Rebuild My Church – A Moment to Pause and Reflect
Friday 18th September 2020In October 2017, we launched our five-year pastoral renewal programme, Hope in the Future. This October, we were due to begin Stage Four – Proclaiming the Good News.
None of us could have foreseen the way this year turned out. We have been unable to access the Sacraments, and many families around our diocese have faced ill health, isolation and the loss of loved ones.
Given the strangeness of our present circumstances, we think it necessary to have a period of reflection to discern what we have learnt during these challenging times and, in doing so, plan for a brighter “new normal”.
When the time is right, we will relaunch Stage Four of Hope in the Future. But for now, we will take a moment to pause; to remember those we’ve lost and to reflect on the challenges and opportunities presented by the pandemic.
A new digital document called ‘Rebuild my Church’ has been published by the Department of Formation which is full of resources to help us through this period of reflection. You can click here to view that document.
On Sunday 4th October, the day we would usually launch the new stage of Hope in the Future, Bishop John will lead a Holy Hour from Salford Cathedral which will be livestreamed on ChurchServices.tv at 3pm.
The theme of the Holy Hour will be Hope in Difficult Times and we hope it will provide parishioners around our diocese with an opportunity to take stock of the last few months.
The focus is not on moving to stage four but rather reflecting on the presence of the Lord all through lockdown and as we continue on our journey. The Lord has, in a very real sense, answered our prayer and stayed with us on our journey.
We need to pause, draw breath, grieve where we need to grieve but also be grateful where we can be and allow ourselves to be renewed.
Stay with us, Lord, on our Journey
Tagged | Hope in the Future
