UPDATES AND USEFUL
INFORMATION (10th June 2020)
Dear All
We continue through these
strange times. Some things may be
beginning to get back to ‘normal’, whatever that is and, rightly, the phrase
the ‘new normal’ is now often heard.
What is the ‘new normal’? Well,
that is what we are waiting to see and wondering how long it will be before
that is a lot clearer.
I hope that this
continuing weekly circulation of 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?
The big change in what
is permissible, even since last week, is that places of worship may, from next
Monday, open for private prayer.
However, just because we can do something does not necessarily mean that
it is a good idea to go ahead with it.
Most URCs are not ‘normally’ open for private prayer, and so an
immediate question is as to whether it is a good idea to start doing something that
we didn’t do before all this is started.
Of course, it might be – but it might not. If you are considering this, please think
carefully about what needs to be in place.
There is important advice on the main URC website. I have also posted this on the Synod blog - https://urceasternsynod.blogspot.com/2020/06/opening-for-private-prayer.html
In particular, please note point 7 of
that guidance - Any use of the
building in this way should be genuinely individual –
not an organised gathering of church members who are ‘all, of course, praying
privately’. Also, please note the importance
of undertaking a risk assessment first.
There is
lots of advice around – and it is not always easy to know where best to look –
but, by way of a summary, whenever it is that you consider re-opening your building
it would be good to consider the following points by way of preparation:
• Carrying out a COVID-19 risk assessment of
your building;
• Planning a deep clean of the building;
• Making a plan for regular cleaning once the
building re-opens;
• Ordering stocks of cleaning materials, hand
sanitisers or protective equipment so you are ready for re-opening;
• Thinking about adaptations you may need to
make to enable people visiting your building to maintain social distance and
good hygiene. These could include providing facilities for people to wash their
hands, rearranging furniture, signage, floor markings, creating ‘one-way
systems’ or installing screens or barriers;
• Assessing
capacity and looking at how you can limit/manage the number of people who can
visit the building at once.
WORSHIP
As mentioned over the last couple of weeks,
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.
Two have been added over the past week:
Lion
Walk, Christ Church, Colchester and Chappel ; video worship available via the
website: www.lionwalkchurch.org
Billericay,
Brentwood & Ingatestone URCs - the Virtual Sunday Services are uploaded and
can be accessed on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCC-rzsAwzQOD913gnAnM0MQ?view_as=subscriber
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 6, (available Thursday
11th) presented by Lindsey, looks at using the lectionary.
or working with children and young people in any capacity
Nicola invites you to meet together Wednesday 17th June 2.30pm.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/5461923407?pwd=ZG4vcVRyZ3NoMHZSTXVpM1BlRkkrUT09
Meeting ID: 546 192 3407
Password: 0MSt4q
ALL-AGE RESOURCES FOR THIS SUNDAY (14th
June)
Families at Home
Story Time for the Under fives
Gathering prayer
Lord, may we
worship you
in the beauty of holines
with music, dance, stillness,
words and silence.
May the joy of your presence
fill our lives, and overflow
into the lives of all around us.
in the beauty of holines
with music, dance, stillness,
words and silence.
May the joy of your presence
fill our lives, and overflow
into the lives of all around us.
Amen
Singing together
Shine Jesus
Shine with Makaton Signs
Try learning
the signs for the song
Reading Listening and watching
Bible Reading Matthew 9:35 – 10:8
Watch the story - Being a disciple and here a
special message from secret agent sheep
Praying together
Paper Chain Prayers
Cut strips of coloured paper and write words
such as loving, kind, compassionate, helpful,
Loop the paper strips together to make a paper
chain, we are all part of one family, encouraging each other when it is hard to
be loving, forgiving or selfless. Put
the paper chain up in the house as a reminder of your prayers.
Say Together, “Lord help us to encourage each
other to be more like Jesus. Amen.
Prayer
Dear God,
here we stand, each of us different,
each of us unique.
We are each called to find our own special way
to spread the message about you.
here we stand, each of us different,
each of us unique.
We are each called to find our own special way
to spread the message about you.
we ask that you will bless
each of us and help us to do your work wherever we are.
Thank you that you promise to be with all of us as we go,
Thank you that you promise to be with all of us as we go,
just as you promised your
12 friends.
We ask you to help us to say the right words in the right way.
Amen.
We ask you to help us to say the right words in the right way.
Amen.
Creating together
Colour transfer prayers
A prayer activity to help
us pray for others and to think about how our behaviour as disciples can rub off
on others.
Fold a piece of paper or card in half and draw a cross on the front. Cut out the cross shape, making sure the fold remains in tact.
Open the cross up. Colour one side of the card very thickly with crayons or pastels. Make it very colourful! thinking about the forgiveness and the new life that Jesus brings. This is what the colour represents. Think about how when we have good news we want to share it with others so that they can be a part of it too. Who do we know who we'd like to share in the forgiveness and new life that Jesus brings? How could we behave so that some of what we know rubs off on them?
Fold over the paper again so that the coloured section is inside. Write on top of the cross the names of people you would like to find out about Jesus. Press hard! Pray that they will share in the colour and joy of the good news.
Now open the cross card up and you will see that the colour has rubbed off on the plain side, leaving the names printed there. Keep the cross and add names over time as you pray for more people!
Creating together
Plant a bulb or some seeds and decorate a
lollypop stick asking God to help you grow. Think about how you can grow with
God and share the good news of Jesus with others.
Playing together
Growing Salt Crystals
Thinking
growing as disciples. To grow as
disciples this will take time, So here is an experiment to try with salt
crystals
Pour in some water to fill
about 1/4 of the jar and mix with the salt. Not all of the salt will dissolve
and you will be left with a thick salt layer at the bottom of the jar
Tie a string to a pencil and dangle the string in the water. Let the pecil rest over the top. Put the jar/pen/string somewhere warm and wait!
Tie a string to a pencil and dangle the string in the water. Let the pecil rest over the top. Put the jar/pen/string somewhere warm and wait!
Over time, evaporation will
happen and salt crystals will start to form on the strings. The picture below
shows a few days growth only.
Thank you to Flame creative Kids Blog for this idea.
CONTINUING
TO CARE FOR THOSE ON THE MARGINS:
PRACTICAL IDEAS FROM JPIT AND OTHERS
PRACTICAL IDEAS FROM JPIT AND OTHERS
While
some are quite ‘enjoying’ their personal lockdown, for others it continues to
be a time of anxiety and distress, and for still others it is one of actual
danger. The Joint Public Issues Team have lots of ideas and resources for
us to continue to support and advocate for the most vulnerable:
·
Does
your church building usually host an AA/NA/GA group? have they been able
to continue to meet virtually? stay in touch; be reassuring but realistic
about the building being available again, and on what terms; is an individual
or group from your congregation regularly praying for them during this time?
·
Foodbanks
are continuing to support the most vulnerable, and have seen spikes in their
use over this period, here’s how you can help: https://www.trusselltrust.org/get-involved/church-support/
·
Do
you have church or community contact with people or groups for whom English is
not their first language? Advice regarding the pandemic has not been
readily available in other languages through the NHS, so we are grateful that
this resource has been made available in 60 languages: https://www.doctorsoftheworld.org.uk/coronavirus-information/#
- The Domestic Abuse Bill is currently making its way through
Parliament. There are critical things missing from the Bill. It is
currently being scrutinised by committee, between 4th and 27th
June. For more information an d tips on how to contact your MP / the
Committee see JPIT’s feature: http://www.jointpublicissues.org.uk/domesticabusebill/
- Advice for us all about keeping an eye out for potential victims of
domestic violence or abuse during this time can be found here: https://www.restoredrelationships.org/news/2020/03/19/working-home-and-domestic-abuse/.
We mustn’t imagine that we know how everyone is managing at home beyond
the screen.
·
Are
there EU nationals in your church community? Remind them to sign up for
the EU Settlement Scheme asap. However secure they feel, there is real
concern that unregistered EU citizens will fall into a grey area creating a new
‘Windrush’ situation.
- The URC Global and Intercultural Ministries team issued a statement
this week in response to the murder of George Floyd in the US and the
subsequent wave of demonstrations on BAME issues: https://urc.org.uk/latest-news/3476-urc-leaders-say-that-we-must-all-be-anti-racist-following-the-brutal-killing-of-george-floyd,
“We are reminded of the deep injustices which impact Black and Minority
Ethnic (BAME) communities within our own shores. The issue of white
privilege shaped much of the Brexit discourse. It can be seen at work in
the hostile environment, the Windrush scandal, the Grenfell Tower scandal,
stop-and-search policies, the over-representation of BAME people in the
prison system, and the deaths of BAME people in police custody. Systemic
racism is prevalent. So, it is not enough that we are ‘not racist’, we
must be anti-racist - actively working to recognise and address bigotry in
our own lives, and then to dismantle the structures of racism and
injustice in our world.” Be ready and open to listen to voices
and arguments that differ from yours: we are all learning and
understanding new perspectives and realities during these
conversations.
Does
your church local church or projects have insights or experiences to share as
part of the research into poverty under lockdown? Gleanings is an ongoing research project
with Church Action on Poverty to listen and learn.
The
initial findings found that there are significant difficulties in accessing
good data, but the Office for National Statistics (ONS) is working with JPIT
and CAP to rectify this. The research is using data on foodbank use, universal
credit claims, and ONS data etc in four sections: the run up to lockdown;
beginning of lockdown; continuing lockdown and now and in the future. Full
reports and the latest updates from the Gleanings project can be found here: www.jointpublicissues.org.uk/gleanings.
If
you have insight to contribute use this link to the latest survey: www.jointpublicissues.org.uk/corona-virus/coronavirus-survey/
Further
URC resources on Mission and Society
In
addition to the New Normal booklet, the URC have produced an accompanying
document, New Reality Same Mission, put together by a team including members of
the Mission and Discipleship departments, CRCWs and CAP. “It offers a process
for exploring questions of community presence and engagement and social justice
in the “new normal” and developing new priorities for mission and ministry.”
https://urc.org.uk/images/Communications/docs/New-reality-same-Mission.pdf
WALKING
THE WAY RESOURCES
The
Summer resource on Pilgrimage is now available: https://urc.org.uk/images/WalkingtheWay/documents/WtW_Pilgrimage_resource_2020.pdf
And meanwhile, beyond our own borders…
·
Israel
is planning to annex further large areas of the West Bank in the coming
weeks. This is purely political; there is widespread opposition within
Israel. There has been a request from Mission Committee for churches and
members to lobby their MPs about this issue; more information and tips to
follow next week.
·
News
from Zimbabwe: the lockdown continues, the churches remain closed, incomes have
dried up and the people are hungry. A message from a friend: “The
government has locked people into their own homes with empty stomachs… my
family and myself have been indoors, living merely by the grace of God, because
incomes were closed down on us. I cannot really tell how God has been
miraculously taking us through because we literally have nothing to hang on to,
still less to expect. The Pandemic has not visited us or anyone close to
us and for this we are forever grateful to the Almighty. We are not
looking forward to seeing churches open anytime soon, if they open we are going
to be battling with accrued bills that have not been attended since the past
three months.” Please continue to pray for our friends in Zimbabwe and
follow Synod’s Partnership on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/URCGlobalLinks/
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 FROM THE DIOCESE OF NORWICH
God of compassion, be close to those who
are ill, afraid or in isolation.
In their loneliness, be their consolation; in their anxiety, be their hope;
in their darkness, be their light; through him who suffered alone on the cross,
but reigns with you in glory, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
In their loneliness, be their consolation; in their anxiety, be their hope;
in their darkness, be their light; through him who suffered alone on the cross,
but reigns with you in glory, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
STAY SAFE AND KEEP WELL! GOD BLESS!
PAUL
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