Messages and photos are to be placed at ‘walls of reflection’ in cathedrals and churches, with prayer vigils and services due to take place, to mark the second anniversary of the first Covid-19 lockdown.Services and events are to be held across the country for the National Day of Reflection tomorrow (Wednesday March 23), with ‘walls of reflection’ and remembrance created in cathedrals and churches where people can bring photos, prayers and memories to honour those who have died.The Day, coordinated by the charity Marie Curie, will see some cathedrals joining other landmarks across the country lighting up in yellow as a sign of support.Only Human, a poem commissioned by York Minster from the Poet Laureate, Simon Armitage, will have its first reading at a choral Evensong tomorrow at the Minster while a memorial concert, Remember Me and Never to Forget will be held in St Paul’s Cathedral.Southwell Minster will launch Portraits from an Artist in Isolation (Real People Real Heroes) – an exhibition of 49 paintings and the culmination of eighteen months work by artist, Sarah Flanagan, as a tribute to keyworkers in the pandemic.Postcards on which people can write the name of someone who has died have been created by Chelmsford Cathedral and will be made into a Wall of Remembrance with a printed prayer card available to take home. The cathedral will hold services in the garden and inside the Cathedral.A ‘Wall of Reflection’ was put in place last week at Sheffield Cathedral for people to honour and remember loved ones who died during the pandemic by adding their names. At St Albans Cathedral, a Wall of Reflection has been created outside the Cathedral with cards available for people to write prayers.The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, said: “As we mark this second National Day of Reflection, our prayers are with all those whose lives have been changed forever in the last two years by the Covid-19 pandemic. “We think especially of those whose grief for lost loved ones will still be deeply painful, and for all those suffering from Covid and experiencing the debilitating effects of long Covid. May God hear and know the suffering of His children, and bring them comfort in their darkness. “When things change so greatly, we cannot go back to where we were and pretend nothing has happened. “Today is a moment to acknowledge all we have been through - individually, in our relationships, and as a nation - to mourn all we have lost and recognise all we have learnt about the importance of compassion and community. “Christ calls us to be His presence in the world: may this difficult time be for us a turning point, a moment where we resolve again to build a fairer, kinder society together - one which honours those we have lost and the hardships we have faced.” The Bishop of London, Sarah Mullally, who is Chair of the UK Commission on Bereavement, said “Since March 2020, the country has experienced a sort of collective grief on a scale not seen for a great number of years.“On the second anniversary of the first lockdown, I recall how helpless so many people, including myself, felt in the early days of the pandemic, surrounded by constant reminders of the magnitude of loss being experienced across the country.“Today is a day to reflect. To pause and remember those we have lost over the past two years. And to pray for the millions of people who have been bereaved during the pandemic, who were left unable to grieve in traditional ways with the support of family and friends.“As Chair of the UK Commission on Bereavement, hearing the hurdles that so many have faced to access good bereavement support has strengthened my resolve to ensure that every person who faces the death of a loved one doesn’t have to do it alone.”The three churches in the benefice of Gloucester City and Hempsted will be offering prayer stations inside and outside for people to write prayers and to pause and remember.Rector Revd Canon Nikki Arthy, said: “As we mark this second National Day of Reflection, we will offer space both inside and outside the churches of our parish for people to pause and to pray.“We reach out to those who grieve, remembering people who have died from Covid and those who have died during the pandemic from other illness. We thank all who continue to care for those with Covid or Long Covid across our communities. “
Our fourth Lent course meeting will take place in the Vestry at Hascombe Church on Thursday at 7pm. The meeting will last an hour.<br>It would be great if you can join us. But if not, you can be part of the meeting from home or elsewhere by clicking on the following link. <a href="https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86285911070?pwd=RFBFNHBPTVE1cVlUbzkvd0szOGFrUT09">https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86285911070?pwd=RFBFNHBPTVE1cVlUbzkvd0szOGFrUT09</a>
MORE than 200 church leaders in the UK have urged the Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, to impose a windfall tax on oil and gas companies in his Spring Statement, which is due to be delivered on Wednesday. The money should be used to help people who are struggling to pay their food and heating bills as energy prices rise significantly, the letter says.Signatories to the letter, co-ordinated by Christian Aid, Operation Noah, Arocha, Tearfund, and CAFOD, and addressed to Mr Sunak and the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, include the former Archbishop of Canterbury Lord Williams, more than 30 serving Anglican bishops, and the Primates of Scotland and Wales.The letter says: “We call on you to use the Spring Statement to provide financial and fiscal support for renewable energy and energy efficiency, especially solar and wind energy and the retrofitting of homes and other buildings across the UK. These measures would reduce heating bills, decrease carbon emissions and increase our energy security.”It continues: “The Spring Statement must include no support for new oil and gas developments. The International Energy Agency has stated that there can be no new fossil-fuel developments if we are to limit global heating to 1.5°C. New oil and gas production will not deliver lower energy bills for families facing fuel poverty and will have no impact on energy supply for years.“We urge you to increase support for vulnerable households across the UK facing a cost of living crisis as a result of increasing food and energy prices, through measures including a windfall tax on oil and gas companies.”It concludes: “Now is the time to end our dependence on fossil fuels and fund a fair and fast transition, which will secure our future economic prosperity and protect the livelihoods of vulnerable communities.”Among the Anglican diocesans to have signed the letter are the Bishop of Norwich, the Rt Revd Graham Usher, who is the C of E’s lead bishop on the environment; the Bishop of Oxford, Dr Steven Croft, who is a member of the House of Lords Select Committee on the Environment and Climate Change; and the Bishops of Southwark, Chelmsford, Worcester, and Sheffield.The interim CEO of Christian Aid, Patrick Watt, said on Monday: “The war in Ukraine has been a stark reminder that a world which relies on oil and gas is a world that is economically and politically combustible, as well as being environmentally disastrous. This is the moment we need to fundamentally rethink our energy system, and break the power of petro-autocrats for good by switching to clean, affordable, home-grown renewables as fast as we can.“If the UK is to be taken seriously as a global leader on climate change, it needs to take this opportunity to accelerate the roll out of renewables as well as widespread energy-efficiency measures, which have been overdue for many years.“A rush for fracking or more North Sea oil would undermine efforts to tackle climate change and endanger some of the poorest and most vulnerable people in the world, who are dealing with the impacts of the climate crisis and look to the UK to lead the way in decarbonisation, not pursuing more polluting fossil fuels.”
David Bland, Intergenerational Missioner in the Diocese of Hereford, began the project after seeing products being put straight into the bin without ever being sold. St Martin’s FoodShare now provides drop-offs three times a week for between 150-200 people.“It began with collecting and distributing a couple of trays of fresh eggs in the summer of 2020 and has rapidly grown into a food share three times a week,” David said. “The food share is slightly different to food banks because it is open to absolutely anyone whether they are facing a crisis or not. “We don't ask any questions about their circumstances and what we have to offer varies from week to week. “While foodbanks give people enough food to meet needs for a few days in a crisis, the food share is a top up to any food they purchase that helps out lots of people.“We see it as a way to bless our local community.”Local authorities and civic groups have celebrated David’s initiative and helped him purchase a food delivery van. As a pastor, David tries to deliver all the food himself and builds relationships with families.Food waste can be part of people’s individual carbon footprint and reducing it can be a helpful step towards our net zero carbon by 2030 target. The Church of England’s theme for Lent 2022 is Embracing Justice, with daily reflections linked to a weekly topic. The second week of Lent’s topic of “Building Communities of Justice” with a suggested action to “think about your daily choices” including food production and waste. The van was paid for by funding from Herefordshire Council.
