Holy Saturday with Archdeacon Mike
Archdeacon of Chester, Mike Gilbertson, reflects on the "desperate" words of Psalm 142 and encourages us not to rush to Easter Day but to stop and "remember that the Bible speaks of every kind of human experience".
News
"Give thanks, and pray for those who can’t"
The Dean of Chester, Tim Stratford, used his Maundy Thursday sermon to highlight the differences the coronavirus was having on the rich and the poor and to call on all those in relative comfort to be thankful.
Domestic abuse and Covid-19
Domestic abuse may affect anyone at any time, but the isolation resulting from Covid-19 is particularly affecting victims of domestic abuse. On this page is advice and signposting to support, for you or someone you know.
Sing Resurrection
This coming Easter Sunday many believers will be connecting with their churches via livestream in their own homes, but a new initiative called Sing Resurrection aims to get them out of their houses for a few minutes.
Diocesan Maundy Thursday service 11am
The Diocesan Maundy Thursday service from Chester Cathedral will premier here at 11am. Bishop Keith is due to take part from home, and the Dean, Tim Stratford is due to preach. The service was recorded yesterday afternoon.
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The Week That Changed the World
The Week That Changed the World, is an audio journey through Holy Week. You can listen via the web and people without internet access can listen over the phone by simply dialing in from home.
Bishop of Boga's message to the diocese
Bishop William Bahemuka, the Bishop of Boga in the Democratic Republic of Congo, has shared a Holy Week video message with the Diocese of Chester in which he encourages us to trust in the Lord.Â
Chester Mystery Plays go online
The renowned Chester Mystery Plays will be streamed on YouTube on Good Friday for the first time in its 700-year history. The live recordings will be broadcast at 10.30am and remain available online to view for eight weeks.
Fraud warning for Treasurers
The Diocesan Secretary, George Colville, has issued a warning to parishes to be on guard for people trying to take advantage of the current situation by fraudulently requesting payments from them.
Fundraising opportunities
Emily Allen, Church Buildings Missioner, offers some practical signposting to potential streams of income and fundraising in this Church House Blog. Not everyone will be eligible for the funding, but they may be worth investigating.
Two Cheshire churches receive £15k grant
St Mary the Virgin Church, Bosley, and St Philip Church, Kelsall will both receive £15k grants from the National Churches Trust. The churches are two of 31 churches and chapels that will receive a share of £330,000.
New Associate Minister for Stockport parish
The Revd Jess Piper has been appointed to the role of Associate Minister for the parish of Stockport St Mary, Stockport St Thomas and Brinnington St Luke. Jess will take up her post sometime over the summer.
Parishes are reaching out with video
More and more parishes are taking advantage of social media and video technology to take their worship online, engaging with their local communities and some unexpected far-off places.
Holy Week worship at the Cathedral
The Diocese of Chester and Chester Cathedral have announced a schedule of live-streaming worship and music to mark Holy Week. As the symbolic centre of the diocese, it is hoped people from across the diocese will join in.
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Palm Sunday with Archdeacon Ian
A Palm Sunday sermon from Archdeacon Ian in which he says: "We're the resurrection people and through the pain of the days ahead we have, as Jesus had, a hope that is born in the promise of eternal resurrection life."
Ministerial Development Review for Clergy
Clergy should now have received notice that this year’s cycle of MDR conversations will be postponed until 2021. The decision was taken due to the fact that clergy are of necessity and having to focus on the immediate pressures of ministry.
Funeral fees
Owing to the fact that an increasing number of funerals are being conducted at crematoria, a number of people have asked about funeral fees. The Diocesan Secretary has requested that the usual fee arrangements continue.
Caring for church buildings
The Church of England has issued an update to its advice for Incumbents, Churchwardens and PCC members to help with some of the practicalities of closing a church building for an extended period of time.
Paper palm cross Sunday
As many will miss the blessing and distribution of Palm Crosses on Sunday, we’re joining dioceses across the country in a campaign, to encourage as many people as possible to make a cross and place it in a window of their home.
"For such a time as this"
As Boris Johnson announced everyone should stay at home, Holy Trinity Blacon had just begun work serving the local population of Blacon with emergency food, organised by a multiagency collaboration called Blacon Action Team.
Could you give someone the gift of life?
A Bunbury parishioner with life-limiting cancer, is appealing for people to sign up for a stem cell donation scheme to see if they are a match for him and others like him. Even with today's restrictions, people are still registering from home.
Funerals and ministers over 70
The bishop and the archdeacons have today written to advise ministers over 70 that they should not be engaging in ministry which involves direct public contact, such as conducting funerals. Read their note in full here.
Bishop Keith: "Share a prayer, pray a prayer"
The Acting Bishop of Chester, Keith Sinclair, is inviting you to “share a prayer and pray a prayer†as part of a diocesan-wide effort to support and serve one another through the coronavirus crisis.
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Safeguarding and DBS factsheet
The Diocesan Safeguarding Adviser wishes to highlight government information designed to address specific concerns that people involved in supporting their community may have at this time.
Download the latest CDN
The April edition of CDN is out now and this month prayer is the focus. Produced before coronavirus had taken hold in the UK, the CDN will become digital-only until further notice, to help to reduce the risk of transmitting the disease.
Brilliant new faith resources
In this blog, Jonathan Masters, Youth, Children and Families Missioner, shares some brilliant new faith resources for families to use at home. He says the resources on offer mean that being a church family at home, "has never been easier."
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Public notices for faculty petitions
Display of public notices for faculty petitions during the Coronavirus restrictions, a Direction from the Chancellor for the Diocese of Chester
Church House Blog: Being a House of Prayer
In this Church House Blog, Emily Allen, Church Buildings Missioner reflects on the decision to close church buildings and provides practical tips and thoughts on how your church building can be a blessing, even when the doors are shut.
Bishop Keith's sermon at Passiontide
Bishop Keith offers a sermon at Passiontide from his home in Wirral. Readings include: Ezekiel 37: 1-14, John 11: 1-45, Romans 6: 8-11. The home sermon follows the archbishops advice to "stay home, protect the NHS, and save lives".
Bishop Keith: "What does a good day look like?"
Bishop Keith offers a reflection for us all, based on his own personal experiences and concerns and asks us to think about what a good day looks like and how we might nurture that at this time.
