West Street, Oldland Common, Bristol, BS30 9QS.
Unity Oldland Methodist Church is committed to the safeguarding and protection of
all children, young people and vulnerable adults.
If you have items for the next Newsletter please let Margaret have them by 5 pm on 2nd June at the latest please at mgt.s@blueyonder.co.uk.
The Methodist Centre is raising money to help fund a weekly takeaway food service starting Monday. They are closed but are missing the money and food they would get from churches such as ours.
If you wish to give please follow this link to their Just Giving page.
For members not on the Internet, hard copies will be delivered
when our exercise walks take us in that direction.
The Methodist Centre
The Centre is currently in needs of small bottles of bottled water to give to guests visiting the Centre. Donations can be dropped on the doorstep of Deacon Corinne Brown's Manse, 11 Glebe Road BS5 8JJ.
If anyone would like to donate money to buy these bottles of water please contact Joy Harris joylharris@btinternet.com or ring 967 4006. Thank you.
For all sorts of help in Bristol and South Gloucestershire during the coronavirus crisis
Visit The Community Hub Bristol & South Glos
For South Gloucestershire use the Southern Brooks Helpline
freephone 03335 774666
Monday to Friday 11 am to 7 pm; Weekends 12 noon to 6 pm.
Open Air Service at Unity Oldland
David, our minister, Joy, our senior steward, and myself have been looking at the feasibility of holding an open air service in the 'grounds' of Uity Oldland, using the garden or the car park depending how many would like to attend. The maximum set by the government is 30 and to accommodate that many people we would need to be in the car park, but if numbers are much smaller, we will be in the garden.
We would like to capitalise on the fine weather we are currently having and see if people would like to use this format.
It will be necessary to book a place with me before the day as we have to keep a register of who attends and a contact number, but also if the weather is inclement and we need to cancel, or the government guidelines change I can let you all know. If you have an email address you can contact me that way as well.
There will need to be some restrictions:
- The service will be shorter and different to the usual format as we are not allowed to sing as it is thought that it enhances the spread of Covid 19.
- The church will not be open and so there will be no toilet facilities.
- If you would like to sit during the service please bring your own chair or stool to sit on. We can accommodate standing!!
- It will be helpful if you could bring your own bible, hymn book and sanitiser.
- Face coverings may need to be worn depending on how many attend and to maintain safety, especially when entering and leaving. Please therefore bring your mask/covering (we recognise some people may not be able to wear a face covering).
- We have been advised not to 'mingle' before or after the service, but you may be able to form small bubbles, socially distanced, where you could chat briefly and keep to each week.
- We are not intending to use a PA system but this might need to be reviewed.
- The car park or garden will be marked out into socially distanced squares and you will be allocated a square,
- Car parking on site may not be available if we use the car park.
Like our Zoom service it is about trying it and seeing what works and what doesn't, and it may need to evolve.
For more details please contact - Val Helliar.
Our stewardship recipient account is now open at www.give.net/20311577.
They do charge a small percentage for this service so if you can gift via direct Bank Transfer through your Internet bank account Unity Oldland will get even more.
However, this may be easier if you don't have an Internet bank account. We were told at Church Council that we are due to pay an instalment of our loan to Staple Hill £4,657 and we owe the builder £4,904, so any extra you can gift through our Gift Day would be very welcome.
If anyone would prefer to have cash collected please let Margaret S know.
Rev David Willis will be writing to you about our virtual Gift Day on 5th September. A Love Feast, again virtually, will take place on Sunday 6th September.
I mention these things as your next newsletter was compiled just a few days before this was known and we need your support, please.