At the time of writing, a sense of yet more adjustment pervades me, deciding what to keep of the old and take to the new. Not for the first time this year, I find myself reflecting on 2 Corinthians, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!" However, perhaps refreshingly, this impending new normal is not Covid related. I am writing this as preparations are made for a new-look Admin Team at Church House, replacing the dedicated, but administratively isolated, functions previously in place, to better support the work we do in our parishes and schools, and all they do in support of <em>Transforming Church Transforming Lives.</em> We seek for the new model to offer more collaboration, greater efficiency and fewer silos across all our work in serving our parishes, chaplaincies and schools from Church House. Was there anything very wrong with the old? No, not really; it worked perfectly well. But perhaps sometimes that prevents us from attempting something bigger. Just as Abraham took up a challenge of moving away from his own comforts, considered the change and the pain and decided that the blessings were worth it, I hope that we will all see the blessings in this new team and the positive change it brings. But the shift actually makes it even more imperative that we keep the old – the knowledge, experience and relationships – and that these are shared for the good of all. So really, “The old has gone, the new is here!" is not quite true – and shouldn’t be. As I sit here, procrastinating over a flow chart, Jeremiah is with me instead; ‘For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’ And perhaps we can apply that to Covid, too.
As you know under Covid-19 regulations there is a strict limit of 30 on the number of mourners allowed into church for a funeral. On Wednesday, April 14th at 11.30 we will be holding Mence's funeral, following his private burial which is for his family only.Ruth Wilkinson has already reached the limit of 30 able to attend the church service and has spoken to those people. She knows there are many other people who would wish to attend Mence's funeral but can't because of the restriction on numbers.If you are one of those people you can join Mence's funeral via the Zoom link below. The public service in church will begin at 11.30 am.Thank you.https://us02web.zoom.us/j/2746581498?pwd=WjlIcHBydjdOOEEzZ2tBVDNyMFBaZz09
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, said today: "I join with the rest of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth in mourning the loss of His Royal Highness Prince Philip, The Duke of Edinburgh, and give thanks to God for his extraordinary life of dedicated service. Prince Philip continually demonstrated his unfailing support and unstinting loyalty to Her Majesty The Queen for 73 years."He consistently put the interests of others ahead of his own and, in so doing, provided an outstanding example of Christian service. During his naval career, in which he served with distinction in the Second World War, he won the respect of his peers as an outstanding officer."On the occasions when I met him, I was always struck by his obvious joy at life, his enquiring mind and his ability to communicate to people from every background and walk of life. He was a master at putting people at their ease and making them feel special."The legacy he leaves is enormous. The Duke of Edinburgh's Award, which he founded in 1956, has inspired generations of young people to help others and instilled in them a vision for citizenship and a desire to serve their communities. His work with countless charities and organisations reflected his wide- ranging, global interests in topics including wildlife, sport, design, engineering and inter-faith dialogue."In his powerful advocacy for conservation his was a prophetic voice for over half a century, as he brought people from around the world to a new concern and commitment to action for the future of our planet."As we recover and rebuild after the terrible trial of the coronavirus pandemic, we will need fortitude and a deep sense of commitment to serving others. Throughout his life Prince Philip displayed those qualities in abundance, and I pray that we can take inspiration from his example."I also join many people in giving thanks for the marriage of Her Majesty the Queen and Prince Philip, and for their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Theirs was a marriage grounded in friendship and mutual respect and sustained by shared faith in Christ."I pray that God will comfort Her Majesty and the rest of the Royal Family at this time. May His Royal Highness rest in peace and rise in glory."
God of our lives, we give thanks for the life of Prince Philip, for the love he shared among us, and for his devotion to duty. We entrust him now to your love and mercy, through our Redeemer Jesus Christ. Amen. Merciful God, be close to all who mourn, especially The Queen and all members of the Royal Family. May they know the hope of your promises and the comfort of your love, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Eternal God, we give thanks for the life of Prince Philip, founder of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. We remember his vision and imagination, his interest in young people and his support for them. Inspire us with the same commitment to serve friend, neighbour, and stranger alike, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (for use with young children) Loving God, We are sad that Prince Philip has died. Thank you for his long life and for his care for The Queen and our country. Amen.
