UPDATES AND USEFUL
INFORMATION (8th April 2020)
Dear All
Hoping that you are
keeping well and safe, and that some of this information might be of use.
This is a very strange
Holy Week, a time when – usually – many of us would make more time to be worshipping
in the church building as we mark the various points of this week. May it
anyway be a special time and, especially as we approach Sunday, may you each
know something of the blessings of this season. In particular, when we come to
Easter Day, may you know the joy of the risen Christ!
However, as we continue
in lockdown, let us remember those who struggling with this virus, including
our Prime Minister, and those who are doing such massive work in the NHS and
the various other key roles.
Just a reminder that
this emailing appears both on the Synod Coronavirus blog https://urceasternsynod.blogspot.com/
and on the Synod website. The blog also contains relevant associated documents.
HOLY COMMUNION
Last week I mentioned that the question of
“Virtual” online Communion was being explored and some careful thinking has provided
us with a rationale. The document prepared by Faith and Order Committee Officers
and the General Secretary is now posted on the blog –
However, please note that some of our ecumenical
partners, notably the Church of England and the Methodist Church, take a different
view on this and, if you are part of a Local Ecumenical Partnership (LEP) with
one of these partners, you should consider their view. To that end, having
consulted with Anglican and Methodist colleagues, I have appended some further
advice, which is at the end of the blog version of this advice. That stands in
my name and is not official URC commentary (and so is not part of the advice on
the main URC website, though that does urge ecumenical sensitivity), but I
would ask you to read it if you are such an LEP and considering virtual
Communion,
ONLINE WORSHIP AND COPYRIGHT
Just a reminder that
you must ensure you have any relevant licenses if using copyright material in
online worship. It is very easy to miss that point, and it can be complicated.
(You can also be subject to a significant fine if you are caught in breach.)
CCLI (Christian
Copyright Licensing International) has prepared some advice in respect of the
current situation, and it may be worth looking at that. The link is:
You could also look at
the booklet prepared by the URC with respect to copyright, though that offers
general guidance, and is not specific to the current situation:
CHURCH SERVICES
As I mentioned last
week, there are lots of opportunities for online worship, so a chance to sample
different services, and others are live streaming.
Two that came to my
attention this past week can be found at:
http://www.castlehillurc.org.uk/ (Ipswich & East Suffolk pastorate)
and
http://wroxham.urc.org.uk/index.php/wworship/sunday-worship
(Wroxham & Hoveton)
Also worth noting, mentioned below in
Nicola’s segment, but in case you don’t read through that, we have posted two brief
YouTube videos with some all-age content for Easter Day:
Easter Story
with Eggs
A
REMINDER TO CHURCHES ABOUT VISIBILITY
If
you have a website and/or social media pages (Facebook, Instagram etc) do make
sure you are updating these with your church’s current activities and contact
details. There has been a huge surge across the country of people who
don’t normally attend church watching services and following prayer online
since the lockdown. We need to be doing all we can to reach out to these
people and let them know how they can be sharing with us at this time.
Those of you in LEPs sometimes have websites courtesy of other denominations:
don’t forget to get these updated too.
The same
goes for your physical front doors and noticeboards: make sure people know that
you’re there, that you’re praying, and how they can reach you! Updating
them every so often with a new prayer or Easter message, for example, will
avoid posters bleaching and wrinkling and show that you’re active.
Worth noting on this is that the URC is offering downloadable customisable posters for
your noticeboards, windows, doors or other public-facing areas. These can be
opened in Adobe Reader and customised to add your church's website and contact
details. Available in an A3 version and A4 version. (Note: some browsers will not edit PDFs
- most devices have a version of Adobe Reader).
A
RURAL CHURCH
The
Arthur Rank Centre have produced Together Apart: a rural church response to
coronavirus https://arthurrankcentre.org.uk/
A summary of what they are offering,
including a specific link to Holy Week resources is posted on the blog –
GOOD
FRIDAY
Many
of us will be missing being part of Walks of Witness on Friday. You may
want to watch the Wintershall group’s broadcast instead https://www.facebook.com/Wintershallplay.
They re-enact the passion story as One Good Friday every year across the
country, most famously in Trafalgar Square.
Also
on Good Friday a stage performance of Jesus Christ Superstar will be available
free on ‘The Shows Must Go On’ YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GpO4ohqx3os
MORE
FILMS FOR HOLY WEEK
·
The
Passion, Mel Gibson’s explicitly violent retelling of Christ’s final days
(available ‘free’ with Amazon Prime; from £2.49 on YouTube)
·
Miracle
Maker, an animated version of Jesus’ life and ministry (‘free’ with
Amazon Prime; from £2.49 on YouTube)
·
Ben
Hur (the original version) (£3.49 on Amazon Prime; £3.49 on YouTube)
·
Risen,
a retelling from the point of view of a Roman soldier tasked with finding
Jesus’ body (Amazon Prime, £3.49)
·
The
Chronicles of Narnia is an excellent version of The Lion, the Witch and the
Wardrobe, with very powerful scenes addressing sacrifice and risen life (on Sky
Cinema; Amazon Prime for £2.49; YouTube for £3.49)
What
will you watch? Let us know what you are planning, and what you thought
of them.
REFORM
A chance to try the URC’s popular
magazine - the digital version of Reform is free for as long as we’re in
lockdown:
EASTER SUNDAY
This coming Sunday (12th
April) is Easter Day, and so Nicola is offering some all-age resources
for you.
For the family together at home
A Gathering prayer to say together
God, we
are so grateful
for Jesus is alive –
Hooray!
God, we are so excited
for Jesus is alive –
Hooray!
God, our lives are changed for ever
for Jesus is alive –
Hooray!
Let us follow him always.
Amen!
for Jesus is alive –
Hooray!
God, we are so excited
for Jesus is alive –
Hooray!
God, our lives are changed for ever
for Jesus is alive –
Hooray!
Let us follow him always.
Amen!
Singing together
See what you
find around the house to make into percussion instruments to play during the
song.
Come on and
celebrate
Reading together
A bible story for Easter
day with Pictures read by Nicola Grieves
Beforehand, practise
together the different facial expressions the people in the story might have
made, such as: grief, shock, fear, joy, excitement. Read the Easter story,
pausing at the points marked by asterisks and encourage everyone to make the
appropriate expression for that part of the story.
It was early in the
morning, on the first day of the week. Mary Magdalene and her friend, who was
also called Mary, were on their way to Jesus’ tomb. As they drew near, they saw
two guards sitting there*.
Without warning, an angel
came down from the sky like a bolt of lightning. He was dressed in dazzling
white clothes*, and the earth shook as he landed and rolled back the
stone at the entrance to the tomb*.
The guards were terrified*!
First, they shook with fear*, and then they fainted*. ‘Do not
be afraid,’ the angel said to the two Marys*. He was sitting on the stone.
‘I know who you’re looking for*. You came to see Jesus, who was killed on the
cross. He isn’t here anymore; he’s been raised from the dead. Come, and see
where his body lay.’*
The two Marys didn’t know
what to think. They were both scared of the angel*, and excited by what
he said*. The angel continued speaking, ‘When you have seen that
Jesus is gone, go and tell the disciples the news. Jesus will go ahead of them
to Galilee, and they will see him there*.
Still frightened, but also
full of joy, the women ran from the tomb to find the disciples. * They
didn’t get far, though, because suddenly, Jesus was there, standing in front of
them. * ‘Greetings!’ said Jesus. The women fell to the ground,
took hold of Jesus’ feet and worshipped him*. Jesus spoke again. ‘Do not be afraid,’ he
said. ‘Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee* They will see me there.’
© ROOTS
for Churches Ltd (www.rootsontheweb.com) 2002-2020.
Reproduced with permission.
Reproduced with permission.
Creating together
Butterflies
3 days after he died, Jesus
rose to new life! Christians believe that Jesus brings us hope and new life.
What are your hopes and
dreams?
Who would you like to know
about the message of Easter?
Make a butterfly and
decorate it. Write or drawer your ideas
on the butterfly and put them in the window or hang them up.
Watch the Easter Egg story
Find some stones in the garden and make your
own set of Easter story stones see how much of the story you can remember. If you are linking up via a video call you
could try telling other friends and family the story.
Praying together
Chocolate egg prayers
Here are some prayers you could
use as a family. The prayers are very
simple and help to pick up themes of the Easter story.
You will need one hollow chocolate egg
The whole chocolate egg is like the closed tomb where Jesus’ friends put his body after he had dies. Talk about what it feels like when we are left on our own, especially now when we are unable to see many of our family and our friends. Ask God to help everyone who is sad, upset or lonely or who has lost someone that they love.
Now break the egg into pieces and reveal the hollow inside!
You will need one hollow chocolate egg
The whole chocolate egg is like the closed tomb where Jesus’ friends put his body after he had dies. Talk about what it feels like when we are left on our own, especially now when we are unable to see many of our family and our friends. Ask God to help everyone who is sad, upset or lonely or who has lost someone that they love.
Now break the egg into pieces and reveal the hollow inside!
When Jesus died it was not
the end of the story- he rose to new life and was no longer inside the tomb.
Something amazing had happened! Talk about where in life the children
would like a chance to start again- maybe with someone they have had an
argument with or moving on from something they did wrong. Silently tell God
anything you are sorry about and ask Him to give you a new start. Thank God for
chances to start again and ask Him to help people who are scared or worried or
ashamed to have hope of a new start too.
Eat the chocolate!
When Jesus rose to new
life, it was amazing, and we can be part of this amazing story too! God loves
us so much and wants us to love Him. He wants good things for us because he
loves us. Taste the sweetness of the chocolate and talk about the people we
love and why we love them. Thank God for those people and ask that he will
bless them in the coming year.
This idea was from https://flamecreativekids.blogspot.com/2014/04/two-easter-play-dough-mats-in-tomb-and.html
If you are sharing this prayer time with
someone via a video link you can sign amen by bringing your thumbs up together
as an I agree sign.
Playing together
Try acting out the
story of Easter morning and make a video.
Or you could make and
Easter garden. Take a photograph what you make and share it
with your friends and family.
BRAINTREE
FOODBANK
If
you need any more information making donations, both monetary and food, please
email info@braintreearea.foodbank.org.uk
or call 01376 330694 and the team should be able to help you or contact me,
Vanessa
Green, PR Manager:: T: 07717 204316, E:
pr@braintreearea.foodbank.org.uk
HOLY WEEK
STATEMENT
British and Irish Church
Leaders have offered a statement for Holy Week which can be read here:
URC
ADVICE
Just
a reminder that the coronavirus advice page on the URC website is being updated
with resources and advice on a daily basis:
Finally,
just a reminder from Lindsey, Nicola and myself that we are still there for you
and, if there is anything you think we might offer, or you just want a chat,
then do contact us:
Our prayers and our best
wishes,
A PRAYER (offered
by our Methodist friends):
Loving God,
If we are ill, strengthen us.
If we are tired, fortify our spirits.
If we are anxious, help us to consider the lillies of the field and the birds of the air.
If we are ill, strengthen us.
If we are tired, fortify our spirits.
If we are anxious, help us to consider the lillies of the field and the birds of the air.
Help us not
to stockpile treasures from supermarkets in the barns of our larders.
Don't let fear cause us to overlook the needs of others more vulnerable than ourselves.
Fix our eyes on your story and our hearts on your grace.
Help us always to hold fast to the good,
See the good in others,
And remember there is just one world, one hope,
One everlasting love, with baskets of bread for everyone.
Don't let fear cause us to overlook the needs of others more vulnerable than ourselves.
Fix our eyes on your story and our hearts on your grace.
Help us always to hold fast to the good,
See the good in others,
And remember there is just one world, one hope,
One everlasting love, with baskets of bread for everyone.
In Jesus we
make our prayer,
The one who suffered, died and was raised to new life,
In whom we trust these days and all days, Amen.
The one who suffered, died and was raised to new life,
In whom we trust these days and all days, Amen.
The Revd Barbara
Glasson, President of the Methodist Conference
STAY SAFE!
PAUL
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