Humility has been noticeably absent in the church, we realise, in just glimpsing the vast resource of Living in Love & Faith, published last week. I’m ashamed of the homophobia experienced by so many people. I hope you will join me in committing yourself anew to listening more deeply to God and others and playing your part in a humbler conversation about human sexuality.

Trust has been further shattered through the harrowing IICSA Report published a few weeks ago. Safeguarding is at the heart of the Gospel. Whilst I don’t expect to regain the trust of some, I hope you will join me in committing yourself anew to listening more deeply to God and courageous victims or survivors, and playing your part in ensuring a safer, more trustworthy church.

Wisdom is rather late to the Creationtide party – highlighted at our diocesan synod last week. I was aghast at the fact that by 2030 the effects of climate change will have plunged another 120 million people into abject poverty. Again, I hope you will join me in committing yourself to listening more deeply to God and scientists and playing your part in being environmentally wiser.

I received an email from one of my colleagues this week who understandably feels rather overwhelmed by these agendas: ‘With all that’s going on at the moment, I don’t know if I have capacity to change people’s attitudes to human sexuality, embrace all the implications of IICSA and solve climate change… certainly not if you want it all done before Christmas!’.

My sense is that this is not all about doing but being, becoming and mature faith. Let’s pray that, through the power of the Holy Spirit, we may be transformed into a church which, reflecting the psalmist, is more humble, trustworthy and wise. Much of this is rooted in repentance, listening and judgement: appropriate themes on the threshold of Advent.

Archdeacon Paul

Government guidance 

Following recent government announcements we have amended our FAQs regarding reopening churches from 2nd December. You can find them on our Coronavirus page here. Please note that we are still awaiting more detailed guidance from both the Government and the Church of England so some answers may change. It is clear that places of worship in all tiers may open for worship services from 2nd December. We expect building capacity to be based on 2m social distancing between households and the use of face masks. We anticipate further guidance will be forthcoming regarding both public worship in December and during the Christmas period (which may be different).

If you have any further questions please contact parishcoordination@cofeguildford.org.uk.
 

Financial update from Diocesan Synod

At the recent Diocesan Synod, Nigel Lewis (Chair of Guildford Diocesan Board of Finance) gave an update on finances alongside his presentation on the diocesan 2021 budget and forecast for 2022-3. You can see the slides and read the speaking notes here (link).

While there have been huge challenges this year that have led to a large forecast deficit for 2020, the response and generosity of our parishes, who helped us understand their financial position and paid parish share in advance, has been a huge step toward being able to weather the storm. Church House Guildford use of the furlough scheme and holding vacancies also helped to reduce the size of our forecast deficit, as did a one-off contribution from the Church Commissioners.

Looking ahead at the budget for 2021, it looks like another year where our income will be challenged, not least as our parishes recover from a second lockdown. Bishops Council and Diocesan Synod have therefore approved a number of assumptions for the 2021 budget to help reduce the shortfall, albeit still leaving a large deficit. This includes an assumption that there will be no stipend or staff salary increases, a need to reduce parish share shortfalls through the Health & Viability Review, and a need to find further ongoing savings at CHG.

Government launches Faith Engagement Review

The Bishop of London, Sarah Mullally, who leads the Church of England’s Recovery Group, has welcomed the opportunity for people nationally to respond to an independent review on Government engagement with faith communities.

The review, which predates the Covid-19 pandemic, will nonetheless inform how government engages with faith groups during the Covid-19 recovery phase and beyond. This consultation will last for 4 weeks from 13 November until 11 December 2020. 

This survey is to inform a report exploring the following issues:
 

• the first section asks the question, “Are faith groups, places of worship and people of faith a force for good in society?”
• the second section explores the extent to which government and its agencies have sufficient faith literacy and considers the partnership between faith groups and the State
• the third section looks at some aspects where harm might be caused through religious or faith-based practices and a review of the government’s role in tackling them
• the fourth and final section will be a set of recommendations for the government to consider and respond to

You can fill in the survey here – please share your voice with this important review and encourage your parish congregations to be heard as well. 

For those involved with Church of England schools, there are specific questions on their role in the country’s education provision, so if you are involved in working or supporting a Church school as a governor, member of the clergy or a teacher, do please complete the survey – the questions on schools and education begin at question 33.

#PrayerForTheNation further resources

You can sign up to daily reflections and video content here

Sunday Sermon

In the Bishop’s Sermon for Advent Sunday,  Bishop Andrew looks at the theme of ‘the end of the world’, focussing on the lectionary readings for the day and especially the gospel reading from Mark 13:24-end

This webinar marks the launch of the Creation Care awards scheme, which is designed to help households better care for God’s earth. The webinar will feature

• Bishop Ruth Bushyager, Bishop of Horsham
• Revd Dr Dave Bookless, Director of Theology, A Rocha International
• Annabelle South, St Paul’s Action on Climate and the Environment

Diocesan resources to help you locally until Epiphany 2021

We have had a number of conversations with our clergy and lay ministers this week and we know this is an extremely challenging time. We asked what support you would like from us and what support you wouldn’t. To confirm what we are going to offer this year:

1. We will continue to share Bishops’ Sermons based on lectionary readings each week (this will definitely carry on to and will include Epiphany – Jan 3rd)
2. We will continue to host practical workshops (Wednesday webinars) to share ideas on how to survive and thrive in this lockdown period and beyond
3. We will also create a stand alone all age pre-recorded service for you for the 27th December – we hope that this will encourage a number of you to take a well earned rest. Our intention is that this will be available from mid December for your planning purposes.  If you prefer something ‘classic’ that is not all-age, you may wish to point people to join the livestream from the cathedral’s service of Holy Eucharist.
4. The Cathedral live-streamed services of 9 Lessons and Carols and their midnight service will be open to all digitally. Links will be provided by the end of this month.
5. The bishops will be providing an additional Christmas sermon for use in Christmas services. This will be available by mid December.
6. The bishops will also be providing a 2 minute Christmas greeting (which may be particularly useful if you are doing your own sermon). Available mid December.

Sharing resources from other Dioceses

This project is called The Hope of Christmas www.thehopeofchristmas.co.uk and is focussed on Christ, God’s hope among us in a year like no other.  The diocesan mission and education teams, the Cathedral and Soul Survivor Watford have collaborated to produce  a heart-warming nativity film (with a real not-quite-perfect school nativity feel).  The film comes with accompanying resources to enable worship and mission for churches and schools this Christmas (either online or in person).  You can watch a short promo film here – https://bit.ly/33g0gT8

They have created a ‘pick and mix’ suite of downloadable resources to help clergy, readers and teachers to tailor worship for their context:
The nativity film is available in:

• Two episodes – i) Hope in Uncertainty and ii) Light in the Darkness
• Full version
• Full version with a Christmas message

PDFs are available for:
• School assemblies / collective worship
• Family and children’s worship and craft session
• All Age service
• Prayer resources
• Discussion session  

Diocesan resources to help you locally until Epiphany 2021

We have had a number of conversations with our clergy and lay ministers this week and we know this is an extremely challenging time. We asked what support you would like from us and what support you wouldn’t. To confirm what we are going to offer this year:

1. We will continue to share Bishops’ Sermons based on lectionary readings each week (this will definitely carry on to and will include Epiphany – Jan 3rd)
2. We will continue to host practical workshops (Wednesday webinars) to share ideas on how to survive and thrive in this lockdown period and beyond
3. We will also create a stand alone all age pre-recorded service for you for the 27th December – we hope that this will encourage a number of you to take a well earned rest. Our intention is that this will be available from mid December for your planning purposes.  If you prefer something ‘classic’ that is not all-age, you may wish to point people to join the livestream from the cathedral’s service of Holy Eucharist.
4. The Cathedral live-streamed services of 9 Lessons and Carols and their midnight service will be open to all digitally. Links will be provided by the end of this month.
5. The bishops will be providing an additional Christmas sermon for use in Christmas services. This will be available by mid December.
6. The bishops will also be providing a 2 minute Christmas greeting (which may be particularly useful if you are doing your own sermon). Available mid December.

Year of Children and Young People – 2021

In 2021, we are going to focus on goal 3 of Transforming Church, Transforming Lives.   The Mission Team and the Diocesan Education Team have worked closely over the last 10 months to develop an approach that is transformative for local churches. This was put to Diocesan Synod on Saturday and was given overwhelming approval. 

You can find the paper here: https://bit.ly/YCYP2021 

The vision for the year is “For our church communities so to welcome the participation of children, young people and their families, that they want to join with us in following Jesus and growing in faith.” 

Many of you are worried about the effects of Covid on children & youth in your church.  This focus is timely for that reason – we aren’t looking to add an additional programme on your schedule but we want to work with you to find ways to grow your youth and children’s ministry in these complex times. 

#SafeguardingAdultsWeek

This week National #SafeguardingAdultsWeek is taking place Monday 16- Sunday 22 November. For more information visit https://www.surreysab.org.uk and look out for daily tweets from both local and national organizations sharing information. If you are able pls retweet @SurreySAB to raise awareness. 

Working towards Net Zero carbon in the diocese

Earlier in the year, Alison Moulden took over from Lesley Crawley as our Diocesan Environment Officer (see https://www.cofeguildford.org.uk/making-disciples/improving-church-buildings/the-environment), soon after General Synod declared that the global climate emergency was a crisis for God’s creation and a fundamental injustice. 

The motion called on parts of the Church of England to work to achieve year on year reductions in emissions and to urgently examine what would be required to reach net zero emissions by 2030.  Diocesan Synod passed a similar motion on Saturday, with the instruction to set up a cross-departmental Net Zero Working Group to draw up a plan of action to achieve such a target.  Alison and Peter Harwood will work with the Diocesan Environment Group, Church House Guildford and the Bishop’s Leadership team to bring this about.

Making sure payments are identifiable

A big thank you to all the parishes who have shifted from sending us cheques to making payments electronically, we really appreciate it.  The DBF has been receiving an increasing number of unidentified payments with no remittance advice to say who they are from (these tend to be one-off or individual payments rather than Standing Orders, which tend to have a reference). Please would you ensure that any payments are identified clearly and remittance advice is sent through to remittances@cofeguildford.org.uk so the Finance Team can allocate them correctly. Thank you!

Clergy Study Day 2021

Our next Clergy Study day after the Living in Love and Faith (LLF) on 30th November,  is 27^th January from 9.30-1pm on zoom.  The focus will be on “Growing our Children and Youth Ministry” with contributions from Revd Dr Mark Griffiths and Yvonne Morris.  Mark teaches at St Pardarn’s Institute, has a doctorate in Child Evangelism and Church Growth but comes with many years’ experience as a vicar.  Yvonne Morris is the Children’s and Families Ministry Adviser for the Diocese of Oxford.  
 

#PrayerForTheNation further resources

You can sign up to daily reflections and video content here

The Wintershall Nativity this Christmas

Experience the real Christmas story, as you walk through the beautiful grounds of the Wintershall Estate. Join Mary and Joseph travelling to Bethlehem, meet the Shepherds watching their sheep, spot the Angel as you climb the hill and help the Wise Men find the star. This is a truly unique and magical experience for families.

With pre-booked timeslots, and following Covid 19 guidelines, immerse yourselves in the Nativity, while staying safe. The walk should take 1 ½ hours for a mile long walk through fields and woods across the hills at Wintershall.  There is free parking and hot drinks and refreshments will be available. Tickets are £35 per family group of up to 6 people.

Tickets are now on sale: https://www.wintershall.org.uk/nativity-winter-walk

Sunday Sermon

Bishop Jo preaches on ‘Power and Vulnerability’ – from Sunday’s gospel text for Christ the King, Matthew 25:31-46.

November begins with All Souls, including, in many places, a commemoration of loved ones who have died. Then we mark Remembrance Day and Remembrance Sunday, each with a different flavour but with the emphasis on all who have lost their lives in times of conflict and prayer for those who are currently serving in the Armed Forces. And as we observe Remembrance we join with millions across the nation and world who do the same.

As Christians our gaze then turns towards Advent and we anticipate the four great themes of the season, ‘Death, Judgement, Heaven and Hell’. The season of ‘preparation for the coming (adventus) of Christ in his incarnation.

This year we have become conscious of a new kind of ‘front line’. No longer is this term used solely to refer to the military or to armed conflict but it refers to those who serve others in a different kind of uniform in the NHS, health and social care, teaching and the essential services which keep society going.

As we remember those who have died this month the experience of loss has come very close to all. For we may feel that in addition to the loss through bereavement we have lost freedom, autonomy or self-sufficiency.

Remembering is a tool that we can use in finding our way into an uncertain and unclear future. When we remember we actually RE-MEMBER. We put together pieces which have become detached from others. The detachment could be because of death but it could equally be through estrangement, misunderstanding or even through lockdown restrictions.

As we continue in prayer for our nation and her leaders what is it that we could be RE-membering which will then be part of the uncertain future into which God calls us? We definitely don’t know what the future holds but we do know who holds the future.
 
Dean Dianna

Changes in Guidance

We are still waiting on changes but will share what we can, when we can.

We have developed an FAQ based on some of the questions we have received from parishes so far and will keep this up to date. 

There are a number of implications set out in this FAQ however please be aware that the most up-to-date guidance will be found on the Church of England’s coronavirus guidance page  and the government guidance pages (new national restrictions and guidance for places of worship) do check the date at which they were last updated at the top of each page.

If you have questions, please contact the parishcoordination@cofeguildford.org.uk.  
 

Living in Love and Faith 

Yesterday we saw the launch of Living in Love and Faith, an extensive collection of teaching and learning resources to enable the whole church to think more deeply about identity, relationships, marriage and sexuality, in the bigger context of what it means to be human, as those ‘made in God’s image’.

When the work started on Living in Love and Faith – and well before anyone had even dreamt of a national lockdown – who would have realised how important it would become to engage in the kind of open, honest, and gracious discussion that these resources seek to facilitate?

Living in Love and Faith is intended to help the whole church better understand each other and the different perspectives we hold. Clergy in the Diocese of Guildford will be introduced to these resources in a dedicated Clergy Study day (also open to our Licensed Lay Ministers and youth workers) at the end of November.

Bishop Andrew says: “I really look forward to spending time with our clergy and others, focussing on these rich reflections and looking at how we might make the most of them in the months to come. I pray that this process may help to change the way we understand, relate to, and love each other in the church, whatever the theological differences that our discussions might uncover. I also pray that we might understand ourselves a little better through the process, and better model the inclusive, challenging call of Christ in this generation.” 

Resources include a 480-page book, a series of films and podcasts, a course and an online library of other publications in what is thought to be the most extensive work in this area by any faith group in the world. These materials will guide a major process of listening, study and discussion throughout 2021, leading to a process of discernment and decision making in 2022.

Chaplaincy team for LGBTI+ community

In response to Living in Love and Faith we are developing a small chaplaincy team to offer listening, support and prayer to members of the LGBTI+ community and those who stand alongside them. Revd Steve Cox has agreed to head up the team, and we plan to have it up and running by the end of the year. More details to follow. 

Diocesan Safeguarding team – introduction to new members and a goodbye

Jackie is your first point of contact for safeguarding concerns during normal office hours at jackie.broadfoot@cofeguildford.org.uk or by telephone on 07918 559387.  On Fridays, all calls will be diverted to another member of the safeguarding team. For out of hours emergency contacts, please follow the Reporting link on the diocesan website here

We are sadly saying goodbye to Ian Berry who is leaving Guildford to focus on  his role as Diocesan Safeguarding Advisor in the Portsmouth Diocese. Ian has been a crucial and much respected member of the safeguarding team and we wish him well. 

Two Wednesday webinars this week 

Join us at 3pm to hear Bishop Andrew and Bishop Henrik from our link Diocese in Viborg.  One of the blessings of Zoom is the opportunity to meet with people from all around the world. In a unique Wednesday Webinar from 3-4pm tomorrow we will be hearing from one of our link dioceses, Viborg in Denmark, to reflect together on what the Coronavirus has done to our churches, and the wider questions that it’s raised. Four brief contributions from two bishops and two parish priests will inform our discussion – and there will also be time for questions and broader discussion. An optional 30-minute extension will be added to the initial hour for those who wish to take the conversation further (or to stray into the world of Danish mink farms or the background to Brexit!). Register here 

Join us at 7.30pm for a practical webinar for Celebrating Advent and Christmas regardless of restrictions. Emma Coy, from the Mission Enabler team will be hosting with ideas for celebrating the Advent and Christmas seasons with our congregations and communities.  Feel free to come dressed in your best Christmas outfits and bring some festive snacks as we encourage and inspire each other for the season ahead.    Register here
 

#PrayerForTheNation further resources

You can sign up to daily reflections and video content here

Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme extension – November 2020

Following on from the Chancellor’s announcement last week on the extension to the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS), the government has now published a policy paper providing further information.

Whilst full guidance is expected to provide more detail on 10 November, below is the currents status:  
Overview

• The extended scheme is to support individuals and businesses who are “impacted by disruption” caused by COVID-19.
• It will remain open until 31 March 2021.
• For claim periods running to January 2021, employees will receive 80% of their usual salary for hours not worked, up to a maximum of £2,500 per month (the cap is proportional to the hours not worked).
• The government will review the policy in January to decide whether economic circumstances are improving enough to ask employers to contribute more.
• Employees who were on the payroll on 23 September 2020, but who left after that, can be re-employed and claimed for.
• The job retention bonus will not now be paid in February 2021, but a “retention incentive” will be deployed at the appropriate time.

The full document is available on our website here

Sunday Sermon

Bishop Andrew tackles Matthew 25:14-30, the Parable of the Talents, in our Bishops’ Sermon this week, following the lectionary gospel reading for the 2nd Sunday before Advent. He poses the challenge of whether we have got ourselves into a ‘convenient place’ – carefully placing our talent in a hole in the ground – rather than a place of faithfulness and risk. 

Diocesan resources to help you locally until Jan 1 2021

We have had a number of conversations with our clergy and lay ministers this week and we know this is an extremely challenging time. We asked what support you would like from us and what support you wouldn’t.

1. We will continue to share Bishops’ Sermons based on lectionary readings each week (this will carry on until at least Christmas)
2. We will continue to host practical workshops (Wednesday webinars) to share ideas on how to survive and thrive in this lockdown period and beyond
3. We will also create a stand alone all age pre-recorded service for you for the 27th December – we hope that this will encourage a number of you to take a well earned rest. Our intention is that this will be available from mid December for your planning purposes.  If you prefer something ‘classic’ that is not all-age, you may wish to point people to join the livestream from the cathedral’s service of Holy Eucharist.