What’s happening in 2012?
Almost too much! With the London Olympics, the Preston Guild, and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee to celebrate, you may be feeling bombarded with possibilities. It’s worth remembering....
- You don’t have to do everything! Think through what will work best in your community, and focus on that
- Work together! Pool resources with your ecumenical partners, or appoint a ‘lead church’ for different areas of work, so that between you build up a cooperative portfolio
- Don’t compete with secular celebrations! Find out what’s happening in your local area, and get behind it - don’t instigate alternatives
- If you have a good idea, share it! It would be great to fill this page with news of local celebrations and service across the county.
Here’s to an exciting and fruitful year!
“The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee is an amazing moment in our country’s history and an exciting opportunity for mission in both words and actions. Let’s pray that God will do immeasurably more than we could ask or imagine and that within the party celebrations something of the kingdom of God will be expressed. “
- Roy Crowne, Director of HOPE
Jubilee celebrations will centre nationally around the Big Jubilee lunch on Sunday June 3rd - and there are lots of resources available to help you make the most of that occasion. The best places to visit are the HOPE big Jubilee lunch resource page, and the dedicated Jubilee page on the Churches Together in England website, which will be regularly updated with news and information.
In addition, there is a movement afoot to encourage churches to light celebratory beacons on June 4th. To find out more, order your beacon and register your event, have a look at the Diamond Jubilee Beacons site.
The weekend of June 3rd / 4th may be a focus, but there are lots of other ways in which churches / local ecumenical groupings could use the jubilee imaginatively. As we’re celebrating 60 years of royal service, what about setting each church community the task of developing one new area of service to the local community during Jubilee year? Or setting aside 60 hours over the course of the year to pray for the nation? The possibilities are endless!
If you come up with a Jubilee celebration idea you think others might like to share, please email it to debbie.peatman@ctlancashire.co.uk and we’ll pass the word around!
Following on from the amazing opportunity of the Jubilee weekend, the world will be arriving on our doorstep for The Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The churches’ response to the opportunity of The Games is formally represented and coordinated by More than Gold, and their website is your best bet for inspiration. Their extensive resources help churches to make the most of celebrating both the journey of the Olympic Torch around the country, and the Olympic and Paralympic Games themselves.
Again, have a look at the dedicated page on the Churches Together in England website for up to date news and information.
And please email debbie.peatman@ctlancashire.org. uk if you have local events to advertise, or good ideas to share.
Training Opportunity:
Running the Race
Equipping your children’s ministry for the Olympic Year
Saturday 11th February 2012
9am—12noon or 1pm—4pm
Mercure Foxfields Country Hotel
Whalley Road, Billington
near Blackburn.
For poster click here
For booking form click here
Preston Guild - a city wide celebration with the church at its heart
Guild Week may not be until the first week of September, but the celebrations have already begun and are set to continue right through the year. The churches have already made their mark on the 2012 Guild with an extraordinary celebration in the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity - read the full story here.
The Preston Passion, in collaboration with the BBC, will be broadcast nationally on Good Friday, the Methodist Collection of Modern Art will be arriving in June, and a huge Ecumenical Open Air service is planned for September 2nd. The lasting legacy of the Guild will be the establishing of new community projects and areas of service, in which the churches will play a central part.
Visit The Preston Guild Website for key dates and up to date news.