Employers are cutting hundreds of thousands of jobs as Covid-19 continues to hit the economy. While many parts of the country went into lockdown to combat the spread of the virus, unemployment numbers have been rising sharply. How high could the unemployment rate go? (www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-52660591) 

Sometimes we can feel overwhelmed and simply do not know what to do. Jesus says in the gospel that we should help those who are homeless and have nothing to eat but how can we do this? The two organisations highlighted today by the feature below may help us to answer Jesus' call to help those less fortunate than ourselves. 

Out of the blue, a lightening strike, these are just two of the phrases that are used when we are affected by events beyond out control. The passage below is a true story from one of our parishioners who was affected in such a way but has recovered due to the power of faith and prayer.

​It all started after a routine mammogram.

The hospital contacted me to ask if I could go for a second appointment.

During this time, I was told that I had a lump in my breast, which had to be promptly removed.

It was a huge shock as I felt so fit and well.

The operation was carried out, which was followed some weeks later by Radiotherapy.

I always put my trust in God, regardless of the situation.

Many people were praying for me during my confinement.

Because I had the time, I researched the effects of cancer, Radiotherapy, and also included Chemotherapy.

I searched the word of God to find a counterbalance in the many healing scriptures, then I put a prayer together.

Daily, I received the Eucharist and prayed my prayer before every session of Radiotherapy the results were miraculous, God healed me!

I had very little adverse effects from the surgery or the radiotherapy, hardly any soreness and only a small amount of discomfort, I experienced some tiredness but it only lasted for around 3 weeks after the Radiotherapy treatment.

My mammogram two years later was totally clear.

Since then, I have passed my prayer for the healing on too many people and received back wonderful stories of their healings and restoration

I thank God that through the adversity he never lets us down

Many blessings to you all, Ros Powell

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Dwight L. Moody was familiar with hardship. He lost his father when he was quite young, grew up in poverty, worked rather than going to school, and lived through the Civil War and the Chicago fire. He lost grandchildren, survived a ship wreck, and worked with the urban poor. Moody experienced life’s challenges personally, as well as wading into the difficulties that others were facing. Despite or perhaps because of the challenges he faced, he continued to see God in the midst of trial. Moody once wrote "I am so thankful that I have a joy that the world can not rob me of; I have a treasure that the world can not take from me; I have something that is not in the power of man or devil to deprive me of, and that is the joy of the Lord." (Taken from https://moodycenter.org/articles/let-us-pray). In times of joy, of trouble or of normality, we can turn to the Lord. Below is a true story from one of our parishioners. 

I was very ill in Oct 2018 with a bad stomach, the doctor diagnosed a growth & an operation was an emergency.  Without it I would die before the next day. One operation later, a week in hospital, and chemotherapy for six months and by Christmas 2019 I was well on the way to a new life.

How quickly I recovered amazed me and everybody who knew me. The answer is quite easy PRAYER.

I believe it is a medicine a doctor cannot prescribe, but, everyone who knew me did by praying for a painless recovery, I would like to thank you all who prayed for me, you all brought me back from adversity.

God Bless you All.

Now listen to the daily readings, click to download

Welcome to day one!
​As advent begins we face a Christmas like no other in living memory, when we may not even be able to celebrate it with our families. We have all been limited by the coronavirus pandemic. It has taken so much from us, from simple pleasures such as socialising normally with friends, holidays to jobs, basic freedoms, and even loved ones. However it is in this shared hardship that we can find strength, and feel less alone, as an earlier generation did in WW2, something we will hear about in one of the features later this month. We really are all in this together.
We cannot change the fact that there is a pandemic, only our response to the challenge. Each day a slightly different story will be posted on the website told by people from a range of backgrounds. By hearing these stories throughout advent  of how people have risen to their own personal challenge, we hope that it will inspire you personally to go BEYOND ADVERSITY and onto hope.

​Our first story is one of tremendous forgiveness.  Is there anyone you need to forgive this advent, including yourself.....?
​
A convicted murderer who helped thwart an attack on London Bridge will be considered for parole 10 months early.
 
Steven Gallant, 42, was jailed for 17 years in 2005 for the murder of ex-firefighter Barrie Jackson in Hull. He was on day release attending a prisoner rehabilitation event when he confronted Usman Khan with a narwhal tusk after the 28-year-old began stabbing people in November 2019. Gallant was one of three people who were filmed restraining Khan on the bridge during the attack. He said earlier this year that he "did not hesitate" to intervene.
​
Gallant's Parole Board will decide whether he can be released early. A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said: "The lord chancellor has granted Steven Gallant a Royal Prerogative of Mercy reducing his minimum tariff by 10 months in recognition of his exceptionally brave actions at Fishmongers' Hall, which helped save people's lives despite the tremendous risk to his own." 
 
Khan, who killed Saskia Jones and Jack Merritt, was later shot dead by police. Mr Merritt's father David said "Steve fully deserves this pardon, or reduction in sentence. It is fantastic. He was very close to Jack and he turned his life around and reformed. I am really pleased for him."
 
Gallant was one of two men convicted of the murder of Jackson, 33. During the trial, Hull Crown Court heard the attack was carried out because Gallant wrongly believed Mr Jackson had attacked his girlfriend.
 
Mr Jackson's student son Jack, 21, told the Mirror: "In my mind, Gallant has nearly done his time and if someone has undergone rehabilitation and change, which it seems he has, then it's fair enough."
 

​London Bridge attack: Steven Gallant up for early release after confronting knifeman

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