W/C 5th July 2020
This Sunday is the anniversary of the NHS, and this week our worship celebrates this. Please find below the weekly resource along with the links for this week:
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+7%3A1-10&version=NIVUK
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=exr0oxZwZKA
And if you are curious about the other passage from the apocrypha, that can be found here: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Sirach+38%3A1-8&version=NRSVA
IN-PERSON WORSHIP
We are also pleased to report that in-person worship will be restarting from tomorrow strictly following government regulations. We would like to emphasize that our online and printed services will be distributed as before and our Zoom Morning Prayer will continue as before. No one should feel any obligation to attend a service and everyone should consider carefully whether it is appropriate for them to come. No one should attend if they have any symptoms of Covid19 however slight. Social distancing will be observed and no refreshments will be able to be offered. We will ask for name and contact details to be left in case there is any need to track and trace in case someone attending has tested positive for coronavirus. You will be asked to use hand sanitiser on entering and leaving and sit in marked seats. There will be no singing and no books will be available. All words will be on the screen. The readings, sermon and prayers will be the same as for the online audio services, but the services on 5th, 19th and 26th July will be communion services. There will be strict instructions about partaking, taking the bread only, but there will be no obligation to do this and people will be encouraged to partake spiritually as they have up until now. You may wear a mask if you wish but you don't have to.
Sorry if that sounds like a list of instructions but we wanted to let you know what it will be like.
We can only have limited numbers, so it would help if you could let Joyce know beforehand if you are coming to a service so that we can make sure that there is a place available.
The proposed services for July are as follows :
5th July St Paul's Shepley 10.30am
12th July St Nicholas Cumberworth 11am (Family Service)
19th July St Paul's Shepley 10.30am
26th July St John's Denby 10.30am, Kid's Praise at St Nicholas Cumberworth 4pm
All Hallows' Kirkburton will continue to be open for private prayer on Sunday mornings between 10am and 12noon, with a potential restart of in-person worship on 19th July.
ZOOM MORNING PRAYER
In regard to Zoom Morning Prayer - we have really enjoyed having so many people join us! In "normal" times, Joyce and I would be alone in one of the churches saying morning prayer, but through the power of the internet we are joined by half a dozen or so. This is something that we are likely going to want to continue. This is open to everyone, and we heartily encourage you, because we have been encouraged by the communal prayer and fellowship.
Join Zoom Meeting
Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays at 9.15am
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/71493522601?pwd=NTJrS3RKamJ2S1VUOEtobnlXcUxvQT09
Meeting ID: 714 9352 2601
Password: MP
Joining by telephone is possible - please get in touch to find out how to do that.
If you choose to join us, there are a number of ways to follow the service:
- Via the CofE website: https://www.churchofengland.org/prayer-and-worship/join-us-service-daily-prayer
- Via the Daily Prayer app on tablets or smart phones
- Using the red Common Worship: Daily Prayer book - we have some spares in St Paul's, or you can purchase it for yourself from various retailers.
Whether you choose to join us for Morning Prayer or not, please do pray for the way forward in our churches.
W/C 28th June 2020
Please find below our families @ home resource for this week.
The theme for this week is Black Lives Matter. The links for this week, are as follows:
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=galatians+3%3A26-29&version=NIVUK
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BUn05awXdsY
https://crescendowork.com/guide-start-diversity-inclusion-strategy/2019/2/26/group-diversity-inclusion-activities-teams (about half way down the page).
https://www.ecosia.org/images?q=faces+of+jesus+from+around+the+world
Over the coming weeks, we are working towards opening our churches for in person worship and private prayer. The plan as it stands is as follows:
5th July - St Paul's Shepley, 10:30am
12th July - St Nicholas, Upper Cumberworth, 11am, Family Service
19th July - St Paul's, 10:30am
26th July - St John's, Upper Denby, 10:30am & St Nicholas, 4pm Kids Praise
Every Sunday - All Hallow's, Kirkburton, 10am-12noon, Private Prayer
This pattern is not set, and may change as we can assess the situation. As it stands we are not going to restart our midweek communion service at St Paul's immediately, although when we do restart, it will be in the main body of the church, to allow for adequate social distancing. With social distancing, there are limited numbers that will be able to attend, so we would appreciate you letting us know that you are interested in attending so that you will not be disappointed. We do want to reassure you that we are following all guidelines for cleaning and social distancing, to keep everyone safe.
The materials that I am sending out each week, will continue for those who either cannot or choose not to attend church in person. The services that we hold in church will be the same as the material sent out, so that we can continue to worship together through our separation. The telephone service will also continue. A reminder of that number: 01484 799996
We are continuing to meet for morning prayer on Mondays-Thursdays from 9.15am via Zoom. We have a good group that are meeting regularly, and it is a great way to keep our community interaction vibrant. The details for this are as follows: Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/71493522601?pwd=NTJrS3RKamJ2S1VUOEtobnlXcUxvQT09 (Meeting ID: 714 9352 2601; Password: MP)
W/C 17th May 2020
Please click on the button for our Families Worship @ Home sheet for Christian Aid Week. There are also lots of links and comments from Rev'd Steph below.
This week I got very upset because my necklace broke and the pendant fell off when we were out walking the dog. When it fell off, it got lost, and I was very upset because it was very precious to me. I was sure that I would never see it again. But this morning, I received a call from someone who told me that they had actually found it. I wonder if you have ever lost something very precious to you? How did you feel when you lost it? If you found it again, how did you feel to get it back again? For me, my necklace represents a promise that I made many years ago, and that is why it is so precious. I wonder if you have something that reminds you of a promise.
Did you know that the Rainbow is a sign of a promise? It was God's promise to never send another great flood like the one in this week's story. The rainbow is also a really great reminder that there is hope after the dark clouds and rain, and that is why it brings so much hope to people seeing the beautiful rainbows in your windows. We have a big rainbow in our window, and I know that lots of you have rainbows in your windows too. I hope that this week you will have fun thinking about the rainbow in the story of Noah's Ark, which is the theme of this week's attached resource. The links for this are:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4yzN0fUxjkQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ferLIsvlmI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0mrbhsusOGM
Some promises take a while until they are fulfilled. God made many promises in the Bible, including promising the Holy Spirit to the followers of Jesus, but the disciples first had to see Jesus taken up to heaven. In the church, we celebrate Jesus being taken up to heaven 40 days after Easter; Ascension day is this Thursday, and we have produced a sheet for this too, the links for which are:
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+1%3A1-14&version=MSG
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9GSs5B-0yQ&list=PLeKoCOUpnI1hoVLdFL0tGXltd-BSwSVjP&index=2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COQ6cni_TG8
https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/ultimate-meringue
https://www.thykingdomcome.global/sites/default/files/2019-03/TKC_Home_Pack_V4.pdf
The period of waiting that the disciples experienced is a time when the church encourages people to pray for 5 people that they care about. This period of prayer is called Thy Kingdom Come - an initiative set up by the Archbishop of Canterbury. They have produced loads of stuff to help people to pray. I will send a separate email with some resources for that, probably on Monday or Tuesday.
In the next week or so, we will be doing another Collective Worship video about Pentecost - the day the church celebrates the coming Holy Spirit and the birthday of the church. In the meantime, I have found that the Church of England have started producing weekly Collective Worship videos on Youtube, for both Primary and Secondary. They are really fun and well produced. The links for the first two are:
Primary - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTYPHw22eeo
Secondary - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VEARdmElI7M&
These are part of a new national campaign from the Church of England called Faith at Home. More information and resources can be found here: https://www.churchofengland.org/faith-action/faith-home
W/C 10th May 2020
Please click on the button for our Families Worship @ Home sheet for Christian Aid Week. There are also some Mental Health resources below that the Church of England have produced.
This song from a school in Birmingham has been found which is about schools in Lockdown, you may find it encouraging. You can make your own videos here: https://worshipforeveryone.com/looking-to-the-rainbow
W/C 3rd May 2020
Please click on the button for our Families Worship @ Home sheet for this week.
W/C 27th April 2020
Please click on the button for our Families Worship @ Home sheet for this week.
The links you will need from the sheet are here:
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=luke+24%3A13-35&version=NRSVA
https://www.rootsontheweb.com/media/20333/26-apr-2020-colouring-sheet.pdf
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7PXV3dwaeNU
https://www.activityvillage.co.uk/design-your-own-flip-flops-craft
I would love to make a family video service, but I would love your involvement. You could act out the story, or read a prayer. Let us know what you think.
Easter for Families
We have compiled some resources for you to use this week and over the whole Easter period. There are a couple of colouring sheets, as well resources from other organisations, with activities for children, teenagers and adults of all ages, which have been grouped and can be downloaded below. I have put together a list of links to even more stuff, with various videos of the Easter story, including The Faces of Easter Story, which is here:
Holy Week
You can also see some Easter Story videos by visiting here: https://vimeo.com/showcase/6939062
You can listen to our traditional services for Holy week here: https://soundcloud.com/revstephhunter and in the following video:
Here are some prayers to do at home with Children:
Sunday 29th March
Video link: The theme is worry, and covers elements of mental health resources, including a guided meditation to help aid relaxation.