Updated Guidance about Sunday Services

Given the announcement to end legal restrictions and after talking it through with the Church Wardens, we recommend the following:

-We can now sing but please consider wearing masks when we are singing.

-Sanitise hands as we enter the building

-We no longer need to book in for a service but the QR code will remain at the front desk and we ask you to tick by your name so we can identify who has been in the building for test and trace

-We will continue using just one toilet

Set up:

-We will use all the available space as much as possible to create space. Chairs will be placed together as they were prior to the pandemic but we will leave 2m between rows. There will also be signs available for those who would appreciate it, which you can place on a chair next to you, indicating you would prefer no-one to sit right next to you.

-As there are no under 18s groups over the summer, we will set up a creche area and a children’s activity table in the Hall. Equipment and toys can now be shared between children but it might be advisable to sanitise your child’s hands before and after use.

Refreshments:

We hope to restart refreshments very soon.

A message from the vicar

Tuesday 26th January 2021

Take Heart - new lands are in the distance!

Welcome to Gleneagles Church - please take a look around the website, it will give you a really good flavour of who we are, what is available currently and what we were up to prior to COVID-19. We also have a Facebook Page and YouTube Channel.

While many things are on hold at the moment God is never on hold. In Matthew 14 Jesus’ friends were in the middle of a storm when they saw Jesus miraculously walk on the water towards them. Naturally afraid, Jesus says to them ‘take heart, is it I, do not be afraid’. For many people the uncertain times we are living in is frightening but Jesus walks towards us, and breathes His peace in us and on us. We need to hold our nerve and keep on trusting Him.

Acts 27 talks of another storm. Paul is under arrest and sailing to Rome. They face the most frightening of storms, they fear for their lives and there isn’t much left of their ship! I’m sure there would have been times when they wanted to give up and wondered how it was all going to end. Maybe many are wondering right now - when will this pandemic end and what will life look like then? But all of a sudden, in the distance, Paul and the crew saw new lands. They couldn’t really make them out, they didn’t know who or what was there but it was definitely land. Imagine their relief!

As a church we are, therefore, asking, ‘Lord help us see the new lands beyond the storm of this pandemic and then reveal what you want to be constructed there for the sake of your kingdom purposes.’ It’s a really good opportunity to take the next few months, whilst most things are closed down anyway, to seek fresh vision and strategy for how this part of the Body of Christ in Gleneagles can join with God in building His kingdom, as we emerge from this storm.

For we will emerge from this pandemic, so take heart, new lands are in the distance!

Revd Dawn Airey

is Our Responsibility

Safeguarding is a priority at Gleneagles church. We have adopted government and Church of England guidelines on the safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults and good working practice, including safer recruitment of volunteers and paid workers.

For details of how to contact our Parish Safeguarding Officer and other resources click here.

Action to be taken in the event of a potential issue

If there is concern that a child or vulnerable adult is at risk of harm, inform the Parish Safeguarding Officer or Incumbent who will take advice from the Diocesan Safeguarding Adviser (DSA) or Local Authority Social Care. If the incumbent is implicated, inform the DSA.
If there is concern that a child or vulnerable adult has been harmed, immediately inform the Parish Safeguarding Officer or Assistant or Incumbent or DSA and agree who will make the referral to Local Authority Social Care team. If no-one is available, contact the Local Authority Social Care Team or Police directly.

Important contacts:

Vicar - Dawn Airey (01933 673324) vicar@gleneaglesanglicanchurch.co.uk

Parish Safeguarding Officer - Alex Benoy (01933 222002)

Diocesan Safeguarding Adviser - Beverly Huff, 01733 887027 bev.huff@peterborough-diocese.org.uk

Assistant Diocesan Safeguarding Adviser - Samantha Jackson, 01733 887027 samantha.jackson@peterborough-diocese.org.uk

Building for the Future

Gleneagles Anglican Church formulated a vision, over 10 years ago, to build a new church and community centre in the parish. With much prayer, fundraising and along with support from the Diocese, we have purchased a plot of land, completed preparatory works, and received planning permission for our original scheme. However, we have not received sufficient funds to start construction.

The PCC spent a long time discussing the situation. They recognised that a lot is changing both in our church and in the world and God has been speaking to us through these circumstances: funding has not yet been provided; the pandemic has caused us to re-imagine what church is and will be; our Vicar, Melvyn, retired in September 2020 and we now have a new Vicar, Dawn; and many thousands of houses are being built on our doorstep at Glenvale Park. The PCC, therefore, unanimously decided in June 2020 to 'actively pause' the building plans to allow the whole church space to pray about and seek God's will for us. Things are uncertain to us, but we know they are not uncertain to God.

This is not a cessation of the project, but is a very active pause. As a church we will start to look again at the ministries we are, and should be, involved in. We will consult again with the community. Our new Vicar will lead us into God's developing vision for our future and our physical home. We continue to pray as we look forward with excitement for what God will continue to do amongst us. God's Got More!!!

For more information please visit our Church Building Fund website.

Prayer together on Zoom

It is so important for us to come together to pray always and especially in our current situation. We currently come together on Tuesday mornings at 11.00 am. If you cannot join us please send your prayer requests or prayer suggestions to Revd Dawn Airey.

To join please click on the respective link(s), provided by email to church members, close to the meeting start time.
If you have not received the links please contact Revd Dawn Airey on

vicar@gleneaglesanglicanchurch.co.uk

Thank you