This is a series of three Zoom events, two of which took place last week. Both were exceptional in the quality of the presentations and honesty of discussion. Brunswick Church helped to support the events and several of our members took part. If you would like to view them online, the links are below:

1. Two Pandemics: Health and Race. How the higher incidence of COVID-19 among Black and Asian people has exposed another underlying health issue in our society.
2. Church Complicity: A deep conversation between church leaders, searching for truth-telling, in love, on issues of historical complicity and racism within.

Event number 3, Generating Justice: racial justice for young people, will be on August 30.

This is a project that has been working with our 'Positive Steps'. One of the goals of Windrush Generations is to create a space for newer generations of Caribbean people to come together and share their experiences.  We want to hear what it was like for you growing up Caribbean and to help shed some light on some of the issues that affect the Caribbean community at large.  We would love to hear from you. Find out more at the Windrush Generations website or send an email to Mo.

If you recall, we reported here that one of our church members, Anne Flear, has been making Facemasks which can be yours for £5 each donated to our Refurb project. She has been busy making lots of new designs – see photos. Remember, these are unique designs and just the thing for the Asda big shop, now that it's compulsory.

Pick out the one(s) you want from the different designs in the photos (see more here). ​They can be posted out if you want two or more. You can donate via the button on our Refurb page or contact us directly. If you are on Facebook you can also check out Anne's post about the facemarks there.

As we resume worship services in our building as part of the easing of the Coronavirus lockdown, here is video guide from Jess to welcome you and tell you what you can expect as you come through the doors.

A lot of work has been going on behind the scenes to get our building's worship room ready for the return of services this Sunday as the Coronavirus lockdown is eased (more details here). Reading many pages of guidance, preparing our own specific guidelines, writing a risk assessment, plus lots of notices and arrows! It's all about keeping worshippers as safe as possible. Big thanks to those who have been making it happen.

Since the Government announcement that places of worship could start opening again as part of the easing of the Covid-19 lockdown, we at Brunswick have been carefully planning and working towards meeting again on Sundays. Guess what? We haven’t been in a “coming out of lockdown” situation before, and we want to do it safely and well.

We can now announce that there will be a weekly quiet reflective service in our building, starting this Sunday, July 26, at 6:30pm. The following week, August 2, this will be at 9am and the times will alternate each week through August (6:30pm 9th, 23rd; 9am 16th, 30th). 6:30pm services will be Celtic Evening Prayer; 9am services will be Holy Communion. We will look at the situation again for September onwards. There will be a hand-sanitising station at the door and strict social distancing will be in place throughout the building. If you wish to wear a facemask, please do so. Any queries, please send an email. Fully detailed guidance can be read here.

Meanwhile, the online service via Zoom at 10:45am will continue. (The picture is from last Sunday’s craft activity ℅ the Ferneyhough family). All are of course welcome to join us – to find out how send us an email.

We had an excellent 'extended' Wednesday fellowship group last night on Zoom with guest Andrew Graystone reading some inspiring and funny stories from his new book "Faith, Hope and Mischief: tiny acts of rebellion".

Andrew lives locally and describes himself as 'an everyday activist'. We heard about his 'off the cuff' response to the Christchurch New Zealand mosque shootings outside his local mosque in Levenshulme, which went world-wide via social media, and about The Battle of Adswood Library, and Rocky's Story and more. All these, and many more, can be found in "Faith, Hope and Mischief" available from August 1 at bookshops or online. We'd recommend it!

Free vegetable seeds and compost for Brunswick residents during Covid-19. Delivering surprise selections of 4 seeds to your door. First come, first served.If you would like to grow your own seeds at home:

1. Email or text 07587 672 937 with your name, contact details and address.
2. We’ll be in touch about delivering your seeds and compost to you safely, or arranging for you to come and pick them up from Brunswick church.
3. Plant your seeds at home and watch them grow!
4. Take photos, make drawings or notes, and send them to us.
5. Tell your Brunswick neighbours about it so they can get their seeds too.

Read more in this leaflet.

An online seminar, this Thursday, July 16 from 11 to 11:45am.

George Floyd’s murder, the Black Lives Matter movement, and the disproportionate impact of  COVID-19 on Black, Asian and Ethnic Minority communities have highlighted inequality in our society. This webinar promises to go beyond simply discussing the problem of racial inequality to provide practical advice to help churches bring about positive change.

Speakers Bishop Mike Royal, Co-CEO of Cinnamon Network; and Rev David Shosanya, Baptist minister and international speaker will address questions such as:

• What can we do to tackle racial injustice in our communities?
• What is needed to address institutional racism?
• How can we deal with our own biases and attitudes toward racial injustice?
• How can we ensure our churches don’t exclude those from different backgrounds?

Free. Register here.

As part of the easing of the Coronavirus lockdown, buildings known as 'places of worship' can now re-open, but with a number of conditions. Jess explains where we at Brunswick Church are up to with re-opening our building.