UPDATES AND USEFUL
INFORMATION (17th June 2020)
Dear All
Greetings and blessings
as some things get back to ‘a normal’ – but many others don’t. There is a lot
of difficult decision-making to undertake as some things re-start, others are
delayed, and still others probably change. Prayers and wisdom to each and every
one in all of that.
I hope that our weekly
circulating information continues to be helpful. We are retaining all of the past ‘Coronavirus’
emailings, as well as associated and relevant documents, on the Synod Coronavirus
blog - https://urceasternsynod.blogspot.com/
OPENING FOR PRIVATE
PRAYER?
Last week I wrote about
the question of opening buildings for private, a new possibility offered by
changes in the lockdown rules, which was originally due to be introduced on
Monday, but, with a change of date, was formally introduced last Saturday. I
remind you of what I said last week, which is a clear part of URC guidance –
just because we may do something does not mean that we should!
Most URCs do not
normally open simply for private prayer, and I wonder why we would do something
that we don’t normally do with all the risks that are around these days.
However, should you
decide it right to do this, please do first check the URC guidance - https://urceasternsynod.blogspot.com/2020/06/opening-for-private-prayer.html
- and please note that this was updated on Saturday so, though it has not
changed significantly, if you look at it prior to that, you should check again.
In particular, please note:
1) You are advised to check with the
buildings trustees, which will mostly be the Synod Trust, and you can do that
via me.
2) If you are opening for a limited period,
it must not be a gathering where people meet for silent prayer. Any semblance
of that remains a breach of what is currently permissible.
3) The document now includes links to
the URC recommended risk assessment, and also a worked example of that.
At this point, we expect the next stage
to be the giving of permission for public worship. Though the beginning of July
has been mentioned, please do not assume it will happen, so avoid any firm plans
until there is a definite date. When that is announced, please check for
guidance, and, as with private prayer, do not assume that the best thing is to
open at the earliest possible opportunity.
As the church, we want to model good
practice, and we certainly do not want to be sources of transmission.
WORSHIP
As mentioned previously, we have now put
a list of churches within the Synod that are currently offering online worship on
the blog. You can find it at - https://urceasternsynod.blogspot.com/2020/05/online-worship.html
This is not a complete list and if you
are not it and would be happy to be added, please let the Synod Moderator know.
One has been added over the past week:
Bowthorpe Church (Norwich)
has been offering online services since 22nd March. These are available at www.bowthorpechurch.co.uk
BIG DAY OUT 2021
As notified previously, the Synod Celebration
Day, scheduled for this Saturday clearly had to be cancelled. This has now been re-arranged.
Please put this in your forward-planning
diaries – The EASTERN SYNOD BIG DAY OUT 2021 will take place on Saturday
26th June 2021 at Trinity Park, Ipswich.
WORSHIP ROADSHOWS
The worship “roadshows” continue, and we
want to continue to promote them as a useful resource.
Please pass the information on. The
advantage of this method is that the material is there when you want it. To
find them, please go to the Synod YouTube channel and look for the video you
want - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtYncbpZJ4PKBBrjrcXBHrw
We are also happy to email (or post) the
written script to anyone who would like to receive it, either instead of
watching, or to accompany the watching. If you would like to receive the emailed
script, please email Lindsey to request it – training@urceastern.org.uk - If you, or anyone you know who doesn’t have
email, would like a posted script, please let one of us know by phone or
email.
This week, number 8, (available Thursday
18th) presented by Nicola, looks at using the Bible in all-age worship.
LOCKDOWN PHOTOS
Do you have a photograph of how your church
has said something to or about lockdown?
Perhaps a banner on the railings or a noticeboard? If so, could you send it to Paul – moderator@urceastern.org.uk – and
we can share them in this briefing; but the incoming General Assembly
Moderators and Secretary are also looking for some such photos as a background
to their (online) induction. I would pass on any that seemed to fit that bill. Thanks!
ALL-AGE RESOURCES FOR THIS SUNDAY (21st
June)
Families at Home – Father’s Day
Reading watching and listening together
Story time for the under 5’s
Luke 15.1-3,11-32
The Lost Son Reflective Story with Nicola
Story: Postcards from your son
Dear Mum and Dad,
Having a great time! Hotel is amazing. The food is great lots of chocolate and cake
to eat the best I can buy!
Love
Your son
Your son
Dear Mum and Dad,
I have made lots of friends. Lots of parties and outing. Sadly, friends have no money but I have!
Love
Your son
I have made lots of friends. Lots of parties and outing. Sadly, friends have no money but I have!
Love
Your son
Dear Mum and Dad,
Decided to try camping, nice being my on my own friends seems to have gone away. Its cold and lonely at night.
Love
Your son
Decided to try camping, nice being my on my own friends seems to have gone away. Its cold and lonely at night.
Love
Your son
Dear Mum and Dad
Found job feeding pigs. Very dirty, cold and hungry. Coming home. Any chance of a job?
Love
Your son
Found job feeding pigs. Very dirty, cold and hungry. Coming home. Any chance of a job?
Love
Your son
(Adapted from an Idea from roots.)
Singing together
Father God I wonder
Sing and dance
Our God is a Great Big God
Praying together
Send a hug and a prayer
Make two hands and thread a heart between them on ribbon or string.
Think about someone you would like to send a
hug to.
On the back of the heart write a prayer for
the person you have been thinking about and post your special prayer to them.
Paper plate prayers
Draw a face on two paper, one happy face and
one sad face. Cut out some coloured
shapes or if you have some you could use buttons.
Talk to God about how you are feeling
Place the coloured pieces on to the plates as
tell God why you are sad or happy.
Dear God I am happy when…
Dear God I am sad when…
Dear God thank you for…
You could also make faces for other emotions.
Prayer with actions
Loving God you make us very happy (big smile)
You love us so much (hug yourself)
And always will.
We’re so happy (big smile)
That you love us (hug yourself)
That we want to say ‘thank you’ (Thumbs up)
Amen
A prayer for Fathers
Lord God, you are the perfect Father to us
all.
Bless all fathers in the world today.
Give them love, to share with their children.
Give them wisdom, to teach their children.
Give them courage, when the job seems hard.
Give them patience, when things don't go to plan.
Give them strength, to carry their children when they are tired or frightened.
Give them love, to share with their children, and let it be enough.
Amen.
Bless all fathers in the world today.
Give them love, to share with their children.
Give them wisdom, to teach their children.
Give them courage, when the job seems hard.
Give them patience, when things don't go to plan.
Give them strength, to carry their children when they are tired or frightened.
Give them love, to share with their children, and let it be enough.
Amen.
© ROOTS for Churches Ltd
(www.rootsontheweb.com) 2002-2020
Creating together
God Loves You
You will need
- Coloured
Paper
- Card
- Pens
- Glue
Draw round your hands onto the card and cut
out. Cut a long strip of coloured paper and stick the hand cut outs to each end
to make arms.
Cut from the card a shape to be the head and
body and make a face. You could make it
look like you! Stick the head to the
middle of the long strip of paper.
Give yourself a hug and know that God is
loving and forgiving and loves you.
Playing Together
Peg a message
Write God loves you on a clothes peg. See how many times you can clip the peg to each
other, in your family, throughout the week without anyone noticing you do
it. See how long it is before they
notice the peg and wait to see where it turns up next!
BIG SPEAK OUT
When: 7pm Fri 24 to 12.15 pm Sun
26 July 2020 (with breaks)
Where: IN YOUR OWN HOME, VIA
VIDEO LINK
Including: Intergenerational
Worship on our You Tube channel at 10.30am on Sunday
Book on our events and
opportunities page or contact children.youth@urc.org.uk to find out more.
The programme has lots of
opportunities for being together on line and lots of breaks. There is also time, on Friday and Saturday
evening, to have a social event together virtually.
INFORMATION GUIDES
The denomination has now created a very
useful series of ‘how to’ guides. A good number of these concern the use of
technology, but others have a much wider perspective and cover different areas.
If you have not already done so, it is well worth checking out this resource – https://urc.org.uk/information-guides.html
PRACTICAL CORONAVIRUS RESOURCES – POSTERS ETC.
·
From social
distancing stickers and posters to seat cards, download free Coronavirus
resources for churches.
·
Visit www.urcshop.co.uk/coronavirus for
a range of practical resources including signs, badges and floor tape to remind
people to stay apart and to wash their hands. More resources will be added to
the URC website shortly.
THEOLOGICAL AND MISSIONAL THINKING
If you want to do a bit of thinking around where we are in these Coronavirus-driven
times, there are, of course, lots of opportunities and ideas. There is a good
selection of comments, blogs etc. on a page on the Churches Together in England
website. If you want to check it out - https://www.cte.org.uk/Articles/570918/Home/Coronavirus/Coronavirus_Missional_and.aspx
A GOOD NEWS STORY FROM CHAPPEL
Organ Restoration Appeal surpasses Target
Chappel URC launched its £10k target in May 2019 to
restore its historic pipe organ. In June this year, £11,600 has been donated,
and after Gift Aid is claimed the total will be £12,500. We are grateful to all
who have contributed. The estimated cost of the work is £14,200
Our ‘Good News’ story resulting from ‘Lockdown’: The restoration work on the organ has started
already, two years before initially planned. Our self employed restorer
requested bringing the scheduled work forward in view of the impending
‘lockdown’ of his regular work of organ tuning and maintenance mainly in
Anglican churches. As a result, the work is well under way with parts of the
instrument strewn around the church and most of it at his workshop. The organ will start to be reassembled during
July and hopefully in playing order during August.
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 HYMN ABOUT PRAYER IN THESE TIMES
Written by Revd. John Campbell, Minister of
Tottenham URC:
Prayer
may not halt the pestilence
Here’s
a song about prayer. It was written for a ZOOM service where we were looking at
Jesus’ teaching on prayer in Matthew 5. Jesus says that God already knows what
we need. So why pray? We looked at Jesus in Gethsemane. Praying didn’t change
God’s mind, but it changed Jesus’ ability to overcome his fears and do what he
had to do. Prayer changed him. That’s what the song is trying to pick up:
Suggested
tune: Finlandia
Prayer
may not halt the pestilence around us;
it
did not save our Saviour from his fate.
Harsh
famine’s curse defied the prayers of many,
time
after time, exacting grievous hurt.
Yet,
if we pray, and share life’s pain with Jesus,
we
will be changed and strengthened while we wait.
Prayer
may not bring an end to all injustice;
too
many died whilst Naaman found his cure.
Yet,
prayer by prayer, we and our world are changing,
if
by prayer’s power our hearts grow strong to care;
if
we reach out, empow’red by prayer, in action,
then
hope may help the fearful to endure.
And
if the cup of suffering set before us
proves
deep and bitter ev’rywhere, for all,
our
prayers must help us work within the wasteland,
give
strength to rise up, even when we fall;
that
help and care and kindliness and sharing,
may
build anew a better world for all.
John Campbell 30th April
2020
STAY SAFE AND KEEP WELL! GOD BLESS!
PAUL
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