Faith – carry us through

Faith: all three Churches in Wendover had their own systems for helping anyone in need that they knew of.

Sebastian Muir, has been a member of the society of St Vincent de Paul (SVP) in St Anne’s for many years. Members visit, befriend and support the housebound locally, not necessarily Roman Catholics. Recently this has been in coordination with the Good Neighbour Scheme. During lockdown contact was by phone but for someone in a residential home with no other relatives personal visits can now be possible. individual members of the congregation had their pick ofonline Masses to attend both on Sundays and during the week. Mass in St Anne’s re-started again on Tuesdays at 10.15am and Sundays at 9am from 7 July.

Rev Sally Prendergast, curate, is involved in contacting everyone in and beyond St Mary’s. Through Lockdown, St Mary’s has tried to make contact with everyone in and beyond our church family, especially those in particular need, offering prayer and help as required. Zoom has been a lifeline, enabling us to meet for worship on Sunday mornings, chat over coffee, and Bible study on Tuesdays and ‘Tea at 3’ on Thursdays. Our young people have ‘met’ this way, and along with Wendover Youth Centre have swapped pen pal letters with seniors in the area, click here, and helped gather food donations, click here. Many of us feel that we’ve grown closer to each other as we’ve had fewer distractions, even when our faith has been challenged during the darkest days of lockdown. Now our church building is open (see notices for times) we have a silent space in which anyone is welcome to sit and ponder. The first Sunday service after lockdown was held on 26 July.

Sandra Smith, Secretary, says Wendover Free Church has been offering online services through live Facetime as well as reaching out to the community by helping with shopping, befriending and transport to medical appointments. Discussions are taking place regarding future church services.