an unused robin box, and if you have any unused boxes, these will be most welcome.
Just to say, if you do collect any rubbish, and several kind people do, please remember the tins and plastics and glass bottles can be recycled. We do some of this ‘in church’ but if not open, perhaps you would use your own recycling sacks. Please wear gloves and use pick up sticks and use the standpipe to wash any before recycling. I keep such tools/gloves just for this.
A reminder for your diary. Churchyard clear up day is on Saturday 21st August from 10am to noon: thank you for all you do in the churchyard which is greatly appreciated.
Flowers in church
You’ve probably noticed that in the last few weeks, we’ve brought flowers back into church. If you would like to be part of the team that arranges flowers – all are welcome to be part of this group, whether you’ve been involved before or not. Please get in touch directly with Christine Kellow Webb – christine.kw@uwclub.net 01590-670413
Donate to St Mark’s with Amazon shopping?
Want to help make a difference while you shop in the Amazon app, at no extra cost to you? Simply follow the instructions below to select The Parochial Church Council Of The Ecclesiastical Parish Of St Mark, Pennington as your charity and activate AmazonSmile in the app. Amazon will donate a portion of your eligible mobile app purchases to us.
How it works:
- Open the Amazon app on your phone
- Select the main menu (=) & tap on “AmazonSmile” within Programmes & Features
- Select The Parochial Church Council Of The Ecclesiastical Parish Of St Mark, Pennington as your charity
- Follow the on-screen instructions to activate AmazonSmile in the mobile app
COVID Morning Prayer
With St Thomas in Lymington, we continue to ‘pray for our nation, for its leaders, its health and essential services and all those who suffer’ this week at 9am on Zoom. Led by Jane Nicholson from St Mark’s and Sarah Salisbury from St Thomas, this now runs Monday through Friday. Please do join them either by computer or phone:
- https://us02web.zoom.us/j/
- Meeting ID: 895 2990 2640 Passcode: 2020
- Dial in from a landline phone: 0131 460 1196
Rachel’s art for sale!
If you’d like to purchase art that our priest Rachel has created and showed in our our worship recently, please check out our new Red Bubble shop. Profits from sales of these items all go to support the ministry of Pennington Church.
YouTube and Facebook
All our services can be found on our YouTube channel here. We also stream our services on our Facebook page too, here.