Bishop of Durham, the Rt. Rev’d Paul Butler writes: “March 23rd will be one year since we first experienced going into a National Lockdown. Do you remember the feelings and the thoughts? Did we really imagine that a year later we would be in another lockdown? Or that so many people would have died from Covid? Did we anticipate that this new virus would impact so many lives in other life-changing ways, like long Covid, businesses folding, or online church emerging? For most of us it has been a long year of the unexpected, and much of it very tough in a wide variety of ways.

A year on is a good point to pause and reflect. In reflecting we take time to pay attention to what has happened and to what has been said and done. We will do well to ponder where the places of pain and loss have been; and the points of joy and laughter, even though they may be few. What have we learned about ourselves? One another? Our communities? Our church? Our nation? Our world?”

In response, and in partnership with the Marie Curie charity, the Parochial Church Council of the Parish of Great Aycliffe would like to invite the people of our caring community minded town to come along to reflect at:

St. Andrew’s Church, Aycliffe Village, any time between 10am and 3pm, and/or

St. Clare’s Church, St. Cuthbert’s Way, any time between 3pm and 8pm

Come for as long or as little, we will be Covid-19 secure, let us bring some good out of what has been a horrible year.

Much love to all,

Reverend Ann Anderson