Good Morning All,
I hope and pray that you are feeling OK, and are managing to stay relatively comfortable.
For those who are having symptoms, struggling in any way, missing family, friends, fresh air and just going out, and for those who are just having a blue day, Bless you. I hope it passes quickly.
Our morning prayer daily service has these words near the beginning
‘As we rejoice in the gift of this new day, so may the light of your presence, O God, set our hearts on fire with love for you; now and forever.’
We have been given the gift of a new day, and we have much to be thankful for.
May I ask a couple of simple things from you before I talk about Holy Week.
Can you phone someone who is living alone. I have been doing this, and speaking to folk who have not heard another human voice all week. It makes such a difference to hear someone say that they are thinking of you.
Can you join the initiative of lighting up the sky tonight (Friday 3rd), by shining a torch at 8.30pm. This is to demonstrate a sense of hope, and to remember those who have died, and to continue to thank those who are putting themselves at risk in order to help and protect us. Bless them.
We are about to embark on the strangest Holy Week we could ever imagine. The Church’s most precious time of walking with our Lord, and we are observing it separately from one another. We can’t even get to church for Easter!
But even though we are keeping Holy Week separately, we are all in this together, and the bonds of love and faith are stronger than walls and miles.
So, dress up, and put your heart and soul in to whatever you do this coming week – and the Glory of the Lord will be revealed.
This is our Chaplaincy plan:
Holy Week.
We as a Chaplaincy will be trying our best to make this week truly special.
Raymond Hodson has uploaded a video on how to make your own Palm Crosses https://youtu.be/OMGt3WakeJQ
There is a Video from me on Youtube ready for Palm Sunday. The link will be circulated on Saturday 4th April
Palm Sunday Live stream of Eucharist from Fr Rodney Middleton from at 11am, Via facebook then uploaded on to youtube. It will not include Reading of the passion.
6-8pm, Fr Marcus on Pure Gold, with a Palm Sunday slot at 7pm.
Fr Jim will circulates a special Morning and Evening Prayer for Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday.
Wednesday in Holy Week, video from Fr Marcus.
Maundy Thursday The clergy gather separately on a diocesan Zoom meeting to renew their ministerial commitment.
Fr Rodney: Live-stream Eucharist at 8pm, via Facebook. We plan to Keep Watch by leaving the stream ‘open’ until 10pm. We will intersperse the Watch time with a Taize chant every 15 minutes or so. End the Watch with Compline at 10pm.
The Eucharist will be uploaded to YouTube, but not the watch.
Good Friday. 12 noon Video by Fr Marcus of Stations of the cross. Youtube, not live but please all to join in at 12.
I will circulate the text and pictures and video ink by email before Friday.
2pm Fr Rodney live streams Liturgy of the day. To include a reading of the Passion.
Holy Saturday: Fr Marcus will distribute a video.
Fr Rodney will live stream a service of light at 8pm, including the lighting of the Pascal candle, the singing of the Exultet,a Renewal of Baptismal vows. I know it will be beautiful.
Easter Day Alleluia! Christ is Risen! He is Risen indeed! Alleluia!
We all dress up.
11am Live Stream, Fr Rodney via Facebook, and uploaded to youtube.
6-8pm Me live on the radio. The Glory of Easter.
It will be different for us all, but it will also be Holy, meaningful, and will lift us to a spiritual high.
Please keep safe, keep in touch, keep the faith and stay home.
Bless you. Bless you. Bless you.
Fr Marcus.