© St Peter’s Episcopal Church, Kirkcaldy 2020

Made with Xara

Please contact us via email, Facebook, or on the Rectory telephone number for further updates. We continue to hold each other in prayer and would be pleased to receive requests for anyone in specific need of prayer. Please remember those particularly, who are on their own and may feel isolated. If you are able to access the Internet or Facebook, then please check with the Provincial Website https://www.scotland.anglican.org where details of online streaming of services will be available from this Sunday or on Facebook @scottishepiscopalchurch to keep us all together as a community. There are good online resources for liturgical prayer and lectionary reflection, such as: ​SEC liturgies: ​https://www.scotland.anglican.org/who-we-are/publications/liturgies/ ​SEC Daily Prayer: ​https://www.scotland.anglican.org/prayer/ ​CofE Worship resources: ​https://www.churchofengland.org/prayer-and-worship/worship-texts-and-resources ​Daily reflections: ​https://pray-as-you-go.org ​Episcopal Church USA, Sunday and weekday lectionary readings texts: ​https://www.lectionarypage.net/ Bishop Ian has been in contact with our partner diocese in Brazil and India. Attached are his messages and the replies from Bishop Marinez of the Diocese of Amazonia and Bishop Paritosh of the Diocese of Calcutta. During lockdown, Fife Cluster YF have been meeting via Zoom on a Sunday evening for around 45 mins. 28th June would have been the annual BBQ which they couldn't have so delegates and leaders wore beach dress, sunhats and sunglasses to have a virtual BBQ. in the past week delegates and leaders have been making videos, on what they like about YF which have been edited together to make the following presentation. To view video click on link to YouTube https://youtu.be/nN2Ic7d3miE YF+ is a new venture which follows on from YF on a Sunday and concentrates on the Gospel lectionery reading for that Sunday. This has been received very well so far. YF and YF+ are planning to run over the summer and any young person from halfway through P7 and above are most welcome. Glen 2020 was sadly cancelled this year but the Provincial Youth Network are planning a series of virtual events during the week 2nd Aug, more details to come. Many thanks to Holy Trinity Dunfermline for allowing us to share the video. All Church Groups are also suspended until further notice. However we will endeavour to keep in touch and support each other during this time. Blessings Christine Fraser, Rector

Breaking News Kirkcaldy Civic Society recently published an article in their ‘Kirkcaldy in 50 Objects’ series regarding St Peter’s in the Fife Free Press. To read a brief description click here (article also includes a link for the full civic society article. The Provincial Advisory Group met recently and has updated its main Guidance document, now that Scotland is "beyond level 0" in the Government's Strategic Framework. A clean copy of the document is available at: https://www.scotland.anglican.org/coronavirus-updates/ In issuing its updated guidance, and recognising the fact that there are now fewer legal restrictions applicable to church activities, the Advisory Group is keen to emphasise that that ought not to be interpreted as an encouragement to abandon caution. The winter months are a period when the incidence of virus infections generally can be expected to increase. In the weeks ahead, as we approach Advent, Christmas and the New Year, we can expect there to be opportunities for gatherings and conviviality, as well as the possibility that greater numbers may attend church services. That is welcome for many reasons, but the Group encourages the need for us to care for one another by the continued observance of sensible precautions. The Government's own guidance for Places of Worship has been updated to reflect the current situation and is much reduced in length from earlier versions. In the light of this, the Advisory Group has decided that, for the future, rather than producing its own detailed guidance, it encourages congregations to direct themselves to the Government guidance which can be accessed at: https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-phase-3-guidance-for-thesafe-use-of-places-of- worship/ The status of the majority of government and church Covid guidance has now changed and should be regarded as “good practice” rather than regulations. St Peter’s Vestry continues to ensure that the health and wellbeing of all those attending services is its priority and after discussion at the most recent Vestry meeting the following revisions were agreed in relation to St Peter’s. What to expect when you come to St Peter's from 17th April 2022 After the Rector and Vestry’s consideration and discussion of the Scottish Government's revised guidelines, the following amendments have agreed. Please click here to view updated Congregation Guidelines and click here for the pastoral letter from Bishop Ian giving an explanation for not introducing individual cups or resuming intinction. Letting of Halls As we are moving beyond Level 0, the Vestry have agreed to open up the Church for hall bookings. If you are interested then you can now download the latest Terms and Conditions together with a Booking Form by clicking on your preferred format: Microsoft Word Document .doc or .docx, PDF. At a recent meeting of the Diocesan Global Partnerships Committee, the situation in our link diocese of Kolkata in India and Amazonia in Brazil regarding COVID 19 and the lack of supply of vaccines was discussed. It was agreed that the Diocese would lobby MPs and MSPs to try to help those countries and others in the same situation by asking that both parliaments consider sending out excess vaccines to help alleviate the suffering. The Revd Canon Bob Harley, Convenor of the committee has drafted a letter of explanation and a letter template in the event that you might support this initiative. Copies of the letter and template can be found here and Google will provide you with information on your local MP and MSP. Please do help if you can. Click here for details of the proposed Diocesan Pilgrimages taking place in 2021 and 2022. Registration information is included in the leaflet, please register directly with the Diocese if you wold like to participate in any or all of them.

The new guidance is significantly shorter than previous versions, which reflects the fact that the Advisory Group is essentially pointing congregations to the revised Government Places of Worship Guidance, last updated by the Government in August. The Advisory Group considered whether to withdraw its own guidance altogether but was of the view that it would remain helpful for congregations to have some specific guidance applicable to the specific circumstances and raditions of the Scottish Episcopal Church. The revised guidance does not recommend new measures or requirements for congregations and is simply a revision to reflect the fact that there are considerably fewer restrictions required now than was the case earlier in the pandemic.