CORONAVIRUS LATEST
Due to the Coronavirus outbreak, and following Government guidelines, our church buildings are currently closed for public worship, private prayer and all other meetings and activities, except for vital community services, until further notice.
Due to the Coronavirus outbreak, and following Government guidelines, our church buildings are currently closed for public worship, private prayer and all other meetings and activities, except for vital community services, until further notice.
LATEST NEWS FROM THE
ST LAURENCE COMMUNITY
Updated Monday 1st June at 6.00am
ACROSS THE STROUD TEAM
An online worship resource is available on the Stroud Team website - 'stroud.church'. The next 'Stroud Team Virtual Sunday Service - Online' will be at 10.10am on Sunday 7th June via the stroud.church website, Facebook and Youtube, and will be led by Revd Kate Stacey. Daily Virtual Morning Prayer (at 10.10am) and Compline (Evening Prayer - at 9.00pm) services are also available via the stroud.church website, Facebook and Youtube. The website also contains all the latest Coronavirus information across the Stroud Team churches. Prayer requests can also be made through this website or by calling a dedicated phone line on 0333 335 5282. You can access the website by clicking on the link below.
An online worship resource is available on the Stroud Team website - 'stroud.church'. The next 'Stroud Team Virtual Sunday Service - Online' will be at 10.10am on Sunday 7th June via the stroud.church website, Facebook and Youtube, and will be led by Revd Kate Stacey. Daily Virtual Morning Prayer (at 10.10am) and Compline (Evening Prayer - at 9.00pm) services are also available via the stroud.church website, Facebook and Youtube. The website also contains all the latest Coronavirus information across the Stroud Team churches. Prayer requests can also be made through this website or by calling a dedicated phone line on 0333 335 5282. You can access the website by clicking on the link below.
THE ST LAURENCE COMMUNITY
We have drawn up a list of our regular St Laurence worshippers, with volunteers allocated to keep in touch with them by phone and/or online. If you would like to be added to this list, or are able to volunteer to be a contact person, then please contact Steve Saville via the Church Office (Tel 01453 759099).
THE ST LAURENCE COMMUNITY
We have drawn up a list of our regular St Laurence worshippers, with volunteers allocated to keep in touch with them by phone and/or online. If you would like to be added to this list, or are able to volunteer to be a contact person, then please contact Steve Saville via the Church Office (Tel 01453 759099).
THE 'COWSHED' COMMUNITY
Simon and Julie Cooper of the 'Cowshed' worshipping community have kindly shared the readings and prayers that they would have been using on Pentecost - Sunday 31st May, and these are available on our special page for you to use and imagine the service for yourselves. Just click on the link below.
Simon and Julie Cooper of the 'Cowshed' worshipping community have kindly shared the readings and prayers that they would have been using on Pentecost - Sunday 31st May, and these are available on our special page for you to use and imagine the service for yourselves. Just click on the link below.
THE TAIZE COMMUNITY
The Taize Community in France are live-streaming prayer each evening at 7.30pm via the link below. You may find this helpful. The prayer is very simple and very beautiful. They also publish the list of prayers and songs that they will be using that evening.
The Taize Community in France are live-streaming prayer each evening at 7.30pm via the link below. You may find this helpful. The prayer is very simple and very beautiful. They also publish the list of prayers and songs that they will be using that evening.
GUIDED MEDITATION
The Thursday evening St Laurence Guided Meditation group are now holding their meditation online by ZOOM (Cloud HD Video Meeting). A free basic version of Zoom can be downloaded. If you are interested in joining this group then please contact Girish Patel or Sarah Frazer.
SILENT SITTING
The Tuesday morning St Laurence Silent Sitting community (which includes people of any faith or non) are continuing to keep their time together - although separated in space. Between 8.00 and 8.30am every Tuesday morning you are invited to join them 'in spirit' while at home, and keep this half hour for a period of silence. Please light a candle if you have one and spend this quiet time in prayer, meditation, contemplation or reflection - knowing that you will be joining a community of others all doing the same.
"STILL MOVING"
The St Laurence "Still Moving" service that takes place at 7.30pm on the 2nd Sunday of every month, continues and is now available online by Zoom. This is an act of Christian contemplative prayer through music and movement, and is led by Milly and Clay Sinclair. The Zoom login details can be found on the stroud.church website.
STROUD SACRED MUSIC FESTIVAL 3rd/4th JULY 2020
It is with a heavy heart that, having considered the current situation, the SSMF team have had no real choice other than to postpone the whole Stroud Sacred Music Festival one year until 2nd/3rd July 2021 - it would, they feel, be irresponsible to do otherwise. Whilst this is disappointing, the impact and reach of the Festival is growing - and they are considering creative online options with input from around the world to enhance this.
The Thursday evening St Laurence Guided Meditation group are now holding their meditation online by ZOOM (Cloud HD Video Meeting). A free basic version of Zoom can be downloaded. If you are interested in joining this group then please contact Girish Patel or Sarah Frazer.
SILENT SITTING
The Tuesday morning St Laurence Silent Sitting community (which includes people of any faith or non) are continuing to keep their time together - although separated in space. Between 8.00 and 8.30am every Tuesday morning you are invited to join them 'in spirit' while at home, and keep this half hour for a period of silence. Please light a candle if you have one and spend this quiet time in prayer, meditation, contemplation or reflection - knowing that you will be joining a community of others all doing the same.
"STILL MOVING"
The St Laurence "Still Moving" service that takes place at 7.30pm on the 2nd Sunday of every month, continues and is now available online by Zoom. This is an act of Christian contemplative prayer through music and movement, and is led by Milly and Clay Sinclair. The Zoom login details can be found on the stroud.church website.
STROUD SACRED MUSIC FESTIVAL 3rd/4th JULY 2020
It is with a heavy heart that, having considered the current situation, the SSMF team have had no real choice other than to postpone the whole Stroud Sacred Music Festival one year until 2nd/3rd July 2021 - it would, they feel, be irresponsible to do otherwise. Whilst this is disappointing, the impact and reach of the Festival is growing - and they are considering creative online options with input from around the world to enhance this.
HOT READY MEALS FOR PEOPLE SELF-ISOLATING
Hot Ready Meals for people self-isolating in the Stroud District are available from The Long Table. Click on the link below for further details. We also need volunteers to help deliver these to vulnerable people. If you can help then please contact the Church Office in The Shambles (Tel 01453 759099).
Hot Ready Meals for people self-isolating in the Stroud District are available from The Long Table. Click on the link below for further details. We also need volunteers to help deliver these to vulnerable people. If you can help then please contact the Church Office in The Shambles (Tel 01453 759099).
HOME PRAYER
FOR THE ST LAURENCE COMMUNITY
In the light of the government restrictions announced on Monday 23rd March, we have established 'prayer stations' within St Laurence, and whilst you may not now be able to visit the church in person, you may find the images, prayers and other guidance below helpful in your private home prayer during this time.
FOR THE ST LAURENCE COMMUNITY
In the light of the government restrictions announced on Monday 23rd March, we have established 'prayer stations' within St Laurence, and whilst you may not now be able to visit the church in person, you may find the images, prayers and other guidance below helpful in your private home prayer during this time.
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10:10 DAILY HOME PRAYER
During this time, we encourage you to stop at 10:10am each day to pray, to remember that we are still the Body of Christ in this place, to read a passage from the Bible, a reflection ... Why 10:10? Well, we hope this will remind us of Jesus' promise to us: "I have come that they may have LIFE, and have it to the full" (John 10:10). It would be good to phone someone to share that time together. Photograph courtesy of Hugh Richards |
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PRAYER FOR THE ETERNAL LOVE OF GOD
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'THE 6-CHAIR PRAYER'
This message has recently been received by us, and is truly inspiring. It relates to the prayer station illustrated above, and comes from someone who had never been to church before until she walked through the doors of St Laurence about a year ago. She is now a regular part of the St Laurence Cowshed community. This story expresses all the lament and all the hope, which is what God holds for us. We thought we should share it with you with her permission. We have called it the '6-Chair Prayer'.
This message has recently been received by us, and is truly inspiring. It relates to the prayer station illustrated above, and comes from someone who had never been to church before until she walked through the doors of St Laurence about a year ago. She is now a regular part of the St Laurence Cowshed community. This story expresses all the lament and all the hope, which is what God holds for us. We thought we should share it with you with her permission. We have called it the '6-Chair Prayer'.
I went into town today for essentials - sellotape included - sure that James & Owen would be forced to close tomorrow. I was correct. On my way back home I went in through St.Laurence's open door and saw the six chairs arranged around a low table, spread with a cloth and a small vase of spring flowers. I sat in each chair in turn and wept.
In the beginning the tears sprang from a realisation of how deeply important the inclusive welcome I’ve experienced in that space has been for my soul.
Then the tears were for the people I won’t be sitting amongst in the circle of the Cowshed Service, the witness of the bread-breaking which is so symbolic of the inclusion I refer to, offered in the most welcoming non-patriarchal way. It is a miracle.
Then the tears were for the members of those gatherings who might die.
And then for the people in my wider community who might not make it through this, emotionally as well as physically.
In the fifth chair I gave thanks for my ancestors who did make it through plague, cholera, syphilis, the flu epidemic and more, the people who gifted me life. I still cried.
In the sixth, looking up to that enormous crucifix I wept some more as I thanked Jesus for his deep humanity and humility; I have an opportunity to live up to his role modelling through this crisis. I extended my thanks to Judy, Simon and Mathew.
That space has witnessed deep transformation in me and now it will have to close. Thank God I walked in there today.
In the beginning the tears sprang from a realisation of how deeply important the inclusive welcome I’ve experienced in that space has been for my soul.
Then the tears were for the people I won’t be sitting amongst in the circle of the Cowshed Service, the witness of the bread-breaking which is so symbolic of the inclusion I refer to, offered in the most welcoming non-patriarchal way. It is a miracle.
Then the tears were for the members of those gatherings who might die.
And then for the people in my wider community who might not make it through this, emotionally as well as physically.
In the fifth chair I gave thanks for my ancestors who did make it through plague, cholera, syphilis, the flu epidemic and more, the people who gifted me life. I still cried.
In the sixth, looking up to that enormous crucifix I wept some more as I thanked Jesus for his deep humanity and humility; I have an opportunity to live up to his role modelling through this crisis. I extended my thanks to Judy, Simon and Mathew.
That space has witnessed deep transformation in me and now it will have to close. Thank God I walked in there today.
PRAYER FOR GOD AS MYSTERY
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PRAYER FOR THE BLESSED SILENCE
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PRAYER FOR THE NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE
A prayer by Revd Matthew Page
A prayer by Revd Matthew Page
"IN THE TIME OF PANDEMIC"
A poem by Catherine (Kitty) O’Meara
https://the-daily-round.com/
(With thanks to Laura Huxford and Iris Trask for making us aware of this poem)
A poem by Catherine (Kitty) O’Meara
https://the-daily-round.com/
(With thanks to Laura Huxford and Iris Trask for making us aware of this poem)
And the people stayed home.
And they read books, and listened, and rested, and exercised, and made art, and played games, and learned new ways of being, and were still.
And they listened more deeply. Some meditated, some prayed, some danced. Some met their shadows. And the people began to think differently.
And the people healed.
And, in the absence of people living in ignorant, dangerous, mindless, and heartless ways, the earth began to heal.
And when the danger passed, and the people joined together again, they grieved their losses, and made new choices, and dreamed new images, and created new ways to live and heal the earth fully, as they had been healed.
And they read books, and listened, and rested, and exercised, and made art, and played games, and learned new ways of being, and were still.
And they listened more deeply. Some meditated, some prayed, some danced. Some met their shadows. And the people began to think differently.
And the people healed.
And, in the absence of people living in ignorant, dangerous, mindless, and heartless ways, the earth began to heal.
And when the danger passed, and the people joined together again, they grieved their losses, and made new choices, and dreamed new images, and created new ways to live and heal the earth fully, as they had been healed.
"NO DISTANCE"
A poem by Steve Garnaas-Holmes
A poem by Steve Garnaas-Holmes
In the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body — 1 Corinthians 12.13
Our social distancing is an illusion.
We are one. There is no distance. No gap.
Isolated in your apartment, you belong.
You breathe and it fills my lungs.
You weep and my heart is broken.
We are one body in many places.
In this time of separation we open our hearts,
we allow ourselves to flow out from our bodies
in Spirit to one another, to the strangers
who are part of us. Like the Italians
singing from their balconies with neighbors,
we are all notes of the same song.
Love flows where germs cannot. Meditate
on our amazing unity. Extend your spirit
to include all it includes: the whole world.
Breathe in this breath (so threatened!), a gift.
Breathe out this breath (so released!), a gift.
Let compassion for all beings flow with it,
in and out, refreshing your whole body,
the Body of Christ, the whole human family,
the whole Creation. Let love be our body.
Let your love take flesh. Make calls.
Write letters. And when you come back out
don't stop being one another's body. It's your life.
Our social distancing is an illusion.
We are one. There is no distance. No gap.
Isolated in your apartment, you belong.
You breathe and it fills my lungs.
You weep and my heart is broken.
We are one body in many places.
In this time of separation we open our hearts,
we allow ourselves to flow out from our bodies
in Spirit to one another, to the strangers
who are part of us. Like the Italians
singing from their balconies with neighbors,
we are all notes of the same song.
Love flows where germs cannot. Meditate
on our amazing unity. Extend your spirit
to include all it includes: the whole world.
Breathe in this breath (so threatened!), a gift.
Breathe out this breath (so released!), a gift.
Let compassion for all beings flow with it,
in and out, refreshing your whole body,
the Body of Christ, the whole human family,
the whole Creation. Let love be our body.
Let your love take flesh. Make calls.
Write letters. And when you come back out
don't stop being one another's body. It's your life.
