You may have heard that the government is allowing church buildings to open for private prayer from Monday 15th June and for community worship at the earliest from sometime in July. Our Methodist Connexion has advised us not to open for private prayer unless it is essential to our ministry, which at this point, we do not deem it to be. There is a long and complex checklist that we will have to follow whenever we do decide that we are ready to open our buildings, and it will take time to prepare the building and provide training.

Peni Rokobuli gives a presentation about his mission trip in our service today. It is MHA Sunday. Six people from around the circuit participated in singing the Ipswich Blessing. The local clergy made the newspaper with our statement about racism. Thank you to everyone from Museum Street who donated food to our food drive for FIND.

Christian leaders in Ipswich have today put out a press release with a joint statement in response to the killing of George Floyd. Your six appointed circuit ministers have all signed it. This was put together in a short period of time, so, please do not assume, therefore, that if a neighbouring church or church leader is not on the list that they didn’t agree with the sentiment of the letter!

Today’s service is available online as we continue our series Tales of Peter’s Discipleship Journey and celebrate Pentecost. After the disciples, now called apostles, have received the Holy Spirit, it is Peter who has the boldness and courage and prophetic spirit to get up and respond to what has just happened. With the Holy Spirit flowing through him, Peter gives a passionate speech, putting the events into context. Today, we would call it preaching!

Today’s service is available online as we continue our series Tales of Peter’s Discipleship Journey on this Ascension Sunday and Aldersgate Day. From Simon to Peter is our theme as we hear about Peter declaring that Jesus is the Messiah and then Jesus giving Peter a new identity.

Thy Kingdom Come begins tomorrow. Full details are on the circuit website. There are several things to download: the prayer journal, the phone app, and a family adventure. I have spare printed copies of the prayer journal if you would like one of those. Rev. Andrew Sankey’s video Bible Study is available there too, plus an Ascension Day reflection from Rev. Diane Smith. New things will be added to this page daily for the next 11 days. Who are you going to pray for? Let us Light Up Suffolk in prayer.

We give thanks this week that Boris Johnson has allowed a slight relaxing of the stay at home rules and laid out what the different stages will look like; we pray that there will not be a resurgence in coronavirus cases.

Yesterday we marked 75 years since VE Day when the sounds of war fell silent on this continent. Let us be conscious of our need for God’s forgiveness for the sin and the desire to dominate others that leads to conflict between people, and war between nations. As we remember the many soldiers, sailors, and airmen who gave their lives restraining evil and opposing tyranny, let us also give thanks for the years of peace that the nations of Europe have enjoyed since the Second World War.

Today’s service is available online as we continue our series Tales of Peter’s Discipleship Journey and hear about Peter’s Bold & Impulsive response when Jesus invites Peter to walk on the water. We will break bread together in this service, so to partake have a piece of bread and a glass of water to hand.

We rejoice with today’s news that in the UK we are past the peak of the COVID-19 outbreak in the general population. At the same time, we hold those in care homes in our prayers as the infections and deaths there continue to rise. We continue to hope and trust in God’s faithfulness and know that nothing can ever separate us from the love of God.