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Don't forget DailyHope, a free national telephone line offering music, prayers and reflections as well as full worship services from the Church of England. Available 24 hours a day on 0800 804 8044 Find out more.
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Lent 2021
The Church of England's Lent resources theme for 2021 is entitled #LiveLent: God's Story, Our Story.
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It is based on the Archbishop of Canterbury’s Lent book for 2021, Living His Story by Hannah Steele, published on 19 November by SPCK.
Both the book and the accompanying daily reflections encourage all Christians to think about their calling, how to share their faith and reflect on the difference Christ makes in our lives.
More information and resources
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The Climate Sunday initiative is calling on all local churches across Great Britain & Ireland to hold a climate-focused service on any Sunday before 5 September 2021.
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At this service, congregations are encouraged to make a commitment to greater action to address climate change in their own place of worship and community and to use their voice to tell politicians we want a cleaner, greener, fairer future.
Find a selection of service materials and themed resources on the Climate Sunday website
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Virtual Diocesan Passion Play
Following the success of our diocesan Christmas carol, we are looking for volunteers to be a part of a virtual Diocesan Passion Play. There will be a range of roles available, big and small, speaking and non-speaking. Details will be available on our website soon, but in the meantime please do get in touch with James to express an interest. We will require participants to film themselves at home and send in their videos which will then be edited together in time for Palm Sunday. Parishes will be welcome to use the final film in their own services.
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Safeguarding
A new scam has been reported in which a person receives a text saying they need to book a vaccination appointment via a link, which takes them to a fake NHS form asking for bank details to prove their identity. Please be aware that bank info would never be requested. Download a leaflet about Covid text message scams.
Don’t forget to request a sign in to your Parish Safeguarding Dashboard asap – email Delia Stokes for details
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In brief ...
- The final stages for publishing a National Register of Clergy, to strengthen safeguarding in the Church of England, are now underway. The Church’s 20,000 active clergy (those who hold a licence or PTO), are being asked to confirm the information that both the National Church Institutions (NCIs) and dioceses hold about them is accurate for when the Register goes live in May. More details
- Last year Parish Giving Scheme (PGS) moved offices and in February the postal redirection will come to an end. All existing donor forms with the old address on need to be destroyed. It is only the donor form that can’t be used, The rest of the pack is still good and a new form can be added in. Find out more
- January's newsletter from the CoE's Digital Labs team includes a 2021 social media calendar for your church and details of a new webinar. Read it here.
- The latest Church Support Hub news looks at weddings, bereavement and Godparents' Sunday. Read it here.
- The 2021 census will take place on 21 March. This will be the first census to run predominantly online; households will receive a letter with a unique access code, allowing them to complete the questionnaire on their computers, phones or tablets. Paper surveys are available on request and it is important that everyone has the chance to take part. Find out how you can support others in your community to complete the census on the website.
- Holland House is running an online retreat with Diarmuid O’Murchu on Entering Springtime with Creation Spirituality on 30 January. Find out more
- The Children’s Society is hosting a webinar launching their new goal and vision for the next decade on Tues 2 Feb, 11am. Hear from Chief Executive Mark Russell and others about how the charity will be fighting for hope and a society built for all children and young people and hear about new interactive Lent and Mothering Sunday resources. Sign up here.
- John Burke and Megan Soar from Top Church, Dudley will be leading a local group on-line for the next ‘Restored Lives’ course starting on 8 February. Restored Lives is for anyone who is going through or has been through the breakdown of a significant relationship. Download flyer
- Bryan Mason & Paul Long from All Saints, Worcester are leading an 8-day pilgrimage to the Holy Land in November 2021. As the party follows the steps of Jesus the time will be divided between Jerusalem and Tiberius. The party is 19 strong at present. Contact Bryan if you would like more information.
- As a new year begins, The Archbishop of Canterbury has launched a Lambeth Conference prayer journey that shares ‘Prayers of Hope for the World’. In a video message, the Archbishop has shared how the prayer season will mark the start of the Lambeth Conference community journeying together in the lead up to its meeting in 2022. Watch video
- 'Maintaining Pace - Spiritual growth along life's journey' is a book written by Bryan Mason from All Saints Worcester looking at the challenges and dreams that come at key stages of life. It costs £8 - contact Bryan for a copy.
- For Easter 2021, there are seven types of Real Easter Eggs available, all with new content. Each egg has an edition of the Easter story included. However, it won't be available to buy in supermarkets this year. Find out more
- Roots still has free weekly worship at home resources on its website.
- Running from 25 January - 25 February, Premier & the Eternal Wall of Answered prayer is running the Answered Prayer Challenge, which they hope will make hope visible as people flood social media with answered prayers. Find out more
- 'Take Heart Create' is an initiative which encourages people to make hearts, add a biblical message of hope and give them away. Find out more and download posters to colour and put in your window on the website.
- Two residential silent retreats in the Ignatian tradition are taking place in June and September this year. More information.
- Many places running retreats have gone digital during these difficult times. Do look at www.retreats.org.uk if you feel the need to take time out for prayer and reflection.
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Training Opportunities
- Diocesan Training and Events Programme
- The Church of England's digital team are running a number of webinars. Find details here
- There are a range of webinars designed to support and equip churches to reach the "net zero carbon" emissions target; everything from forming your team to putting solar panels on your roof, and including low cost 'housekeeping' actions which can pay back quickly. More details
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Choosing the best heating system for your church
20 April, 4 or 18 May
This webinar will include heat pumps, electric heating solutions, and more. What are the pros and cons, what is the carbon impact and what is the future of funding?
Speaker: Susan Logan from EcoTeric - a Chartered Building Services Engineer who has worked for 40 years designing and advising on energy efficiency and latterly carbon efficient solutions. She is also the Heating Adviser on our DAC. More information
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Leading and Working with Millennials
Wednesday 24 March
Growing up in the 90s and the 00s, the millennial generation were immersed in the digital revolution. Often, it’s commented that the church isn’t a place where this generation is visible.
This online session will include input from millennials leaders, leaders working with millennials and those being led by millennials, hosted by Mission Enabler Adam Legge.
More information
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Vacancies
Click here to see the latest parish, diocesan and volunteering opportunities.
Please pray for those parishes who are currently in vacancy.
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Video Reflections
Each week we produce a short video from senior Clergy and Diocesan staff. These cover a range of topics and themes and are published on the website and all diocesan social media channels. |
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Prayer Diary
Download the prayer diary for: February 2021
Daily prayers are published on our social media channels and the homepage of the website. |
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Our clergy are amazing, but COVID-19 means we need help to continue to meet the costs of their stipends.
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Please continue to support your local church as your first priority.
However, if in addition to this, you are able to give to the ‘Diocese of Worcester Ministry Fund’, your donation will be used to help pay for our clergy now and in the coming months.
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