Notices
Please note although some church services and group activities have restarted they will be operating in line with Methodist Church and Government guidance during the coronavirus outbreak to reduce the risk of infection. Also not all services and activities that happened before the pandemic have restarted just yet.
In the mean time we will continue to bring you church news on this page.
Notices for the week beginning 19th September
For further information about any of the items below, please email enquiries@templetaunton.uk
STREAMED SERVICE at 9.30 am: each Sunday, taken by Rev. Deborah Kirk, Rev Tony Cox or one of our other circuit worship leaders (link here).
ZOOM MEETING at 6.30pm: each Sunday, taken by Rev Chris Brown and Rev Peter Thomas. Contact Chris chris@revbrown.co.uk for details on joining in.
ZOOM BIBLE STUDY: at 7.30pm each Tuesday. Contact Chris chris@revbrown.co.uk for details on joining in.
THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK: Posted on the TDSS Circuit website , written weekly by one of our local preachers.
SUNDAY SERVICES: Every Sunday at 10:30am.
MIDWEEK SERVICES: Every Wednesday at 12:15pm.
METHODIST WOMEN IN BRITAIN: “SECOND WEDNESDAYS”
The District Group are holding "Zoom" monthly coffee mornings - a mixture of chat and information online, we hope! If you are able to join us for 10.30 on the second Wednesday of each month, contact Anne Browse or Elaine Banks for more information.
Please be advised we are following COVID secure practices including wearing of face coverings, use of hand sanitizers, social distancing, and recording contact details (following data protection rules), which will be for all events in Temple.
PLEASE DO NOT ATTEND ANY EVENT IF YOU HAVE ANY SYMPTOMS
CHURCH NOTICES: The weekly notice sheet will continue to be produced and sent to anyone who would like a copy by email, as will the monthly Circuit Link magazine. If you would like to be added to the mailing list or have items to be included, please contact Anne or Hazel Jordan.
CIRCUIT LINK: The monthly Circuit Link magazine will also continue to be produced and sent to anyone who would like a copy by email. If you have items for the next magazine or would like to be added to the mailing list please contact Janet Dickinson.
PASTORAL TEAMS: While we are unable to meet in person a new telephone contact list has been drawn up and circulated to keep us in touch. Please contact Anne Jordan for more information.
CHURCH FAMILY NEWS: Please note that although we cannot put personal details on the website, Church Family News can be found in the Notices distributed via email. If you wish to be added to the email list please contact Hazel Jordan.
FACEBOOK: You can follow us on facebook
YOUTUBE: Livestream services and previously streamed services can be found on our Youtube Channel
TAUNTON URC MONTHLY CHURCH MAGAZINE: A copy of the monthly URC magazine can be found here.
RESOURCES FOR HOME WORSHIP: See our This Week's Services , Prayer Page , and Home Worship pages for home worship resources, as well as the following ...
Live-streamed Services: Wesley’s Chapel in London Wednesday 12.45, Thursday 12.45 and Sunday 9.45 and 11.00. Swan Bank Methodist Church in Burslem Sunday 10.30 Methodist Central Hall, Westminster Sunday 11.00. Methodist Central Hall Westminster have made their sermons available online as podcasts. Click here to listen.
Morning Prayers: 09:00 Monday-Friday - from Wesley House Cambridge. Resources for following the prayers and readings are available at: www.wesley.cam.ac.uk/prayer-space
Worship Resources: the Methodist Church website has links to worship and prayer resources for home as well as the latest news from the Connexion.
ROOTS is currently offering free resources to use at home every week on the ROOTS website. See www.rootsontheweb.com/
BBC LOCAL RADIO: BBC Local Radio, including Somerset, are broadcasting half hour virtual services on Sunday mornings at 8.00am on 95.5 AM / DAB and 1566MW. You can find how to listen to your BBC local radio station here.
NEW ARRANGEMENTS AT TEMPLE:
You will be wondering how Temple is interpreting the Government guidelines for our forthcoming services. The Stewarding team will be looking at this and we will keep you updated as we go, however, for the time being, the advice from the Methodist Church is to continue to exercise caution and care for those more vulnerable than ourselves, and to consider a safe environment for those who may be venturing back to church.
This is how we propose to go forward:
• Continue to offer sanitiser
• Continue with increased ventilation
• No need to book, but maintain Track and Trace lists for the time being
• Face coverings recommended when moving around, singing, or interacting inside the building. They can be removed when seated.
• Singing permitted, but face coverings are recommended by the Methodist Church when singing.
• Some distancing maintained - to this end we will continue to mark out alternate pews as a reminder, but people to space themselves
• Services continue at around 45 minutes
• Offering continues to be through retiring collection
• Current method for distributing Communion to be maintained for August
• No after service refreshments for the time being (to be reviewed for September)
• Cleaning of toilet facilities to be continued by users
Thank you all for your care of one another over past months, and for your continuing consideration. Deborah
HARVEST DECORATION:
We are planning on decorating the church for Harvest on the morning of Saturday 25th September around 9.30am. Please feel free to come along and help or if you can leave some goods. All contributions would be gratefully received! Thank you, Anne B.
HARVEST DONATIONS:
For Harvest on 26th September If you wish to donate goods for Open Door and the food bank, your gifts would be most welcome. A list of the most needed items can be found at
https://taunton.foodbank.org.uk/give-help/donate-food/
https://www.tauntonopendoor.org.uk/donations/
HARVEST LUNCH:
Sunday 26th September after the Harvest service. Please get your tickets from the stewards. There is no charge, but donations will be given to the All We Can Haiti earthquake appeal.
A STATEMENT AND PRAYER ON THE AFGHANISTAN CRISIS
The President and Vice-President of the Methodist Conference offer the following statement regarding the crisis in Afghanistan:
The Taliban’s advance in Afghanistan has taken place more quickly than anyone predicted. Over the past few days we have received distressing reports about the situation in Kabul, as well as across the country. Following our military involvement, the UK bears a heavy responsibility towards the people of Afghanistan and must act to support all who fear for their future and seek asylum. Over the course of this conflict, members of our churches have been supporting those who have been forced to flee and at this critical time our response must be one of compassion and generosity. As Members of Parliament are recalled, we hope that there might be an unequivocal guarantee to support those seeking asylum, and that broad and accessible routes to the UK are created for those seeking sanctuary from Afghanistan. Methodist chaplains have served members of our Armed Forces in Afghanistan over the past 20 years and we are mindful of them and of all who bear the scars of this conflict. We remember particularly those still serving, veterans, civilian colleagues and their families for whom the current situation in Afghanistan may be evoking difficult memories. Our hearts go out to women in Afghanistan who have taken the opportunity to lead in many ways, making contributions in their communities, business and politics. They now fear that these freedoms will be reversed. We call on all governments everywhere to uphold the empowerment of women and to ensure that the new government in Afghanistan maintains the freedoms that have been gained in recent years.
In the face of uncertainty in Afghanistan and the region we know that many will want to join us in prayer.
Revd Sonia Hicks, President of the Methodist Conference
Barbara Easton, Vice-President of the Methodist Conference
A Prayer for Afghanistan by Barbara Easton on our Prayer Page
VIVARY/MEN'S FORUM:
It was felt that these two groups should combine and meet in the afternoon. Parking may be a problem and working people find it difficult to attend but so many no longer wish to drive at night. If agreeable the meetings will be the third Thursday in the month starting at 2.30pm on Thursday 21st October. The topic is to be arranged once the date is agreed.
POP-IN:
The first meeting of Pop-in since lockdown finished, occurred last Wednesday so alternate Wednesdays will continue to be the pop-in meetings: 29th September, 13th, 27th October... At present the Thursday pop-in meeting at the URC is on hold. The next pop-in will be current affairs!! a look at the papers and a discussion of their contents, bring your reading glasses.
COFFEE PLUS:
Alternating with Pop-In will be Coffee plus. The opportunity to come along for coffee and a chat. Each meeting is followed by the mid-week service then a light lunch at a reasonable cost. The next Coffee Plus is Wednesday 8th September.
MID-WEEK SERVICE:
In a move towards some sort of normality, the Midweek Service has reverted to its old time of 12.15 -12.35. As previously, a light lunch will be available from around 12.45pm., and coffee, tea and biscuits from 10.30am. A fuller Church Lunch will be served on the last Wednesday of the month. All are very welcome.
For Leaders for the Midweek Service during September see Upcoming Services . Tony Bell
CHURCH LUNCH:
Church Lunch returns on Wednesday 29th September at 12 noon. If you would like to come, please add you name to the list in the foyer.
CAN YOU HELP?
As we return to ‘normal’, there are opportunities to take part in church life. Have you considered joining the list of people who read the lessons on Sunday or counting the collection after the service? Would you be able to help with the sound and vision during the service? Please speak to a steward for more information and to volunteer.
ANNUAL CHURCH MEETING:
The Temple Annual Church meeting will take place on the first weekend of October. It has been suggested that we hold two sessions this year, one on the morning of Saturday 2nd and the other after the morning service on Sunday 3rd October, to enable people to attend one or the other. In preparation for this you might like to consider the ‘What Shall We Do Now?’ questionnaire. (Paper copies will be available in the vestibule for those who prefer a hard copy.)
Diana Atkinson
TEMPLE ROOF:
Those who were at Temple for the service a few weeks ago when we had a downpour of rain during the service would have heard a steady drip drip, even the sound of trickling water coming from the balcony area. We have a leak in the roof! There are carefully placed buckets but this is not an ideal solution!
We have already replaced the roof over the hall but the two sides of the roof over the church have not been replaced. The rear section remains watertight and should last a few more years but the front south facing section needs to be replaced. Temple is Grade 2 Listed and we need to obtain the permission and support of the Methodist Heritage Officer. Church Council expressed a wish that we would become more eco-friendly and make Temple more energy efficient. This could be done by installing solar panels as part of the roof replacement and the heritage officer has indicated initial support towards our aspiration so long as this does not have a significant impact on the listed building.
Through the Church Council we are now looking to appoint an architect to advise us on the technical requirements for the scheme. We would hope to apply for grant funding towards the costs but unfortunately there are, in addition, likely to be costs to be borne by the church. This is a real opportunity for us to give a lead towards the need to achieve net zero emissions as well as to reduce our fuel bills in the future and, most importantly, make us water-tight.
In the meantime let us hope for dry weather…!
Graham Dickinson (Treasurer) and
George Adams (Chair of Temple Property Committee)
METHODIST WOMEN IN BRITAIN - WORLD FEDERATION DAY:
This year's World Federation Day event will take place in Chippenham on Saturday 23rd October. 'Just Living: Being Faithful with God's Resources' is a day conference with keynote speaker, worship, discussion, and workshops. Contact Elaine Banks for more information.
PRAYER HANDBOOK:
I have ordered a number of Methodist Prayer Handbooks for the next year 2021/22. They work out at £4.50 each. I have a list of those that have ordered in the past and I will try and seek you out to see if you would like a copy, but there is no obligation. If you have not previously had a copy but would like one please let me know by contacting me in person or by dropping me a message. Best wishes, Kevin.
PEMD eNEWS:
This month the Plymouth and Exeter District eNews features our Circuit. Click here to view the eNews.
A METHODIST WAY OF LIFE:
A Methodist Way of Life offers Methodists and all Christians a rhythm for responding to God's love in Jesus. It provides commitments and practices that refocus our faith. It deepens discipleship and spirituality. Order your resources here.
From Methodist News …
POLICE, CRIME, SENTENCING AND COURTS BILL:
Our President, the Revd Sonia Hicks, joined other church leaders and representatives of civil society organisations in writing to Government over concerns about the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill. Find out more about the Bill here.
FRANCIS ASBURY 250 RESPONDING TO CALL:
Over the weekend we celebrated the 250th anniversary of Francis Asbury's departure from Pill to America. Watch a short film from Pill featuring extracts from his diaries and find links to our special concert and service from the New Room here.
COP 26:
World leaders will gather in Glasgow for a major conference on the climate crisis in just 6 weeks’ time. Find out more about the key issues they face and how you can help to hold governments to account here.
ALL WE CAN AND Y CARE INTERNATIONAL:
Our partner, All We Can, has joined together with Y Care International to tackle poverty, inequality and injustice in some of the world’s most vulnerable communities. Find out more about this new venture and how you can support them in their vital work here.
The Methodist Church Learning Network
The role of the Learning Network is to equip and resource the Church through a wide range of learning and development opportunities. The Learning Network works together connexionally, on national projects, and in regional teams, in delivering regional training and learning events. The Learning Network comprises of 10 Learning Network regions. Each region has a regional coordinator and a team of Learning & Development Officers with a variety of specialist skills.
Information about the South West region can be found here, and you can sign up for the monthly newsletter here.
FREE TELEPHONE PRAYER AND NEWS
Prayers and news from the Methodist Church.
Listen to a prayer: 0808 281 2514
Listen to news: 0808 281 2478
Content is updated every Thursday afternoon.
SOCIAL MEDIA AND OTHER SCAMS
Please be aware that unfortunately in these uncertain and difficult times when we may be more vulnerable than normal, there are people who are taking advantage of our desire to communicate with one another via social media. Other routes used include cold calls on your phone, text messages or emails, and bogus websites. The following websites have advice on recognising and reporting scams, and what to do if you think you have fallen prey to a scam.
Recent scams include recorded messages purporting to be regarding misuse of your online shopping account or internet service. Please hang up immediately and use call blocking if you have it (1572). Others try to get bank account or card details by purporting to be from warranty firms for white goods extending your protection or warranty. Some are calls impersonating the NHS, well-known government organisations, or law enforcement agencies - these will not call by phone or text and will never ask for bank or card details.
If someone you don't know contacts you by phone, text, email, social media, or at your home unexpectedly
CHALLENGE - Could it be fake? It’s OK to reject, refuse or ignore any requests that don’t feel right.
DECLINE - Do NOT respond to electronic messages by following links or recorded phone messages by pressing numbers. NEVER give out personal information such as bank details, bank card numbers, passport numbers, NHS numbers, National Insurance numbers or passwords.
CHECK - Only use official websites, postal addresses or phone numbers to contact people if you are unsure - do NOT use the contact details provided by those you are suspicious of.
REPORT - Let someone know. Especially if you believe you've become a victim of fraud, or you can stop someone else becoming a victim.
UK Government - Avoid and report internet scams and phishing
Citizens Advice - Check if something might be a scam
Age UK - Scams and fraud
National Cyber Security Centre:
If you receive a call you believe to be fraudulent, hang up. If you are suspicious about an email you have received, forward it to report@phishing.gov.uk. Suspicious text messages should be forwarded to the number 7726 which is free of charge.
Action Fraud:
If you believe you have been the victim of fraud or identity theft, you should report this directly to Action Fraud either online; actionfraud.police.uk or via phone 0300 123 2040.
Crimestoppers:
If you have any information relating to vaccine fraud you can stay 100% anonymous by contacting Crimestoppers COVID Fraud Hotline online; covidfraudhotline.org or phone 0800 587 5030.