UPDATES AND USEFUL
INFORMATION (16th December 2020)
Dear All
As we look to a somewhat
different Christmas, may you know the blessings of this season of the year and,
as we find ourselves amid the turmoil of a somewhat challenging world, that
challenge coming from different directions, may we all know the peace, joy and
hope that the nativity brought into this world.
We have been pleased to produce
these weekly briefings and hope that some of the information and resources have
been of use. We are going to take a ‘Christmas
break’ and so there is rather more by way of resources in and through this week’s
briefing, and we hope that is useful to you.
We will be back in the new
year, on January 6th, and plan to keep the briefing going for the
time being, while Coronavirus continues to have a major impact.
Of course, personally, I
won’t be back with the briefing, as my role finishes with the end of the
year. I confidently leave this in the
hands of Lindsey and Nicola who have shared with me the preparation of what we
have offered.
My formal farewell will be
at the March Synod (on the 20th).
Keir, as Synod Clerk, suggested that to me, and it seemed a highly suitable
and sensible suggestion, to which I was pleased to agree. I look forward to seeing many of you
then. Needless to say, I am disappointed
that these last months have been a time in which I have not been able to travel
around the Synod as would normally be the case, and so I am sorry it will have
been longer since I have ‘properly’ seen many of you than would have otherwise
the case. However, many colleagues are
facing similarly strange comings and goings.
I don’t want to anticipate
what might be said on March 20th, but I do want to say, through this
medium, that I have had twelve and a half great years as your Synod
Moderator. I did think it was going to
be a little longer, but God had other ideas.
I am excited about going to Scotland.
That’s where ministry started for me, but I am extremely sorry to be
leaving Eastern Synod, though I do so confident in the knowledge that there are
good people looking after things until my successor is in place. God’s blessings on you all.
The weekly briefing is posted
on the Synod website and on the blog, though won’t appear on the blog until Saturday
this week. However, 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
INTERIM ARRANGEMENTS
Until a new Synod Moderator is in post:
Revd. Paul Ellis will be the contact point for
ministers;
Revd. Cecil White will be the contact point for
churches/pastorates;
Revd. Roy Fowler will be the contact point for
ecumenical matters;
Revd. Lis Caswell will be the contact point for
any matters in connection with ministerial candidacy;
Revd. Nigel Uden will chair Synod and deal with
any disciplinary matters;
Revd. Mark Ambrose and/or Ms. Lindsey Brown can
respond to any questions around mission, mission initiatives and mission
projects.
All contact details are in the Synod Yearbook or
contact be made via the Synod Office staff.
Jane Langford-Horder remains the PA to the Moderator (even without a
Moderator for the time being.)
The work towards appointing a new Synod
Moderator is well under way under the leadership of the Synod Clerk, Mr. Keir
Hounsome.
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
Families
at home – Advent 4 & Christmas
Story Time for Under-fives – Nativity Story
A song to listen to
Scripture Lullabies - Emmanuel
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2SEeJX87Tc
To sing together
A Band
of Angels
https://youtu.be/oFPlu-hELTI?list=TLPQMTYxMjIwMjAvBOmI-z2I3Q
Candle
prayers
4th
Sunday of Advent prayer
Today
we light four candles
We
light his candle of hope,
We
light this candle of peace
We
light this candle of Joy and today we light a candle of love.
We
look forward to Jesus coming
Help
us to share you love in our homes,
our
families and in our communities
Amen
Christmas
Day
Living
God all the candles are lit
All
our preparations are done
And
all our hopes are met
In
Jesus Christ today
Hooray
Amen
Light
a candle , Light a candle
Let
it shine, Let is shine
Welcome
baby Jesus, Welcome baby Jesus
It’s
Christmas time, it’s Christmas time
(Sung
to the tune of Frere Jacques)
Reading
together
Advent 4 Luke 1.26-38
Use
some objects to create the scene of Mary’s house. Sit in the space and talk
about what you can see. If possible, have different people pretending to be
Mary and the angel and to read their lines, and someone else to read the rest
of the text. Or you can just read the story aloud.
Mary
was alone in her house when suddenly, an angel appeared. The angel said, ‘God
has chosen you and is very near!’ Mary was worried and didn’t understand why he
said this to her. The angel said, ‘Don’t be scared. God is pleased with you.
God wants you to be the mother of his Son. You must call him Jesus.’ Mary said
to the angel, ‘How will this happen?’ The angel said, ‘The power of God in the
Holy Spirit.’ Then Mary said, ‘I will be God’s servant. I will do what he wants
me to do.’ Then the angel left her.
In the sixth month after Elizabeth became pregnant, the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth. He was sent to Mary. She was engaged to a man called Joseph. The angel came to her and said, ‘Greetings, favoured one! The Lord is with you!’
But
Mary was confused by what he had said and wondered what sort of greeting this
might be. The angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have
found favour with God. You will become pregnant and give birth to a son.
You must call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of
the Most High God. The Lord God will make him a king like his father David of
long ago. King of a kingdom that has no end. King of all God’s people.’
Mary
said to the angel, ‘How can this be, because I am not yet married?’
The
angel said to her, ‘The Holy Spirit will come to you. The power of the Most
High God will cover you. So the child to be born will be holy; he will be
called Son of God. Your relative Elizabeth is also six months pregnant,
even though she is old. For nothing will be impossible with God.’
Then
Mary said, ‘Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let what you have said be done
to me.’
Then
the angel left her.
An Action Story
Teach the following
actions: Angel – flap arms like wings. God – raise
both arms to the sky. Mary – kneel on the floor. Son – fold
arms as if gently rocking a baby in them. Slowly read the story,
encouraging the children to join in with the actions associated with the key
words, each time they hear them.
Watching and listening
together
Advent 4 reflection with
Nicola
Christmas Day - Jesus is Born from CEV bible with illustrations form The Scottish
Bible Society.
Christmas Day Reflection
with Nicola
All films are available through
the website or on the Eastern Synod You tube channel.
Praying and creating together
Look
at the stars in the night sky and stars in your Christmas decoration perhaps you
have star on the top of your Christmas tree. Remember all your family and friends
who are under the same sky even if we cannot be together. God makes us one family. Ask God to bless and protect all those you
care for and all those who care for you.
Star
Craft & Prayer
Cut
out the star template and fold along the dotted lines.
Fold
the long lines upwards and short lines downwards. Once folded glue the tabs and
stick to a backing paper. You could use Christmas paper for this.
Find somewhere to hang your star.
Sing
together
(Sing to the tune of Twinkle, twinkle little star)
Twinkle,
twinkle star so bright,
guiding
us with Gods own light.
Like
you shone where Jesus lay
Jesus
helps us day by day.
Twinkle,
twinkle star so bright,
guiding
us with Gods own light.
An
action prayer
There
were angels in the sky (make wings with fingers)
And
there were shepherds in the fields (make rolling fields)
There
was a star shining brightly (wave your fingers in the air)
But
most of all there was a baby lying in manger (rock a baby in your arms)
Thank
you for being born as one of us
Amen
Nativity
Figure prayers
God who journeys with us,
as
we get ready for Christmas
help
us to remember Mary and
Joseph
getting
ready for their journey to Bethlehem on a donkey
and
getting ready for the birth of Jesus in a stable.
Amen.
God
who continues to delight and surprise us,
when
we have surprises at Christmas,
help
us to remember the shepherds
who
were surprised to hear the angels singing
and
find the baby Jesus in a stable.
Amen.
God
with us,
when
we visit family and friends at Christmas,
help
us to remember the wise
men
who
travelled such a long way to visit the baby Jesus.
God,
the source of all gifts,
as
we look forward to receiving presents at Christmas,
help
us to remember the special gift of baby Jesus,
who
brings hope to everyone.
Amen.
Nativity
Figure template available from the Eastern Synod Website.
Creating together
Christmas
tree Manger decoration
Stick
two lolly sticks together to form a large triangle at the top and smaller triangle
to make the legs of the manger. Cur a
triangle of card to fit the larger
triangle and colour it brown. Cut an
oval shape to make the face for the baby.
Use some raffia or straw to tuck inside
a triangle of card to make the manger
and to make the hanger.
SYNOD MISSION AND TRAINING: LOOKING AHEAD TO JANUARY
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
STEPWISE
Stepwise is
the URC’s discipleship development programme, which we had planned to launch at
last March’s Synod Meeting. This meeting was cancelled, and the
limitations of being online meant that we weren’t able to fit it in in
October. We will now be launching an online Stepwise group in late
January as a way of introducing the programme to the Synod. If you would
like to learn more, please watch this film https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGMoByaiMUs&feature=youtu.be,
or to join us please contact Lindsey.
WEEK OF PRAYER FOR CHRISTIAN UNITY 18-25 January 2021
There are
resources available for you and your local churches to join in praying together
for Christian Unity. Please see the attached documents or the CTBI
website: https://ctbi.org.uk/week-of-prayer-for-christian-unity-2021/.
A SCAM TO AVOID
Sadly, people will always seek the opportunity to defraud. Apparently, there are those who are phoning elderly and vulnerable people offering to book their vaccination and asking for their bank details as there is a payment to be made. There is no such payment needed. Do avoid responding to any such calls.
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 THE SYNOD MODERATOR
Lord, bless us and keep us in these
strange times.
May we know the peace that we can find
only with you.
Help us to look forward to a less
restricted time,
though looking for the benefits of a
good ‘new normal’.
May we know the joy that we can find
only with you.
And bless those who struggle the most
with where we are.
Be with those who face the bigger challenges
of these times,
whether those of self-isolation, of
being a key worker,
of missing those we cannot see, of having
to make difficult decisions.
Guide us in your ways.
May we know the hope that we can find
only with you.
So, bless us now and always. 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
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