The Church is open....

Good news! After having to shut the premises completely in lockdown, the Church is now open every day for private prayer and reflection. There are a few things to note that make it look a bit different; there is, for instance, hand sanitizer at the door which we ask visitors to use. There is also a one-way system in operation, in case visitors arrive at the same time.

Sunday morning services are now back in church at 9.45am each week with the following pattern:

1st Sunday - Holy Communion

2nd Sunday - Morning Service

3rd Sunday - Choral Communion

4th Sunday - Morning Service

5th Sunday, when there is one, will be notified in the WhatsOn section of this website.

These services will also be streamed live on our Facebook page whenever we possibly can so that family and friends can join the service, as well as those who are away or unwell.  This also provides the opportunity to catch up later on any services you may miss. 

We are also gathering for communal prayer in the Church every Wednesday at 7pm and everyone is welcome to come, subject of course to the rules in place on numbers and social distancing.

A Letter from the Rector

Dear friends,

I’m determined to think of something to say that is not Covid dominated. It’s hard not for all our conversations to turn to the pandemic. However, I will try.

I’m in the middle of reading a book about Francis of Assisi and his influence through the centuries, of the many great Franciscans that have followed him. As a man of simple faith and great humility Francis was surprised in his life why people wanted to emulate his way of being a Christian and would have been shocked had he known what an influence he has had on millions of people since his death.

For me personally his example is both a challenge and an inspiration. From being an impulsive rich young man who spent most of his time partying he had an encounter with the living lord Jesus that changed his life around. He made a vow of poverty by stripping off all his clothes that had been bought with his merchant father’s money and walked away naked. He rebuilt ruined churches with his own hands, he overcame his fear of leprosy by embracing a leper. He met with the sultan, seeking peace in the middle of the crusades. Everywhere he went he gave away anything that he had been given and preached about the love of God. 

In 1226 he died, a relatively young man, worn out by his work and sufferings. As he was dying he said “I have only done what I was given to do”.

Yet this saint, simply by responding to God with all his heart, has had a profound influence on me and so many others. It leads me to ask the important questions; am I doing what I have been given to do? Has my life a quality that people will be influenced and helped by it? Do my words and actions proclaim the love of God?

What about you? Who inspires you? Are you doing what has been given for you to do?

Mike

Church Choir

Just as the weather turned a touch chilly, we were delighted to able to return to St Anne's for Church Choir Rehearsals.  During full lock down, we managed to continue singing together online via Facebook, and during August attempted outside rehearsals in the Church Rooms Courtyard.  However, on 1 September we appreciated being back in church, working within the new guidelines for singers and with very careful distancing measures in place.

We are practising a beautiful arrangement of”The King of Love My Shepherd Is” by the contemporary American composer, Dan Forrest. Whilst we are still considering how we can incorporate members of the choir safely in future Choral Communion services, we already have one engagement in October to make a recording of this piece for the Derbyshire High Peak Farmers' Society online Harvest Festival, which will be filmed in the open air, in a farm yard!

New choir members are always welcome, but at this time, we would ask you to telephone Claire to discuss details and provide your contact information on 07515 287222, before coming to a rehearsal. 

Church Almoner

June Powell who cares for village residents, on behalf of the Church, gave the following report at the St Anne's Annual General Meeting:

"The Church notice sheets were updated each week for prayers for the sick and for bereaved families. Prayers for the families of the bereaved stay on the sheet for three months. (I first enquire if they would like their names included on the sheet or just for private prayer). A prayer request book is at the back of the church for visitors and the congregation to use.

I send “Get Well” cards, Bereavement cards, special anniversary, birthday cards or “welcome to new home” cards. I make visits with flowers or cooking to those who are sick. We have had a number of our elderly congregation in Care Homes to visit and sadly I attend funerals where appropriate. I post the monthly magazine to people who have left the village and who like to keep in touch with us. 

During Covid I have been making phone calls to the sick which luckily overlap with our Senior Citizens members contact list. Leftover cakes from the Pop-up Market were taken each week to people including a note “With love from St Anne’s Church”."

We are very blessed to have June in our community.

Church Library

Our library facility is temporarily closed to minimise the risk of Covid-19 transmission. 

Harvest Festival

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Parish Safeguarding 

The Church of England is called to share the good news of God’s salvation through Jesus Christ. The life of our communities and institutions is integral to how we address this task. The good news speaks of welcome for all, with a particular regard for those who are most vulnerable, into a community where the value and dignity of every human being is affirmed and those in positions of responsibility and authority are truly trustworthy. Being faithful to our call to share the gospel therefore compels us to take with the utmost seriousness the challenge of preventing abuse from happening and responding well where it has.’  HANDBOOK

PCR2

Protocols and practice guidance for the Church of England’s Past Cases Review 2, (PCR2) have been published and are on the National Church of England Website. 

Individual survivors who wish to make representations to the PCR2 process in the Derby Diocese or who need to come forward with information or make any disclosures regarding church related abuse are encouraged to make direct contact with the Safeguarding Team 01332 388678. 

However, recognising that this may not feel safe for those with experience of abuse from within the church, a dedicated national helpline - 0800 80 20 20 - operated independently from the church, by the NSPCC, was set up in September 2019 and remains available.

Survivors were not invited to contribute to the 2007-2009 PCR and the Church has wanted to ensure a different, trauma informed approach is taken by PCR2. Listening to survivor voices has helped to shape how this review will be conducted. 

We are now at the beginning of the PCR2 process, this is an independent review to look at all the safeguarding files, historic and current for both adults and children, including all Church officers. The review aims to ensure that wherever concerns have been raised that the cases have been handled appropriately.

The National Church has given a commitment to undertake a new Past Cases Review (PCR2) which will not only look at all types of harm, both to children and or adults, but will probe much deeper in records or concerns held in parishes, some of which may not have been reported to the DSA. Your vicar (or church warden if in Interregnum) will now have received a letter from +Libby outlining what is required to enable this significant piece of work to be completed. We need to submit the final report to the National Safeguarding team by the end of December 2020. We will be in touch directly with PSOs’ to give the detail of the next step, but it may be helpful if you identify where any parish records are held so that there is less work to do when we ask you for the details. The timescale for responding to PCR2 in the Diocese of Derby is by 31st March 2020.

Safeguarding Concerns

If you have any concerns over any safeguarding matter, please contact the Parish Safeguarding Officer, Richard Nicholson on 01246 583023 or Member of the Clergy, Revd Mike Gilbert on 07947092951 or the Diocesan Safeguarding Team on 01332 388678.