How we’re ‘doing church’ now…

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Now the government have lifted COVID restrictions, we’re into a new phase of doing life – and church – while the COVID virus is still around. So how are we doing things in Hodge Hill?

Loving God, and loving our neighbours as ourselves

While COVID infection rates remain high, we will continue to love our neighbours (as we ourselves) by placing the highest priority on SAFETY and INCLUSIVITY in all that we do as church (see our ‘guiding principles’ here). As a committed Inclusive Church, we want no one to feel excluded from full participation in our church community here in Hodge Hill, and we reject and seek to dismantle all exclusions and divisions rooted in gender, sexuality, race, class, disability, physical & mental health, and age. We affirm the recent statement written by Naomi Lawson-Jacobs, Emma Major & Katie Tupling, reminding all of us of the vital place of disabled and clinically vulnerable people within the life of the church.

That means that we continue to offer weekly worship packs – either delivered to your doorstep, or shared electronically via email (or our church WhatsApp group). We will also continue to record the readings and reflections for each week, which are available (from every Saturday evening) on our dial-up reflection phone line: 0121 227 5533.

We are also continuing a monthly, outdoors ‘Muddy Church’ gathering, in one of our local green spaces. This is as much ‘church’ as anything else that we do – an opportunity (for all ages) to connect with God, with each other, and with the natural world around us. It includes opportunities to wander and explore, to reflect on your own and with others, to pray, and to share communion together. Each Muddy Church gathering is advertised via our Facebook page.

There are now also weekly ‘Inside Church’ gatherings, at the Hodge Hill Church building (242 Coleshill Road B36 8BG), at 9am and 10.30am on Sunday mornings. To ensure the safety of all who attend, we are continuing to limit numbers (which means you need to book your place), space out the chairs, keep doors open to ventilate the space, and ask you to please wear a face mask (unless you have a physical or psychological condition that means that’s difficult for you). You can book your place at an ‘Inside Church’ service by texting Al on 07738119210 by Thursday evening each week.

At our ‘Inside Church’ services, we serve you the bread and (non-alcoholic) wine of communion in your seats, using individual wafers and cups (in line with normal URC practice). We continue to ensure high levels of hygiene, including sanitising our hands on the way into church – and by those serving communion. Our ministers (those leading the service) are also committed to a weekly pattern of lateral flow tests, within 24 hours of Sunday services – and we encourage other attendees to do likewise, if you’re able. In our church community we love singing together: but for the moment we will do that only for the final part of the service, where we will be outside in the church garden, in the fresh air, safely distanced from one another.

All other activities that take place in the Hodge Hill Church building will continue with similar measures in place: with limited numbers (in line with our building risk assessments), wearing face masks, physical distancing, and sanitising hands.

Re-connecting with each other, with God and with ourselves

The last year has been overwhelming for all of us, we’ve lost beloved members of our church community (among many others in the wider world), and even now, there are many aspects of life that continue to cause stress and anxiety for many of us. Over the next few months, we want to take every possible opportunity…

  • to spend time together relaxing, re-connecting, and having fun together
  • to spend time catching up with each other and sharing our experiences and reflections on the past year, and our hopes and plans for the coming months – paying attention to our own physical and emotional well-being and that of others
  • to offer quiet spaces to reflect and pray – to connect with God, reflecting together on our past, present and future
  • to host some gatherings to bring our griefs and losses to God, remembering loved ones who we have lost in the past year (or longer ago)

All these will be advertised via our church Facebook page – and our weekly news sheet.

If you’d like to receive the news sheet (via email) – or if you have any questions or comments about what we’re doing here at the moment – text or email Al on 07738119210 / hodgehillvicar@hotmail.co.uk.

‘Doing church’ in the post-lockdown ‘transition’ phase

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In this time of great change, uncertainty, and ongoing caution about the possible spread of the COVID-19 virus, Hodge Hill Church is alive and kicking, growing loving community, in the love of God, with all our neighbours, across Hodge Hill. Here we outline our current position on how we are ‘doing church’ – in its many different forms – in line with the latest government guidance and our own guiding principles for our life together.

Guiding principles

  • ‘Going forward, not back’: we will learn from, and build on, our experience of ‘being church’ during this time – whatever is ahead will be different to ‘pre-COVID’ life
  • Inclusivity: however we ‘do church’ in this next phase, we want no one to be excluded – whether through health vulnerabilities, lack of internet access, or any other reason – from a ‘core’ part of church life that others are able to enjoy; this includes doing everything we can to ensure that we all stay connected together as one church community
  • Safety: we will prioritise everyone’s health and safety, including minimising the risk of infection, in everything we do
  • Integrity: we will continue to ‘do church’ in ways that are authentic to our ‘DNA’ – the values and ‘ways of being’ that we have learnt and developed here
  • Diversity: there will be no ‘one size fits all’ way of ‘being church’ that will work for everybody – we will need to continue offering diverse opportunities to be part of the life of our church community
  • Capacity: we will need to be realistic about what, between us, we are able to offer, and what we don’t (at least at the moment) have the capacity to do
  • Gift-led: ‘doing church’ is not something that some of us do for others to consume –we will strive to encourage and draw on the gifts of all church members to ‘make church happen’ together
  • Communication: we will continue to communicate, as clearly, frequently and widely as possible, the latest information on what we are doing and why

Ongoing opportunities to engage and stay connected

  • Weekly ‘worship at home’ packs (and ‘Trees of Life’ resources) for worship and prayer, reflection and discussion – delivered to your door, or shared electronically via email and/or social media
  • Dial-in reflection line – to listen to congregation members reading the bible readings and a reflection for the week
  • Pastoral phone network – weekly calls/texts from one of our pastoral care team, to see how you’re doing, and to offer a space to reflect and talk together
  • WhatsApp prayer requests group – including resources for Morning and Evening Prayer each day
  • Daily Prayer on Zoom – (9am for 9.15am start)
  • Sunday morning ‘coffee and chat’ on Zoom (11am – 12 noon)
  • Sunday afternoon Zoom gathering (1.30-2.30pm) for reflection/discussion on the week’s readings and reflections
  • Junior Church gatherings on Zoom – fortnightly (usually on a Sunday afternoon)

New opportunities to connect with others

  • Old Rectory – ‘retreat days’ (for individuals or households), using the prayer room and/or the garden and prayer hut
  • ‘Garden gatherings’ – safely distanced gatherings of up to 6 people in someone’s garden, to connect, reflect, talk and (possibly!) eat together
  • ‘Walk and talk’ and picnics – safely distanced walks and picnics, for up to 6 people, to connect, reflect, talk and (possibly!) eat together
  • Neighbourhood pilgrimages / trails – occasional opportunities to walk, alone or with others, engaging with temporary ‘installations’ in locations around our area
  • Other gatherings on Zoom (times TBC) for connection, reflection & discussion

Opening the church building

  • The Mission & Ministry Oversight Group is currently working on a step-by-step process towards at least partial re-opening of the church building, for some limited use, shaped by the ‘guiding principles’ we have outlined above. This includes conducting a thorough risk assessment process, which needs to be fed back to the United Reformed Church synod office, as the body with legal oversight of building-related matters.
  • If anyone has any particular ideas, suggestions or questions, in connection with how the church building might be re-opened, for what purpose, and on what timescale, please get in touch with any of the church’s ministers, church wardens or church secretaries.

The Mission & Ministry Oversight Group (MMOG) will review this position every month, and communicate any changes. We are always keen to hear any feedback, questions or suggestions you might have, to help us all to make the best decisions we can, and to help us all, as the community of Hodge Hill Church, to live our life together as fully and faithfully as possible.

 

Revd Al Barrett, on behalf of Hodge Hill Mission & Ministry Oversight Group (MMOG)
v2, 6th July 2020

 

Welcome to Hodge Hill Church!

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Welcome to the website for Hodge Hill Church – a partnership between St Philip & St James (Church of England) and Hodge Hill United Reformed Church. We are committed to being an Inclusive Church and try to live out that commitment to God’s inclusivity in all that we do.

We meet at the ‘Blue Cross Church’ (242 Coleshill Road B36 8BG) every Sunday for worship (10.30am), but are also present and active in all kinds of ways in our wider neighbourhood.

Use the navigation menu (on the left) to find out more – or contact us…

Launching ‘Trees of Life’

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Growing tree

We’re really excited to launch our new ‘Trees of Life’ programme for exploring and deepening our discipleship, ‘together, apart’. Trees of Life resources will be coming out weekly, offering readings and reflections to use in ‘worship at home’ on Sundays and over the following days. There are also lots of opportunities to reflect with others, over the phone, on walks together, or in small groups in people’s gardens.

‘Trees of Life’ has taken months of germination, and is being co-created by folk from across the Hodge Hill Church community. You can find an introduction to the programme, and the weekly resources, on our dedicated ‘Trees of Life’ website: www.TreesOfLifeHodgeHill.blogspot.com

RESOURCES FOR HOLY WEEK & EASTER

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In these strange and challenging times, when we are unable to gather together, celebrating Easter ‘together, apart’ is going to be hard – impossible, even, to celebrate fully.

In the days ahead, we might find that some days feel like ‘Good Friday’ – days where suffering and death fill our minds and hearts. Some days might feel like ‘Holy Saturday’ – an empty space where we’re able to do hardly anything, where the numbness of grief and shock are overwhelming. But there will certainly be some ‘Easter Sunday’ days, where we catch at least glimpses of life, hope, joy and resurrection.

Although we’ve prepared these resources especially for the weekend from Good Friday to Easter Day (10th – 12th April), they are designed for you to be able to use them whenever you want to or need to, in the coming weeks. You might want to think of ‘Good Friday’, ‘Holy Saturday’ and ‘Easter Sunday’ as different ‘moods’ – pick what feels most appropriate for the mood you’re living through right now.

GOOD FRIDAY

HOLY SATURDAY

EASTER SUNDAY

OUR CHURCH BUILDING IS CLOSED

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At the moment, staying at home is the best way to stop the spread of the COVID-19 virus. We are therefore not now opening the church, either for public worship or for private prayer.
But that doesn’t mean church stops! We continue to offer other ways for us all to pray and worship ‘together’…
1. Daily Prayer: Mon-Fri, 9.15am & 5pm
Some of us are saying a short, simple form of daily prayer twice a day, Monday to Friday. We’ll share the words we’re using (on here, and via the WhatsApp group – see below), so you can join with us where you are.
2. Sunday ‘worship packs’ – online & home delivery
We are sharing a weekly ‘worship pack’ for people to use at home. They include a simple liturgy (based on our Sunday communion service), some readings and reflections, and (for those who want it) some activities for children.
We can deliver these to your door if you tell us you’d like one. We’ll also be posting the liturgy, readings and reflections in our church Facebook group – https://www.facebook.com/groups/HodgeHillChurch – or directly to your Inbox if you request it.
3. Prayer requests
If you’d like some of us to say prayers for you, or your friends, family or neighbours, at Morning and Evening Prayer each day, and on Sundays, do get in touch with us. Either send a Facebook message or a text to me (Al – 07738 119210) or Jenni (07377 363915), or join the WhatsApp Prayer Requests group using this link:

 

God of healing and hope,
in Jesus you meet us in our places of pain and fear.
Look with mercy on those who have contracted the virus,
on any who are vulnerable, and on all who feel in danger.
Through this time of global concern,
by your Holy Spirit bring out the best not the worst in us.
Make us more aware
of our interdependence on each other,
and on the strength that comes from being one body in you.
Through Christ our wounded healer. Amen.

(Sam Wells)

NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR PRAYER & WORSHIP

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With public gatherings suspended for the time being, we’ll need to find creative new ways to pray and worship ‘together’. This is what we’ll be offering as Hodge Hill Church:
1. Daily Prayer: Mon-Fri, 9.15am & 5pm
Some of us will be saying a short, simple form of daily prayer twice a day, Monday to Friday. We’ll share the words we’re using, so you can join with us where you are.
2. ‘Open Church’, Sunday 10am-12
The church building will be open this Sunday from 10am-12 noon, for individuals to pop in for a little moment of quiet prayer and reflection. There will be opportunities to sit and listen to music, to light a candle, and to take away a bunch of Mother’s Day flowers.
3. ‘Worship packs’ – home delivery
We are putting together some ‘worship packs’ for people to use at home. They will include a simple liturgy (based on our Sunday communion service), some readings and reflections, a candle, and (for those who want it) some activities for children. We can deliver these to your door if you tell us you’d like one. We’ll also be posting the liturgy, readings and reflections on this Facebook page – or directly to your Inbox if you request it.
4. Prayer requests
If you’d like some of us to say prayers for you, or your friends, family or neighbours, at Morning and Evening Prayer each day, do get in touch with us. Either send a text to me (Al – 07738 119210) or Jenni (07377 363915), or join the WhatsApp group using this link:

Come and join Hodge Hill’s Common Ground Community: sharing life, learning together, seeking shalom

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[NB. we’re renewing this invitation for new residents, with possible start dates / application deadlines as follows:

  • Jan 2020 start – applications by 31st Oct 2019
  • Apr 2020 start – applications by 31st Jan 2020
  • Sept 2020 start – applications by 31st Jun 2020]

Who we’re looking for

  • Short- to medium-term (minimum 10 months) resident community members – wanting to explore the fun, challenges and life-changing possibilities of sharing a common life together (perhaps alongside studies or paid work), engaging in a rich diversity of pioneering missional activities, sharing your gifts and exploring God’s call alongside wise lay people and experienced Anglican priests, and learning together more about God, the world, and a lived-out Christian faith among our neighbours.

What’s the ‘common ground community’?

  • The Common Ground Community is an intentional, missional community, with ‘resident members’ living in our Old Rectory Community House, and ‘local members’ dispersed across the wider neighbourhood. Part of the ‘extended family’ of Hodge Hill Church (an Anglican-URC ecumenical partnership, and a registered Inclusive Church), Common Ground is involved in nurturing what we call ‘homely’ expressions of church locally (as well as larger, more familiar Sunday services), and in developing a new missional expression of church (‘FABChurch’) on the Firs & Bromford estate.
  • Together we are seeking to learn and live out rhythms of life shaped by ‘shalom’ (peace, justice, wholeness), and expressed in sharing activity, food and friendship with our neighbours, and reflecting, learning and praying together as a community. We’re involved in community cafés and multi-cultural women’s groups, street parties and forest spaces, community gardening and climate change protests. We learn together, from our neighbours, and from a wider network of travelling companions across the UK and the wider world.

Where we are

  • We’re in the diverse, multi-cultural and rapidly-changing area of Hodge Hill, in East Birmingham, near M6 Junction 5. The Old Rectory (B36 8AG) is in a quiet spot on the edge of Hodge Hill Common.

What happens at The Old Rectory?

  • The Old Rectory Community House is:
    •    a shared home for CGC resident members (to be joined, in Autumn 2020, by additional residents in a 2nd house on the Firs & Bromford estate)
    •    a place of welcome, hospitality and relationship-building – hosting a weekly ‘Place of Welcome’, regular meals and quiet days (for individuals and groups)
    •    our main venue for ‘homely church’ (and CGC) gatherings – smaller, more intimate (but often growing!) gatherings for worship, prayer and learning
    •    a place of hospitality to asylum-seekers (offering up to 6-month accommodation through Birmingham Community Hosting)

Practicalities

  • Resident members commit to being worshipping members of Hodge Hill Church, twice-monthly Common Ground Community gatherings, a weekly pattern of meals and prayer in the Old Rectory, and developing a personal rule/rhythm of life.
  • Short- to medium-term resident members will be joining the Old Rectory’s long-term ‘anchor resident’, Genny Tunbridge, and will share with Genny in the hospitality and day-to-day running of the house, add capacity to developing and maintaining the garden, and help sustain and further develop the house’s rhythm of prayer.
  • We currently have 2 vacant bedrooms (a small double and a single). Residents make an affordable financial contribution (higher if working in paid employment) towards the running costs of the Old Rectory (covers rent and bills, but not food).

Who are we looking for?

  • You might be someone exploring what kind of life / vocation God is calling you to (we offer a wide-range of opportunities to experience community, mission and ministry, alongside both lay and ordained people)
  • You will bring your particular passions and gifts to enlarge and enrich what is already happening here (you might be a musician, a gardener, or bring experience in adult discipleship or children’s work – or something else we’ve not even dreamed of!)
  • You will also need to bring:
    •    A love for people
    •    An emotional resilience
    •    A calm consistency in an environment of diverse happenings and unexpected arrivals
    •    An ability to cope with times of people-intensive busyness, and times when the house is quiet
    •    A keenness to develop your own spirituality and that of others
    •    A commitment to an inclusive church community

How do I find out more?

  • Please note deadlines for application at the top of this post.
  • Come and visit us! We encourage potential residents to do a couple of ‘taster’ visits – come to church on a Sunday and back to the Old Rectory for lunch; and then come back and stay at the Old Rectory for 3 to 7 days.
  • If you then want to explore further, we have a tried-and-tested discernment process (includes references, a couple of ‘interviews’ and a session with a psychotherapist).
  • To start the conversation, contact
    • Revd Al Barrett (hodgehillvicar@hotmail.co.uk / 07738 119210)
    • Revd Jenni Crewes (revjennicrewes@gmail.com / 07377 363915)

Moving forward – together

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We’ve recently made some important decisions about our next steps together as a church.

As Hodge Hill Church, we are committed to “Growing Loving Community – in the love of God, with all our neighbours, across Hodge Hill”.

We understand that “growing” in at least 5 dimensions:

  • growing spiritually (‘roots’): growing deeper in our learning, praying and living the way of Jesus
  • growing communally (‘trunk’): growing together as a church community, beyond ‘us and them’, drawing out and sharing all the gifts we have in our midst
  • growing missionally (‘branches’): growing wider in encountering and making friends with more and more of our neighbours
  • growing evangelistically (‘leaves’): with more and more of our neighbours, discovering afresh the story of Jesus (in ways that change us as well as change others)
  • growing the Kingdom (‘fruit’): nurturing and celebrating compassion, generosity, trust, friendship and hope in all that we are, and in our neighbourhoods around us

To help us in that ‘growing’, at our Church Meeting on Sunday 21st October, we agreed 3 key proposals for moving forward together.

Proposal #1: continue to develop plans for ‘messy & missional church’, building on the relationships we’ve made through our community-building work in the Firs & Bromford, to journey with our neighbours in developing new ways to meet together to eat together, discover afresh ‘the Jesus-story’, pray, and share bread and wine.

Proposal #2: develop a single, consistent Sunday 10.30am ‘core service’ – replacing our current monthly pattern of alternating services between URC and CofE traditions. This new service (to be piloted from March to Sept 2019) will be shaped by these key principles:

  • Missional (accessible for newcomers) & inclusive (including children)
  • Consistent in look & feel (including arrangement of chairs)
  • Consistent in structure & style
  • Drawing on both traditions (URC & CofE) & beyond
  • Eucharistic
  • Locally led (lay & ordained, CofE & URC, using gifts of whole congregation)
  • Possibilities for different options in ‘ministry of the word’ (e.g. monthly pattern and/or splitting into different parts of the building)
  • 5th Sundays & Festivals a wider, ‘whole church’ celebration together with people from Homely and Messy & Missional gatherings

Proposal #3: develop new oversight structures – extending the oversight of Worship Planning Group and Pastoral Oversight Group to all of our ‘expressions of church’, and creating a new ‘Strategic Leadership Team’ to oversee:

  • connectivity between different expressions of church
  • mission, discipleship and nurturing a ‘growing culture’
  • learning and training, including growing leaders