UPDATES AND USEFUL INFORMATION (25th November 2020)
Dear All
With the latest
changing and Christmas information, blessings as we each consider the challenge
of what is possible, but also what is sensible. Just because you can do
something does not necessarily mean that it is a good idea to do it. Equally,
it is right to consider carefully whether we should do what we can.
The weekly briefing is
posted on the Synod website and on the blog, so there is no need to get the
reminder email to access it. All past
emailings and related documents remain on the Synod coronavirus blog - https://urceasternsynod.blogspot.com/
Best wishes
Paul
HOLY HABITS ROADSHOW – OR (AS THEY ARE) ONLINE TRAINING
These are to be found on the Synod YouTube channel - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtYncbpZJ4PKBBrjrcXBHrw?view_as=subscriber
Number 9 will be posted
this week – reflecting on an intergenerational approach to Sharing Resources.
Next week we move to the final ‘habit’ of this series – and the first of three
reflections on ‘eating together’.
HELPING US WORSHIP WHEN IT’S ONLINE
Matt Rigden, who has been doing a placement at Kelevedon and Tiptree, has prepared a ‘tool’ which just might help you reflect on your worshipping in a helpful way when you are worshipping online. You can find it at –
https://urceasternsynod.blogspot.com/2020/11/online-worship-reflection.html
ALL AGE WORSHIP
Families at Home Advent 1
Story Time for the Under fives – Getting ready
Gathering prayer
Lord of the light, Lord of the darkness,
Lord of the day, Lord of the night,
call us to you,
whether we are happy or sad,
whether we are ready or not,
call us to you.
Amen.
Singing together
Watching, reading, and listening together
All Age Talk First Sunday of Advent – The Prophets with Nicola
From URC Advent Box Resource
Yellow is a bright colour, like a candle flame
shining in the night. Over thousands of years there was hope in the darkness:
the voices of prophets declaring the Light to come, promises that God had not
forgotten us. Their words shine brightly in the darkness, illuminating the path
of hope ahead: ‘The people walking in darkness have seen a great light.’ Isaiah
9:2 ‘The Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be pregnant. She
will have a son, and she will name him Immanuel (which means God with us).’
Isaiah 7:14
Mark 13.24-37 – Waiting in the dark
‘Keep watching. There will be days of suffering;
after that the sun will be darkened; the moon will stop shining; stars will
fall and the powers in heaven will be shaken. Then the Son of Man will come in
the clouds. He’ll gather his chosen people from everywhere on earth.
‘Keep watching,’ Jesus said. ‘I’m telling you all
this so you’ll be ready. When you see new shoots growing on the trees, you know
summer is coming. When you see the things I’ve described, you’ll know that the
Son of Man is coming. Heaven and earth will come to an end, but my words will
last for ever.
‘Keep watching. Be ready. Imagine a man going on a
trip and leaving his servants in charge of his house. They don’t know when he’s
coming back, but they know when he gets home he’ll want something to eat and
expect the house to be in order. The doorkeeper will have to stay awake because
the man may return in the evening, or at midnight, or when the cock crows in
the morning. If the servants doze off, he’ll come home and find them asleep.
‘That’s why I say keep watching,’ Jesus repeated.
‘Keep awake.’
Praying together
Yellow – promises of hope
The prophets shared messages from God their words are promises of hope. The prophets listened to and talked with God, they travelled, going where God had sent them and passed on God's messages.
Stop look and listen
Cut out the images and make them into cards.
Here are some things to think about as you turn the cards
Ear - Listen What can you hear?
Eye - Look what can you see?
Feet - Where will you travel?
Hand - What will you be doing?
Mouth – Who might you be talking to?
Light a candle and say together
Dear God
Thank you for your bright shining light,
help us to notice all that is around us
and all that you have given us.
Help us to be speak words of kindness
and to listen to each other.
Amen
Creating together
Advent Wreath
Draw around your hand to make a template and then cut out lots of your hand prints in green card. You can use different colours of green or you could make them on white card and colour them in. Make four candles one for each Sunday of advent. Cut a circle out of white paper to make the base and stick your hand prints around the outside to make a wreath. Add a candle to your wreath each Sunday during advent.
SYNOD TRAINING /MISSION DATES
FOR YOUR DIARY
A Conversation Monday 30th November 2pm-4pm
The previous date for this Conversation was
postponed. How has the most recent lockdown
affected you? How are you feeling about other national and global events? How
are you approaching Christmas at this time? How are you supporting others who
are struggling? Join us for an informal chat to share ideas for managing and
thriving in these difficult times. Email Lindsey for a link.
Christmas: A Conversation Tuesday 1st December 2.30pm
Join Nicola and Lindsey to share ideas on
doing Christmas differently. Email Lindsey for a link.
Online Communion: Tuesday 1st December, 7.30pm
The Moderator and Lindsey will be leading a
session for Ministers and authorised Lay Presidents for help and ideas for
sharing communion online. Email Lindsey to register.
Exploring Eldership and Church Leadership
Following on from our overview of the role of
Elder / Trustee in our churches. Suitable for all those in team leadership:
ministers, stewards, deacons, elders and more. Online; max 90 minutes.
Please email Lindsey to register.
- Local Church and
Mission
January 7th
7.30pm
- Local Church and
Worship
January 13th
7.30pm
- Local Church and Pastoral
Care
January 20th
7.30pm
- Church Secretary Training
January 27th
7.30pm
Other Events (please also check the Synod website https://www.urc-eastern.org.uk/events)
Council for World Mission (Europe) Monday 30th November, 2pm
The second webinar on the theme of Building
Life-Flourishing Communities: Youth and Mission, led by Victoria
Turner. Register by emailing sainimili.kata@cwmission.org
Eco Church? Thinking about it? Interested in the implications of the Climate Crisis and what we can do about it?
The Synod of Wales is hosting a series of
webinars, journeying with churches who are passionate about Creation. You
are invited to join any of their sessions, “And God said…”; please see the
flyer on the Synod website for details of the next one, on December 2nd,
file:///C:/Users/Lindsey%20Brown/AppData/Local/Microsoft/Windows/INetCache/Content.Outlook/L1LXDKGK/Flier%20for%20And%20God%20said%20one%20another%20Dec%202020.pdf.
The Dunamis Project
- Emmanuel:
God with us: a a
90-minute special Christmas Zoom event, including worship, prayer, Bible readings, and some
short teaching about how the Holy Spirit has always been present from
Genesis to Revelation, in particular through the Christmas Story. Thursday
17 December @ 7.30pm. Register to receive your personal access link
to the Zoom calls (80 spaces available). Go to www.dunamis.org.uk
- “Gateways
to Empowered Ministry” was held at Belsey Bridge Conference Centre,
Ditchingham, Bungay, in March 2020. That was the week that led into
lockdown and all that has followed! The continuation with session 2 “In the
Spirit’s Power” would have been September, but was put off to March, and
again to May 2021. Places can be booked now. With the whole of
society ‘shaken’ by what we are going through, I believe we – the church –
will need more than ever to be empowered by the Holy Spirit for what will
be ahead. We need to be ready to help those journeying through
re-discovering God’s relevance in real everyday life. A society that has
largely ignored God and promoted self-sufficiency may well be full of
those needing to encounter God through the church. Might engaging
with this event be an ideal way for many of us to prepare? To book a place
or find out more go to www.dunamis.org.uk or contact Ada
Fidder-Boutkan 07940 823135 ada@dunamis.org.uk.
Further
Christmas and Advent Resources
Ideas from around the
Synod: https://www.urc-eastern.org.uk/theological-resources
Plus new this week:
Bowthorpe Church in Norwich have a number of creative Christmas events planned,
including a Community Christmas Quiz, a Christmas Eve ‘walkaround’ Christingle
at the end of which visitors can pick up the materials for creating their own
at home; a outdoor Carol Service and a Light Show. What are you up to, to
draw close your own congregation and reach out to the community? Let us
know…
Yorkshire and Mersey
Synods have put together their own resource sheet for ideas for Christmas, you
can find it here:
MISSION COUNCIL
The URC’s Mission Council met last week when business included three particularly important issues:
SINGLE USE PLASTICS – Usage has increased very significantly
during the pandemic. Some of this has been entirely necessary, but there is a
need to consider carefully as to where adjustments and reductions in the use of
single use plastic can be made. More information at https://urc.org.uk/images/Church-and-Society/Documents/202011_Avoiding_plastics.pdf
CUTTING THE AID BUDGET – Strong concern
was expressed over the possibility of the government reducing the budget for overseas
aid, with a clear feeling that these difficult times make it even more important
to maintain this commitment to our oversea neighours. More information at https://urc.org.uk/latest-news/3654-church-urges-government-to-protect-aid-budget
WORKING TOWARDS BEING AN ANTI-RACIST CHURCH – The need to
actively challenge racism was seen and recognised. Inequalities persist in our
day, and need to be challenged.
COUNTY ECUMENICAL OFFICER FOR CAMBRIDGESHIRE
Are you inspired by the vision of Christians of different traditions working together?
£10,106 plus 10% pension contribution
home based, 15
hours a week
Further information and application form from:
Sue Drane – admin@urceastern.org.uk
or ring Paul Whittle on 07534 274668
These will take place at:
URC Synod Office, United Reformed Church, Duxford Road, Whittlesford
CB22 4ND
or by Zoom
URC INFO
All the latest information (and links to resources) from the United Reformed Church is on the Coronavirus Advice page of the denomination’s website –
https://urc.org.uk/coronavirus.html
A PRAYER FROM “CONVERSATIONS”
URC Prayer Handbook 2021
by Firell Parker
Great God, we find
ourselves wondering ….
what happens next? Will everything go back to
normal?
And what does that even
mean?
What’s normal?
Working …
more and more isolated
while “socialising”
through ever-new forms of media.
But isn’t that what we
have been doing anyway?
Has that much really
changed?
Has being inside for so
long made us realise
that “normal” was
really not that good after all?
Perhaps – just perhaps –
this is an opportunity to
take stock, take notice
and make the changes
that are needed
for body, for mind
and for life. Amen.
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,
PAUL moderator@urceastern.org.uk 07534 274668
LINDSEY training@urceastern.org.uk 07801 352340
NICOLA cydo@urceastern.org.uk 07515 721172
STAY SAFE - PAUL
