No Palm Sunday processions or donkeys this year, but the glory of Easter will be shared by online worshippers, urges Bishop Nick in a letter .png)
to clergy sent today.
"We can still re-live the events and significance of the day on our own or via social media," writes Bishop Nick in an Ad Clerum, printed in full below.
"The same, of course, applies to Holy Week and Easter.
"We are invited to walk with Jesus and his friends into the uncertain and unknown future, opening ourselves to the cost of sacrifice and the joy of surprise."
He also invited clergy and to engage daily with the many resources availabe on the diocesan website and also access support materials on our Digital Learning Platform.
Our three cathedrals in Bradford, Ripon and Wakefield are jointly preparing a special online Easter Sunday, which will feature reflections and a blessing by Bishop Nick.
Their Facebook pages all carry details of other digital events, including livestream celebrations of Palm Sunday.
Maunday Thursday will also see an online event livestreamed from Wakefield Cathedral, instead of the usual Chrism Eucharist that, in normal circumstances, gathers all our clergy together for a sacred renewal of vows.
A Palm Sunday video message from Bishop Nick will be available on our website's new Easter Section tomorrow and will also be shared on our Facebook and Twitter pages.
Biahop Nick's Ad Clerum is shared below:
To all Clergy in the Diocese of Leeds
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
I write this on the eve of Palm Sunday. This year there will be no processions and no donkeys. But, we can still re-live the events and significance of the day on our own or via social media. The same, of course, applies to Holy Week and Easter. We are invited to walk with Jesus and his friends into the uncertain and unknown future, opening ourselves to the cost of sacrifice and the joy of surprise.
In this letter I simply want to encourage you as we enter Jerusalem with Jesus and his friends, walking the way of the cross and finding the world turned upside down. The bishops are praying for you as, deprived of the usual markers along the journey, you creatively lead your people through to Easter and beyond.
You might like to direct people to the diocesan website each day. I have recorded a video reflection, each one lasting only a couple of minutes, to accompany us through the week or so ahead. Go to /lets-celebrate-easter-online-together.php and from there to /video-diaryeaster-2020 .
In the absence of a physical Chrism Eucharist this year, Wakefield Cathedral will be streaming a ‘programme’ at 11am (and available on the website thereafter) in which my daily reflection will be accompanied by a form of ‘reaffirmation of ordination and discipleship vows’ which you can join in with: https://m.facebook.com/wfdcathedral/ .
Our cathedrals will also stream content on Easter Day, including my reflection and the Easter Blessing. There will be a link on the diocesan website. I should have been celebrating at Bradford Cathedral on Easter Day and you can go straight there at https://bradfordcathedral.org/worship/live-stream/.
As well as local initiatives for Holy Week and Easter, here are a few others:
- https://www.rumoursofhope.co.uk/ - great resource for the Easter Vigil.
- Light at Home is a group for resourcing families with faith-based activities for use at home, which has been developed by the Diocese of Leeds Children, Young People and Families and Education Teams on the Diocesan Learning Platform. There are a range of ideas and resources to support families as they journey through Holy Week and Easter, which can be found here. These are suitable both for churchgoing families and those on the fringes of church life, so do please promote them widely.
- Other online resources for Holy Week and Easter have been collated by our Clergy Development and Lay Training Teams. They can be found through these links: learning.leeds.anglican.org/resource/online-resources-during-covid-19/ and learning.leeds.anglican.org/community/cabin-fever-covid19/
- Our DDO published a book this week on the theme of vocation. It is called ‘God Calls Everyone’ and can be ordered from https://www.eden.co.uk/god-calls-everyone/ .
Despite everything, may you be blessed this Holy Week and Easter.
Rt Revd Nick Baines
Bishop of Leeds