TOGETHER WE PRAY
As we come to terms with the ongoing reality of a pandemic we invite you to embrace the opportunity to be even more aware of one another. Now is the time to establish connections which ensure that no one is forgotten. Now is also the time to pray.
May we be united in our commitment to one another, to all who live around us, and to the world we share. May we find ways to set our own anxiety aside and to remember we are not alone. May God's peace settle upon you and remain with you always.
We are not people of fear:
we are people of courage.
We are not people who protect our own safety:
we are people who protect our neighbours’ safety.
We are not people of greed:
we are people of generosity.
We are your people God,
giving and loving,
wherever we are,
whatever it costs
For as long as it takes
wherever you call us.
Amen
(Prayer from Church of England)
index - Other ways to worship
Join Bishop Philip at 7pm on Zoom to participate in Night Prayer. ++Justin, Archbishop of Canterbury has invited us to light a candle in every Sunday at 7pm and pray for healing. In Aotearoa New Zealand, we will be the first in the world to light these candles. May our commitment and solidarity inspire the world to prays for healing and hope. (See Night Prayer Recordings.)
Each day at 9am (Mon-Fri) the staff at Charlotte Brown House share daily devotions together. To learn more about this opportunity see here.
Every one of us can pray for five people everyday. You could tie knots in string, collect five stones, make a prayer card or bookmark, put an alert on your phone, stick post-it notes around the house ... more here.
Diana Langdon has prepared brilliant online resources for families to celebrate Lent and Easter. Follow this link for heaps of videos and activities you can do at home. (Strandz is the hub of our Children & Families Ministry.)
Monday Morning Spirituality (with Rev Canon Sue Pickering): a 2-5 minute weekly vlog similar to a morning devotional, but focusing on spiritual formation, and drawing from Sue's wealth of experience and writing in this area.
Technology enables us to gather virtually. You can connect with your parish via many platforms. If you are not online you could simply use the telephone. If you wish to use the daily devotions you can find them in your Prayer Book from page 104. The whole Prayer Book is also online and this is a great opportunity to explore its treasures! For advice on YouTube/FaceBook see here.
You could take your home group/study group online. You could even take this opportunity to start a LiFT group. All the books and videos are already online and free.
We have several spirital practices on the website already. To learn more about lectio divina, examen, colouring-in, the daily office and more, click here. If you have (or find) other resources please share them as well (email stephen@wtanglican.nz).
We are now collecting resources for Holy Week and Easter. This will include templates, ideas, and resources for each day. If you have ideas please send them in (stephen@wtanglican.nz).
Thy Kingdom Come is a global prayer initiative started by Archbishop Justin Welby. It is an invitation to respond to the Great Commission and pray for the renewal of the body of Christ. Learn more about how you and your community can be involved here.
Getting worship online is not as hard as you might think. There are several tutorials available to help you get started. Your worship need not be complicated - a simple service not only reduces the risk of things going wrong, but reminds us of the 'main thing': loving God and one another.
Here are a couple of links (thanks to Tony W) to help get you started...
When we experience challenge, tragedy, and disaster we are invited to put our theology into action. This is exactly the time to work through what it is God might be communicating. Over the last few weeks/months you may have heard wide-ranging theological responses to the impact of Covid-19. Some believe this is God's judgment, others God's invitation. Some propose God has no place in this medical issue whatsoever. As you wrestle with God, we invite you to test these responses in search of clarity. Indeed, theology is "faith seeking understanding". Some of us are looking for answers and some of us are looking to blame. Let's set these things aside and begin our process by listening and prayer.
In your prayer might like to consider a few of these concepts:
- In terms of Christian history, are we in unprecedented times? How has the church responded to such challenges in the past?
- What might the biblical narratives around famine and pestilence have to say to us today?
- What is the antidote to feeling out of control? What might traditional spiritual disciplines offer us at a time of anxiety, disorder, and disruption?
- In a developed world where we are accustomed to curing ills, aches and pains, how is the covid-19 experience enabling us to confront our finitude?
- Do extreme times require extreme answers?
The CEEP Network invites theologians to offer their responses to Covid-19. Featuring Jason Fout, Brett Gray, Scott MacDougall, Kara Slade, Ellen Wondra - a series of presentations concluding with Q&A (approximately 90 minues).
There is a conversation talking place around the world. It is a feature of every sector and it concerns what happens next. The Covid-19 pandemic has sparked innovation across the church; some have embraced this, some are anxious that church will never be the same. We do not yet know what will happen next but we are faced with an extraordinary opportunity. Now is the time to start thinking about what we have learnt and start exploring the future.
To get you started, please take a read through this new report concerning online church.
Taranaki Office - Tikituterangi House
566 Mangorei Road
RD 1
New Plymouth
Phone: 06 759-1178
Waikato Office - Charlotte Brown House
104 Morrinsville Road
Te Ara Hou Village
P O Box 21, Hamilton
Phone: 07 857-0020
