- Fri 29 – Sat 30 May: Join in a pilgrimage at home through everyday items
- Keeping well, keeping praying, keeping connected as one family
The Diocese of Canterbury has re-imagined its planned Day of Prayer and Pilgrimage for the Coronavirus Lockdown.
Pilgrimages across East Kent and a celebration in Canterbury Cathedral had been planned before the pandemic struck. But the team have creatively re-imagined the day so that people can take part from home, while staying connected in prayer.
The Day - which is the Diocese’s Thy Kingdom Come Beacon event - will be the culmination of a 9-day spiritual journey together, beginning on Friday 22nd when we will join our schools, teachers and children at 2:30pm to pray a specially-written prayer together. From Ascension to Pentecost, we will pray and listen to God together, using the Thy Kingdom Come Novena resources.
The Rt Revd Rose Hudson-Wilkin, Bishop of Dover, said: “The virus has taken many things from us, but it cannot rob us of our connection with one another or of our connection with God.
“I want us to all be part of this very unique day, helping us to share with one another and to listen for what God may be saying to us in this most unusual season. As we pause to reflect together on those things we see and use every day in our homes, I wonder what we will hear?
“Our special pilgrimage will allow us to include the whole family, but even for those of us who live alone, it will remind us that we are one family, one diocese, all belonging to the one Body of Christ.”
Bishop Rose will also preach a special Pentecost sermon for Sunday 31 May, which will be available for churches to download in advance.
Each day from 22 May, there will be email reflections and resources to help people to pray for themselves, for their communities and for our nation.
The Diocesan Day of Prayer and Pilgrimage will begin at 7pm on Friday 29 May, encouraging everyone to journey together around their own homes, connecting with God through a pilgrimage using everyday objects.
Over four separate hours from 29 – 30 May, videos will be shared from contributors across the whole of the diocese, with people using simple household objects to reflect on God’s love and presence with us.
These videos will be premiered on Youtube and Facebook so that people can all join the pilgrimage at the same time, wherever they are:
• Friday 29 May: 7pm-8pm (Items needed: phone charger, book, bedside lamp and toothbrush)
• Saturday 30 May: 9am–10am (Items needed: morning drink, soap, phone and socks)
• Saturday 30 May: 12pm-1pm (Items needed: dinner plate, cushion, photo frame and plant)
• Saturday 30 May: 3pm-4pm (Items needed: TV, clock and cake)
• Saturday 30 May: 3.45pm – a short act of worship led by Bishop Rose.
A celebration event is planned for the close of the day. It will be a musical video montage featuring as many people as possible from across the diocese who submit a video of them and their family dancing, singing, or simply walking and waving to an uplifting song. For information about how to get involved or how to send your video, please email nmiller@diocant.org. The deadline for the music video is Tuesday 26 May so please do get in touch as soon as possible.
Focusing on the theme of ‘Listening on the Way’, the team are asking people to share what they are hearing from one another and from God throughout the week – people are encouraged to write or draw their thoughts, take a photo and email prayers@diocant.org, so these can be shared more widely (just let the team know if you’d prefer to remain anonymous).
All the videos and daily reflections will be available on the Canterbury Diocese website – but you can also sign up to receive them by email here.