Another Lent in lockdown hasn't stopped our worshipping communities around the diocese from journeying in faith together. From courses over zoom and daily reflections, to virtual prayer walks and quiz show style challenges, you've been connecting with God – and each other - in ways you might never have imagined.
The Community of the Tree of Life in partnership with Glenwood Youth and The Not Yet Now have created an all age friendly set of practical prayers that can be done during half term and beyond
Discipleship and everyday faith don't stop during lockdown, they just look slightly different. A few weeks ago we wrote about some churches from the diocese which have been running enquirers courses (courses aimed at introducing those who are not yet Christians to the Christian faith). Now we're catching up with a couple of churches which have held courses to help their existing church members grow in the depth of their discipleship.
With many churches not open for in-person meetings and services at the moment, some are experimenting with innovative new ways of connecting with their communities. At St Andrews, North Kilworth, part of the Avon Swift team of churches, the ancient practice of pilgrimage has been given a modern twist with their QR code churchyard pilgrimage.
Before lockdown Pamela used to love going to a nearby monastery. She would sit quietly, write prayers, listen to God and write down what she felt He was saying to her. However the pandemic put a stop to her visits, as well as her volunteering job in the NHS. These frustrations haven't stopped Pamela from sharing her faith with her friends.
Throughout lockdown our social interactions have changed dramatically. We are no longer gathering or catching up with people in the same way. So it can perhaps feel difficult to share our faith with others. Carole was feeling very unsettled by the lack of connection that the lockdown brought. So she started to think of creative ways to connect with God and with others
Courses designed to enable enquirers to look into the Christian faith have been a significant part of church life for over three decades now. The best known of these is the hugely popular Alpha Course, with Christianity Explored also being widely used. Typically, the groups either run in someone's home, a church hall, or in some cases a church will hire out a restaurant or similar venue for the duration of the course. But how would such courses fare in Lockdown?
Now that we are entering the second working week of 2021 you might be starting to thinking about Lent courses. We may not be able to gather in our normal way, but all of the courses suggested would work virtually.
In Oadby, the people of St Paul's Church have sharing their stories of everyday faith, prayer, action and witness. Their thoughts have been collated into a series of videos called Faith During Lockdown, looking at the five notions of Prayer, Scripture, Justice, Environment and Hope.
Sue is a keen walker and lifelong lover of nature. She worships in the Ironstone benefice – a rural group of churches near Melton – and was called by God to create a thriving woodland near her home as a legacy for the planet
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