Currently, attendance at a funeral, either at the graveside or at a crematorium, is limited to ten people. This means there many who cannot say that final goodbye to those they have known and loved. Whilst we are intending to offer memorial services once the coronavirus restrictions are lifted, there is still a need to mark the loss of a loved one now. Here’s a link to a new resource from the Church of England for those who cannot be present but wish to say goodbye: https://www.churchofengland.org/sites/default/files/2020-03/Funerals%20liturgy%20at%20home%20public.pdf

Here’s a service for use on the 5th Sunday of Lent. There’s a liturgy that can be downloaded and printed or viewed on your mobile device and also a video of the service. Please note that the sound quality isn’t too good at the start and in one or two other places. This is the first video I’ve produced in many years, and things should improve. Any comments would be welcome.

The video is here – https://vimeo.com/401414320

Here are two orders of service which you may wish to use. The first is short and was compiled by Rev Mary Harding, serving in the Axe Vale Mission Community. The second takes that service and expands it with further readings and reflections appropriate for this Sunday.

Be blessed.

I’ll be using the second of these in St Gregory’s at 11.00am this Sunday, and I invite you to join me, using the same liturgy wherever you are. That is not an invitation to come to St Gregory’s building. We are intending to keep our church buildings open for private prayer, and I will do my best to be there on Sundays to talk with anyone who needs to talk, but gatherings in church are not allowed at present and are not taking place.

My challenge for next week is to see if I can do some of this as a video, so that there is sound and imagery to accompany written words. Watch this space…

Jeremy

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If you have a concern about the safety of someone or the actions of someone working with children or vulnerable adults, please speak to someone:

Our parish safeguarding representative is :

Tracey Voysey  on 01297 23636 or 01297 33426
The link to the Diocesan Safeguarding Team’s contact details – CLICK HERE

If you are a young person and you feel unhappy about something happening to you, you can call Childline on 0800 11 11