OPENING OF TYNDALE BAPTIST CHURCH BUILDING?   NOT YET

Dear All,

You would have heard from the announcement this week by the Government that churches and places of worship will be open from the 4^th July as long as there are no more than 30 people and no singing or chanting. Myself and the leadership team are trying to get our minds around a service with no singing or praying (chanting). So this is to let you know Tyndale will not be open yet except for the leadership to work out the practical implications of the government guidelines such as social distancing.

Please rest assured that we will not be rushing to open up the church for church services. Like yourselves safety is of our outmost concern and priority and as you know our church is blessed with multi ethnicity that means that we have a large number of BAME - those for whom this virus is fatal and so we as leaders are very cautious about opening up. Please rest assured that whatever happens the opening of Tyndale Baptist church won't be before August - when the temperature is warmer and we are as a nation hopefully clearer about the current developments in Leicester.

So what has the leadership been up to during the lock down ?

Leadership meetings :
At the start of the lockdown, the leadership treated this unprecedented situation as a war situation and met every Tuesday & Friday to ensure that all our members were covered in prayer & materials, economic support and cover were provided where needed using Numbers 31:48-49 as our example. Our God heard us and those of our members (5) who caught the COVID19 or tested positive all recovered ! PTL

Daily Prayer Meetings on ZOOM ONLINE @630PM:
In the light our such unprecedented situation daily prayer meetings were set up partly as a catch up and daily update but also as a Strategic Warfare Technique (SWAT) to cover our town & nation but in particular our members who were key workers & front line workers (some of whom were given no PPEs or inadequate PPE ) as they go out to work daily.

WEEKLY FEEDING 60 HOMELESS ADULTS:
Every Monday each week , TYNDALE BAPTIST CHURCH & WYCLIFFE BAPTIST CHURCH have the responsibility of feeding 60 homeless adults . Other churches in the town take different days of the week to ensure that these homeless people get fed every day of the week.

ECONOMIC PROVISION AND SUPPORT:
As one can imagine, the lockdown has had tremendous impact on people's mobility and economic & financial sustenance. The leadership has been in touch with families within our membership and within the community who have been struggling and we have shopped, provided and given economic & financial support where we can. By the way, what have you been doing with your Tithes & offering in the Lockdown ? If the Holy Spirit has been convicting you then please do not rob the LORD (Malachi 3:8-12). Please send in a cheque or phone/text me for church account number 07960185437

EMOTIONAL AND MORAL SUPPORT:
Throughout the Lockdown the leadership has been shopping, ferrying people to hospital appointments, ringing and checking on people of Tyndale and those who are vulnerable in community to see that they are well looked and nobody is left on their own. We are receiving food items from Tesco & ASDA and these are being distributed to the poorest families within the community surrounding the church. Some of whom do not have enough to make ends meet despite school premiums and food vouchers.

PARISH NURSE MINISTRY AND CONNECTING WITH OUR COMMUNITY:
Jill, our Parish Nurse with the help of Maureen and her husband Geoff have been particularly busy during this time. This is what Jill says in her write - up........

Parish Nursing remains very busy. Support has been given to families who have lost loved ones due to Covid 19 and those that are struggling to recover. It has been a joy to pray with so many families who have requested spiritual input. It is very apparent of the financial strain to many and as a church we have been able to support those hardest hit through the links with the parish nursing ministry. (Thank you we have no words to express our gratitude.) Just some of the feedback received. It was amazing to welcome a new baby to one of the Mums who I support and to share her joy and excitement of this new life (very tempting not to have a cuddle.) It has been great to have support during this so busy time Maureen has been undertaking shopping collecting medicines and phoning those who need that communication. Heather has been on hand to help support those who have struggled with their mental health during the lockdown and for that I am very grateful. Supporting our own church members too has been rewarding with so many words of encouragement. Thank you. Weekly involvement with Readifood has proved invaluable with building up precious relationships and indeed friendships within Whitley. It’s great to now be recognised! Our church stands in a unique mission field and I am excited about God’s plan for our work within this community. Parish nursing ministry is growing and I thank God everyday for the privilege of being a Parish Nurse.

TALKING FINANCES. SO HOW ARE WE DOING FINANCIALLY ?

The simple truth is that the church needs your money for the work and ministry of the Kingdom of God to go forward. If there's a niggling worry at the back of your mind then could it be the Holy Spirit giving you a gentle nudge to say you could do more for the church? Remember, as they say - Every little helps !

As the Lockdown began the leadership were quite worried about the possible loss of income because as you can imagine there are no offerings on Zoom ! or on You Tube. But as our offerings are part of our worship, surely worship must feel weird and unreal without offering. I for one feel as though my worship is incomplete - something is missing. So what do you do about that feeling? Answer: Write out a cheque and send it to the church treasurer - Mrs Marie Nevers.

So how are we doing?
Last month there was a variance (the difference between what we budgeted to give in offerings and the actual amount (received) of £1220. This meant that our shortfall in offerings so far this year (Year to Date ) is a little over three thousand pounds ( £3057).

On the Plus side, our savings in expenses so far this year (Year to Date ) is a total of £2500. So all in all, PTL that the good LORD looks after His own but that does not mean we should get sloppy in our giving. In times of great need and distress, the people of God have always dug deep and responded. I have no doubt you too will respond to the needs of God's Kingdom at this time. May the Lord richly bless you as you consider how to respond. Whatever your decision, be at peace with yourself and stay safe.

God bless you as you serve Him.

Regards & Greetings from Pastor Sam & the Leadership.

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Our dear brothers and sisters restrictions are slowly changing, but please Contact Pastor Sam or the leadership team before you use our premises for any activity as we move forward.

I thank God for the various and often ingenious ways that we have managed to meet to ensure that we have continued to be a loving community and church family during this trying and difficult time.

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