‘Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.' Matthew 11.28

All are welcome to join St David's Sunday Service at 9.00am, online and by phone. To access the service at 9.00am by phone please dial 07 3243 7919 and enter the access code 786 584 063. Please contact us if you have any difficulties accessing our services.

All are welcome to St David's mid-week Communion Service, currently by phone only. To access the service at 9.00am by phone please dial 07 3243 7919 and enter the access code 786 584 063. Please contact us if you have any difficulties accessing our services.

Beryl's family are keen to provide the opportunity for as many as possible to attend the funeral to celerbate her life. So we can ensure a safe environment and to comply with current Covid 19 guidlines we require those intending to attend to register. People will not be able to just turn up without registration.

For more details about attending the service and current restrictions please see https://www.stdavidschelmer.com.au/ministries/funerals

When I was at High School, I remember a thing called the Metre ruler. It was meant to be used for drawing straight lines on Chalkboards. This Metre ruler was also regularly used for a purpose it was not designed; ensuring physical distancing between amorous teenagers. In these circumstances, this implement was useful in creating distance and ensuring compliance.

It is curious to me that I am now observing a similar artifact entering use in our churches. It is 50 cm longer but similarly effective in ensuring compliance with distancing requirements.

At St David's, we are committed to playing our part towards further easing of restrictions. This commitment means doing what we can to comply with the current Queensland Government Health directives as they apply to us. As we move towards Gathered worship, the wardens and I ask that if you choose to come to gathered worship, you will willingly comply with these guidelines.

In the next week, the wardens and I will prepare detailed correspondence regarding our planned return to offer gathered worship in St David's during July. This letter will be informed by the most recent Government Health Directive and our industry approved plan. We continue to follow our plan to move towards providing gathered worship from 19 July.

In summary, we intend on beginning with one service on Sunday morning and one service on Wednesday morning. The maximum number of people who can attend will be 50. We will be required to maintain strict physical distancing (hence the introduction of the newly improved Metre Ruler). Other health directives we will need to follow include;

- no handshaking, hugging or kissing

- registration to attend

- individual seating that is separated by 1.5 m (unless you are with people from the same household)

- no queuing at the entrance

- following the guidance of appointed COVID safety wardens

- electronic donation options only

We remain aware that even when we can return to gathered worship, many will remain at risk. We are taking a cautious step by step approach, so what we start we can continue.

God's Peace

Michael

“We are facing tough financial moments now as [we have] no group meetings, nowhere to take our goat or chicken since the markets are closed and the hotels too. We are just praying to God to help the situation pass so that life goes back to normal,” says Christine, a member of the Anglican Development Services, Eastern (ADSE). This story about the Anglican Board of Mission’s work with one of its partners in Kenya provides a typical picture of how COVID-19 is affecting people in many poorer countries of the world, and what action people are taking to deal with the challenges. It shows the value of working long-term with communities to develop relationships of trust, and strong community structures. [Read the article here](https://anglicanfocus.org.au/2020/06/09/communities-coming-together-to-fight-covid-19-in-kenya/).

A few months ago, we turned upside down the way we gathered and worshipped. It all happened in a very short period requiring very long hours for some. It took us some weeks to adjust to the new way of being. We are now working towards being together in gathered worship again. It too has many challenges, particularly as our circumstances change.

For example, we all remain concerned about increasing cases of infection in Victoria. At the same time today, there is some discussion of smaller venues being able to double the number of people able to gather at one time.

I am aware that there is some keen for us to return to gathered worship. I continue to ask for your patience as we make deliberate and careful preparations for an expected return in mid-July. At this stage, we continue to consider how we will ensure compliance with State Health Directives and the care for the more vulnerable in our church. It is possible that when we start, we will hold only one service on a Sunday and one service on a Wednesday.

On Friday we held the funeral of Dorothy Marsden in St David's. Dorothy was much loved by her family, her friends at St David's and the Ipswich Girl's Grammar School community. At 101 years old, there was much to celebrate about her life. She was committed to her family, friends, school and church. It was the first live-streamed funeral that I have celebrated at St David's and is still available for viewing through our website.

On Monday we will also host the funeral Beryl Erskine. Beryl's family are strongly connected to the life of our church. A number of her Great Grandchildren have been preparing for their first communion at St David's this year. This funeral can also be viewed via a link provided on our website.

These funerals have provided us with an opportunity to test the seating arrangements in our church to suit a limit of 40 people. To do this, we have moved all the pews from the body of the church. These pews are now stored in the old Sanctuary in the western end of the church. We have then placed forty individual chairs for seating 1.5m apart. This just one part of the necessary restrictions we will be asked to follow when we return to gathered worship.

A short course from St Francis Theological College

THE BIBLE IS THE CENTRAL TEXT FOR CHRISTIANS…

Welcome to this St Francis College short course, Exploring the Bible.

There are 38 short videos here, as well as reflection questions and transcripts for each.

You can use this course following particular Themes, OR just follow your nose (and interest!) [see more...](https://www.stfran.qld.edu.au/exploring-the-bible)

Intergenerational activities for families to help celebrate Pentecost