‘Revise, plan and carve’
Dear Friends
Welcome to Tuesday’s Companionship Email.
I hope that everyone had a restful long weekend where batteries were charged, emails went unanswered and phones placed on silent. Sometimes we all need to simply stop.
We begin another week of revision and planning for all that is to come. Here at the Chaplaincy we too are planning for how we do our work for you once life opens up again. Every unit within the University faces challenges about how to incorporate effective Social Distancing and your Chaplaincy is no different. Just to give you a warning, I am afraid my little bowl of chocolates for all and anyone who enters my office will have to be banished. You will have to bring your own!
We continue this week with our service of Compline on Thursday night, and this will be led by our Honorary Chaplain Reverend Dr Jared Williamson from the Cornerstone Church. Please do join us on Thursday 7th May at 9pm – Donald will be sending out the Zoom invite in due course.
This coming weekend we celebrate the 75th Commemoration of VE Victory in Europe Day. Please join us on Sunday morning 10th May at 11am for our Chapel service via Zoom. I will be preaching on ‘The Invisible Occupation’ as I reflect upon the similarities between our lockdown today and the lockdown experienced by those experienced during the Occupation of my home, Guernsey, Channel Islands. Watch out for the invite coming in a Companionship Email soon.
The Honorary Chaplaincy Team along with Donald and myself continue to be available to you to listen and support. We are available for a phone conversation or a team meeting. All are welcome to use the Chaplaincy and we are available for any member of staff or student past, present and future, regardless of religion, creed, denomination or philosophy of life. Remember you are not alone.
Evening Prayer
This week’s ‘Pray with Sam’ continues with a return to my Anglican roots. The Church of England have really upped their game over the past year in offering various forms of prayer for people to join in with. From a free ‘Time to Pray’ app to the daily offices of contemporary Morning, Evening and Night Prayers, accessibility to praying daily has never been easier.
Please use the link below each day this week where you will be guided through the daily evening prayer with readings and psalms of the day.
https://www.churchofengland.org/prayer-and-worship/join-us-service-daily-prayer
Remember, if you wish a person or situation to be included in our daily prayers and don’t have the bandwidth to pray during this time of trauma, please email me or Donald and we will include you in our prayers. All of those who have asked for prayer over the past 7 weeks continue to be part of our daily petitions.
And lastly from your Crafty (Assistant) Chaplain…
Some of you, who are detail people, may have noticed that in my office at Mansfield there are various wooden objects.
From the Welsh Love Spoon hanging on my window to the wooden hearts scattered on my desk and Guardian Angel sitting on my filing cabinet. All these items are very precious to me because they are made by my husband, Scott.
Scott has a cabin in our garden where he has a workshop and creates amazing things with wood. He only developed this craft after he retired from being an Engineer the Royal Air Force due to ill health. My favourites are the Grumpy Old Men he likes to carve,
along with his wooden holding hearts,
These hearts have formed big part of my ministry over the last few years.
I give them out to those who really need to hold on to something. We also send them out to other priests for them to gift in their ministry. The hearts have been given to children who have suffered a bereavement, to people suffering in hospitals and even to someone who was off to run a marathon!
They have gone all over the world with many different people. It was a craft born out of using up odd pieces of wood and transformed to offering a gift which helps sustain people in need.
For Scott, the time spent sitting in his cabin crafting creatures out of blocks of wood helps him in a variety of ways – physically, mentally and spiritually. Then I use these creations in my work to cheer and sustain those I meet.
So ‘wood’ you or not accept it if I offered you a heart to hold or a wee grumpy old man to make you smile? At least in this new world of social distancing you know where they come from!
Be blessed, be a blessing and Happy Crafting!
Samantha
Love watching sunset !
Love watching Sun !