Prayers as we remember the life of HRH Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh

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.

Eternal God, our heavenly Father, we bless your holy name for all that you have
given us in and through the life of Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.
We give you thanks:
for his long and full life;
for his strength of character;
and for his devotion and service to family, nation and Commonwealth.
We praise you for:
his generosity;
the many contributions he made to our national life;
and the encouragement he gave to so many,
especially to the young.
Accept our thanks and praise, we pray,
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Six mini-reflections for after Easter

These simple reflections were created for Facebook and published every few days during the coronavirus pandemic in 2020. They are reposted with minor changes, here, and one by one on social media, for Easter season 2021.

Prayers on the anniversary of the first lockdown

Lord, we bring these last twelve months to you:

On feeling unsafe, and finding a rock to stand on

I’ve been thinking about the feeling of un-safety this week.  What does it do to us when we experience the world or an aspect of it as unsafe? 

Telling an old story, singing a new song

A note from the Team Rector to all the churches of the Lordsbridge Team, on the occasion of Claire Robertson’s licensing as the new Team Vicar.

This weekend we welcome Revd Claire Robertson to the Lordsbridge Team as a Team Vicar.  She will be given her license as an incumbent in the Lordsbridge Team by Bishop Stephen in a service that includes promises, prayers and blessing.  Here in Lordsbridge, we work with a model in which each village and parish is clear who its vicar is and each Team Vicar is clear which villages they serve: Claire will be serving the parishes and villages of Barton, Coton, Harlton and Haslingfield.  And in most of our places there are also lay ministers, associate clergy, church wardens and other types of volunteers who form a team around the Team Vicar for both mission and ministry there.  There is strength in this.

Medicine for the soul

More and more of us are getting vaccinated. And that is a good thing.  Our hopes and prayers are for a resumption of in-person school (and church) and for a gradual re-creation of the freedom we enjoyed together. Many of us, via the vaccination, are receiving the medicine for our bodies that enables this, but what about medicine for our souls?    

Being creative, being human, being in lockdown

A ‘thought for the week’ from my colleague in the Lordsbridge Team, Revd Priscilla Slusar.

I wonder how you are coping with lockdown.  The media is full of suggestions about how we can survive the present situation.  This includes taking regular exercise, organising your work station at home, maintaining contact with friends through phone-calls or zoom meetings, and setting a routine for the day.  The trouble is that these things don’t always work out as planned.  I’m sure that many of you have faced internet problems or children interrupting your work programme or cold and wet weather when the last thing you want to do is go out for your daily walk.

Beloved in the wilderness

This is a truly challenging time for all of us.  There are moments of hope: in the spread of the vaccine amongst the vulnerable in our community, in the seasonal signs of spring, in the care still being extended to each other.  But many of us are exhausted and some of us facing increasingly difficult circumstances.  The strain is beginning to show and is taking its toll on mental health and wellbeing.  That’s why looking after ourselves, and encouraging each other to do so is vital this spring. 

Notice: Medieval Buildings and Churches seminars by Dr Jonathan Foyle

Medieval Buildings and Churches seminars by Dr Jonathan Foyle – Writer, broadcaster and historian Dr Jonathan Foyle has spent 25 years studying the Medieval buildings and churches of England. From Sunday 31^st January until Easter Sunday (all at 4pm) he is running a weekly series of Zoom seminars to share insight he has learned in his studies and research. There is a charge of £7 per ticket and the tickets go very quickly. Here is a list of the buildings he is discussing and the dates, as well as a booking link:

The Gift of Imagination

With thanks to my colleague Revd David Newton for this week’s thought.

I was out running through the snow earlier this week and found myself reminiscing about 3 months I had in a Canadian Winter some years ago. Every day we’d go out running across through the snow, usually under glorious sunshine. It was quite wonderful being transported – in my mind – to this other place. Amongst the exposed fields, being whipped by wind, I then started to imagine what it might be like to be on K2 right now. 10 Nepalese climbers made history last Saturday when then made the first ever Winter Ascent. Other groups are still trying to summit; they face 100mph winds, temperatures of -50C, a lack of oxygen, and ‘ice blocks as big as houses’ as one Nepalese climber put it.