Page 4 - The Upside - Issue 3
P. 4
Mood Lifters
Reverend Linda Tomkinson came to be the
Pioneer Minister to the Mereside Estate
and the Priest-In-Charge at Freedom Church
Mereside around five years ago.
It’s an honour and a privilege to do this job,
to carry a church through a pandemic is a
very precious thing. At times it’s been
exhausting, exploring creative ways to keep
things going, worrying about people, that
they are safe, their mental health is okay
and they are getting vaccines, but God has
given me this task and the strength to carry Church life had to close; services, Social Seniors, choir, bible studies,
it through. coffee morning, Shed Men and the cycling group, all had to stop
meeting, and that was difficult. We moved everything we could
online, which was a steep learning curve with Facebook and all the
technology and software.
On the plus side, it meant that people who weren’t part of our
church family before could see what we do online from their homes,
and they’ve really liked it. If things had carried on as before, we may
never have got this interest, so there’s been definite pluses.
PEOPLE POWER We need our church family to stay connected coming out of lock-
down. Lots of churches are talking about a hybrid approach in future,
as people have varied reasons why they may not be able to come and
join us. For the last few weeks, we’ve streamed our Sunday service,
The Upside has a town wide mission to bring joy and and we’ll continue live streaming to people who can’t physically be at
support to Blackpool as we ease out of lockdown. We love church. Certain things we do within ministry will remain online, such
creating it. It’s a brilliant opportunity to meet and talk to a as weekly prayer meetings. Prior to COVID, we had very few people
whole range of people across Blackpool who we haven’t attend in person, but online, many more attended, and with Face-
met before. book, people could watch it again, or at a time to suit them.
As we’ve got to know you, we’ve been struck by your If we carry on doing everything online, it makes it extremely easy for
strength and your stories, which show a deep commitment people to stay at home, but people’s mental health suffered through
to your neighbours and the wider community of Blackpool. the pandemic and some are anxious about going outside around
Every issue of The Upside is built around these stories, and other people. We want to encourage people to return and re-engage
each time we deliver an issue it’s a chance for us to gather and reconnect with us in person when they feel safe to do so.
more of them.
We’re doing all we can to keep the church a safe place. Our leader-
We’ve loved hearing your feedback to the first two ship team does self-testing for COVID twice a week, we do an
editions of The Upside. If you’ve read The Upside, and you outdoor service on Thursday afternoon for those concerned about
haven’t spoken to us, we’d still love to hear from you. being indoors with others, and this will continue as a stepping-stone
to eventually coming back to church.
If you’d like to, take a moment and share your
If you’d like to, take a moment and share your
thoughts and opinions with us by calling The first Sunday back after lockdown was absolutely joyous, and
thoughts and opinions with us by calling
Catherine on 07747 864870 and leaving Easter Sunday, meeting as a church family again, in person, it was
a message, or by emailing us at absolutely beautiful to be able to do that.
catherine@rmresearch.uk and
Catherine will call you back. Personally, I look forward to seeing my parents, mother-in-law, and
friends. They’re top of the list. Then, getting out in our camper van
for one or two nights away, just myself, my husband, and
the dog. We love wild camping, the freedom of having
your own bed on wheels wherever you go!