This Sunday is also Father’s Day. This celebration would seem to be a secular one, the Catholic celebrations usually taking place on the Feast of St. Joseph (19th March). However it would be good to pray for fathers in our local community, and for our priests, our spiritual fathers, this Sunday. It is also good to remember that Jesus called God “My Father”. And when Jesus taught us how to pray, he said to say, “Our Father in Heaven”. Even if we have not had a good relationship with, or never known, our fathers in this life, we can be assured that we have a Father in Heaven who loves us unconditionally, and wants us to spend time with him today and always.
Church Open for Private Prayer
Following further relaxation of the Covid-19 lock-down, St. Edmunds will be open for private prayer two days a week: Mondays and Thursdays 11 AM to 12 PM. Please remember that the church will be open for private prayer only. If you want someone to pray for you and your family, or want to ask further questions about Christianity, then please ask one of the stewards. But please do not go to the church to socialise, as this is still not allowed under HM Government guidelines.
The Lone Worker Risk Assessment can be found here:
The Private Prayer Risk Assessment can be found here:
Information on Private Prayer can be found here:
Further information on Private Prayer can be found here:
A booklet has been published to take into church with you for private prayer. If you are printing the booklet off and taking it to church with you, please take it home with you also, or dispose of in a bin. You can access the document here: https://www.churchunion.co.uk/uploads/Praying_in_Church_FINAL.pdf?fbclid=IwAR3xLTma98Z9u0saS1kVWCI10PCdoYs2JU4G1Fay52GS87Y06hUqvGRgKDc
Further information about private prayer can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-guidance-for-the-safe-use-of-places-of-worship-during-the-pandemic/covid-19-guidance-for-the-safe-use-of-places-of-worship-during-the-pandemic
Even with churches being open again for private prayer, it is still important for us to be engaging in worship on a Sunday, listening to the Bible reading for each Sunday, and listening to a sermon. And if possible, to celebrate a Spiritual Communion.
I’m sure by now that everyone has got into a regular pattern of worship on a Sunday. Whether this by listening to Morning Worship at 8:10 AM on Radio 4, Watching Morning Worship at 11:45 AM on BBC 1, or listing to Choral Evensong at 3PM on BBC Radio 3. We may be listing to a service via Daily Hope (0800 804 8044), or listing to the Dudley Benefice Service at 10:30 AM (0203 481 5240). We may be watching the Church of England service at 9 AM on YouTube (https://youtu.be/Se6kWuytDrE), joining in with the Dudley Benefice Service at 10:30 AM via Zoom (rectorofdudley@gmail.com)), watching the service at Shrewsbury Cathedral via their webcam at 10:45AM (http://www.shrewsburycathedral.org/webcam), or taking part in a Spiritual Communion via Facebook (the official service is conducted by The Bishop of Fullham at 11:30 AM (https://www.facebook.com/BishopOfFulham)). You may also be listening to the Bishop of Ebbsfleet’s sermon for this Sunday which you can listen to here: https://soundcloud.com/user-790208948/200621-trinity-2-12th-of-otwav. You can also download the Bishop of Ebbsfleet’s sermon here:
However we celebrate our Sunday worship, please ensure that you do join in with something, and have a blessed Sunday.
St Edmund's Church, Dudley 