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 November at the latest please at mgt.s@blueyonder.co.uk.
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.
Thursday God Talk
Do you want to think more deeply about your faith? Are you interested in helping others to think theologically about their beliefs and practices as Christians? Do you lead worship, bible study groups or fellowship groups? If so - you will not want to miss this opportunity to enrich your understanding of Christian theology, covering a variety of topics, in conversation with others.
Over the next Connexional year there will be nine sessions, approximately once a month, with three in a term. Each session will include some study material for you to reflect on in your own time (should take about 1 hour) and an online Zoom conversation in the evening lasting 1½ hours. It will be helpful you attend all three sessions in a term as they will link together, and hopefully provide different perspectives across a subject area.
For more details click here.
Keep yourself and others safe this autumn and winter
As autumn arrives, many of us will be thinking about the colder months and what we can do to keep ourselves healthy. Colds, flus and other respiratory illnesses are more common in colder months as people are indoors more often, allowing viruses to pass more easily from one person to another. This will also mean the risk of Covid-19 infection is higher. These infections, as well as cold weather can make some health problems worse and even lead to serious complications, especially if you are 65 or older, or if you have a long-term health condition.
Director of Public Health for South Gloucestershire, Sara Blackmore and Leader of South Gloucestershire Council, Toby Savage are therefore urging everyone in South Gloucestershire to take sensible and safe precautions to keep themselves and others safe.
Their advice is to:
- Come forward when invited for vaccination of both Covid and flu
- Cover your nose and mouth when you cough and sneeze
- Stay at home if you are unwell, to reduce the risk of passing any illnesses on to friends, family, colleagues, and others in your community
- Wash your hands with soap and water or use hand sanitiser regularly throughout the day
- Wear a face covering in enclosed and crowded spaces where you come into contact with people you don't normally meet or where it will make you and others feel more comfortable
- Try to meet outdoors or in well-ventilated indoor areas
- Self-isolate and get a PCR test if you have symptoms of Covid-19
- Self-isolate if you test positive for Covid-19 or are told to do so by?NHS?Test and Trace. This remains a legal requirement
- Take a regular rapid Covid-19 test twice a week if you don't have symptoms.
- Be kind, courteous and considerate of others - take into account not only your own risks, but also of those around you, such as those with clinical vulnerabilities.
More information about how to stay well this winter is available here How to stay well in winter - NHS (www.nhs.uk)
Local information and guidance on Covid-19 testing, vaccination, and how to access financial support if you have been impacted by Covid-19, is available on our website www.southglos.gov.uk/coronavirus.
For dates and times of upcoming walk-in, appointment-free vaccination clinics around our region or to click through to the national booking system to book your vaccine, visit www.grabajab.net
Booster vaccine
People aged 50 years and over, care home residents, health and social care workers and younger people at risk (who have already had 2 doses of the Covid-19 vaccine) are being prioritised to receive a booster jab from 6 months after their second dose. This move will prolong the protection vaccines offer, particularly for those most vulnerable to Covid-19 as we head into the autumn and winter months.
The NHS will contact you when it is your turn to have a booster.
You can read more about the coronavirus (Covid-19) booster vaccine on the NHS website.