Worship for Easter Sunday 12 04 2020
As we come to the end of Lent 2020 almost all of us have had to give up so much more than any of us could ever have imagined during the past few weeks. Let us hope and pray that these difficult days will soon be over, and let us all do all we can to make them a little better for those around us.
Our Circuit Team have been working extremely hard again this week to provide ways in which we can share in Worship through technology during the coronavirus crisis.
The YouTube channel for Colchester Methodists continues to have videos uploaded regularly. If you follow this link, it will take you there: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCy1Oj6Fjruf2Z8jhx_WMpyw
- There is an initial video from Alan, explaining what’s planned.
- There are the Worship Services for Mothering Sunday led by Joe on 22nd March 2020, Passion Sunday led by Alan on 29th March 2020, and Palm Sunday led by Ken on 5th April 2020. There is also now a service for Maundy Thursday led by Ken.
- There are short videos by Alan, Ken and Paul with daily thoughts under the heading Taking Stock.
- There is also a series of Meditations for Holy Week under the title Witnesses.
Alan is in the process of creating, editing and uploading a service for tomorrow, Sunday 12th April 2020, which will of course be Easter Day. This should be available at a normal service time of around 11am.
Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to the You Tube channels for Castle and Circuit, also click on the NOTIFICATION BELL ICON, then choose “all” as an option. Then you will receive an email notification each time a new video is uploaded. You can unsubscribe at any time, by clicking on the Subscribe button a second time, and it is all free.
To encourage our ministers, click on the Thumbs Up icon to give a like (or a thumbs down if you really didn’t like it) for each video.
You can also leave a message in the comments below each video, but PLEASE don’t forget that literally EVERYONE worldwide can see this, so don’t make any personal comments, or refer to people in a way that risks their privacy in any way.
Rev Joe Adams is again leading virtual worship at Wimpole Road on facebook live on Sunday at 11.00 am click on https://www.facebook.com/Wimpole-Road-Methodist-Church-Colchester-310296022510387
Alternatively, this page from the Methodist Church Website provides information about live-streamed services and has downloadable service sheets for this Sunday and the coming weeks for worship-during-the-coronavirus-pandemic. There is also a page specifically for Holy Week and Easter.
As other alternatives there are Live-streamed services available from:-
Wesley’s Chapel in London which will be available at: www.youtube.com/channel/UCUAUqhmhevz5sqhh72LIMxA Service times are Wednesday 12:45; Thursday 12:45; Sunday 9:45 and 11:00.
Swan Bank Methodist Church in Burslem will also live-stream worship on Sunday at 10:30 the service will be available at www.youtube.com/user/SwanBank and www.facebook.com/swanbank/
Birmingham Methodist District at 10:30 there is a service at https://www.facebook.com/Birminghammethodistdistrict/
Hong Kong International Methodist Church https://www.michk.com the 11.00 am service in English will be live streamed at 3am our time, but should also be available by 11 for us to watch.
There is a digital Sunday school at https://disorganisedsundayschoolblog.com/digital-sunday-school
Public Broadcasting:-
BBC 1
- There are several programmes in today’s schedule with a particular Easter theme, including at 11am Pope Francis gives his Easter message and blessing to the city and to the world.
- at 11.25 To celebrate Easter Sunday, the Very Reverend Kathy Jones leads a service from Bangor Cathedral in north Wales. The preacher is the Right Reverend Andy John, the Bishop of Bangor. The programme includes Easter hymns sung by the Songs of Praise congregation recorded in March 2018, and was filmed before the closure of all church buildings was announced. You can view the Order of Service here.
- at 13.15 Katherine Jenkins is in Birmingham to celebrate Easter Sunday, in an episode recorded before the current restrictions came into effect. She hears how a new church, St Luke’s Gas Street in the heart of Birmingham, has grown in just four years. You can find out more here.
BBC Radio 4
- for early risers at 06:05 Dr Rowan Williams, Master of Magdalene College Cambridge and the former Archbishop of Canterbury, explores reunions and recognitions in the context of the Easter narratives. For more details see here.
- at 06:35 there is an Easter Sunrise service: A service of celebration for Easter morning from award winning gospel group Volney Morgan & New-Ye, exploring love and the ultimate sacrifice shown through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. More details are here.
- at 08:10 Christ is risen! Sunday Worship – The Archbishop of Canterbury cannot this year give his Easter Message as usual to a packed Canterbury Cathedral. Instead he is speaking to the nation as part of Easter Sunday Worship, which will also include an intimate communion service with his wife from the Archbishop’s own kitchen at Lambeth Palace. More details here.
Finally, a new prayer from the President of the Methodist Church Website:-
God of all hope we call on you today.
We pray for those who are living in fear:
Fear of illness, fear for loved ones, fear of other’s reactions to them.
May your Spirit give us a sense of calmness and peace.
We pray for your church in this time of uncertainty.
For those people who are worried about attending worship.
For those needing to make decisions in order to care for other
For those who will feel more isolated by not being able to attend.
Grant us your wisdom.
Holy God, we remember that you have promised that
Nothing will separate us from your love – demonstrated to us in Jesus Christ.
Help us turn our eyes, hearts and minds to you.
Amen
Above all, keep yourselves safe and well.
Let someone know if you are struggling, if you need a chat, or just some shopping. Do contact your pastoral leader, or send someone an email: you may be in isolation, but you are not alone.
Happy Easter Everyone !
