Smile this Easter

“Let us do something to celebrate Easter, to bring a smile and remind each other what a wonderful time Easter is, even in these difficult circumstances.

Could you make an Easter flag, or banner, to put in your front garden, for Easter Sunday?  Be as creative as you like, it only needs to be a card on a stick with a Happy Easter message on it, big enough for all to see.  If you don’t have a front garden, it could go on a window. 

If you don’t think you are creative, or just want something to colour in, below is a flag for you to print off and colour in.  Also below is a version of the Easter story, based on Luke’s gospel account.  Why not remind yourself what it is we have to celebrate?”

To access a picture to colour Click Here

To Access our Easter Story taken from Luke’s gospel: Chapter 22 – 24 Click Here

Our Churches are Closed

As you may, or may not, know, we have now been asked to close our churches.  This is the message received from our Archbishops:

The Church continues to be alive and active, but our buildings must close

We are seeing a huge increase in the number of people falling sick with COVID-19. We must distance ourselves from one another and prevent the spread of infection in order to save lives.

Therefore, as well as public worship being suspended, this and all church buildings in the Church of England are now closed.

Our worship of God and our care for each other continue but cannot be done in this building.

Our website contains details of how to join others online for prayer, worship, study, and community life.

The vicar/churchwardens of this church can be contacted in an emergency by telephoning or emailing using details on our Contact Us page.

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength . . . Love your neighbour as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.”

To protect the vulnerable amongst us, please do not leave your home except for essential trips.

Best wishes

Coronavirus Update

Useful Link

Government Coronavirus advice

Let’s Pray

A daily prayer video will be posted on our diocesan Facebook page every weekday at 1pm for people across the diocese to join in prayer together

A Resource for Prayer During the Coronavirus Outbreak

The Church of England Facebook Page

The Church of England Daily Prayer

The Church of England website

The churches of St Mary’s and St Chad’s are now closed in line with government advice.

Weekly Video

Our Curate, Ben, is going to produce a weekly video series, hopefully from next week, called “A long obedience in isolation” – where he will interview members of the congregations about how they keep growing as disciples during this difficult time.  This will be then loaded onto YouTube and a link put on our Facebook page and this website.

Sunday talk

We plan to have a Sunday sermon video, again put on YouTube, with links from the this website and Facebook page.

Messy / Family Church

We have to put together an on-line Messy / Family church service – with a video reading / talk, prayers and a craft project. Click Here

Parish Office

You can still email our administrator on parishoffice@stchadstmary.org.uk . 

Prayer Resource

Click here to access our Resource for Prayer during the Coronavirus Outbreak

COVID-19 response

In response to the Government guidance around preventing the spread of COVID-19 (Coronavirus), we have decided to cancel our regular services, the Community Café and other face-to-face contact wherever possible until further notice. The church buildings will be open daily for private prayer and reflection. In order to minimise non-essential social contact, we are continuing to develop ways to minister and fulfil our mission to all in our neighbourhood.

You will find Prayer Resources, Contact Details and other useful information on this website – stchadstmary.org.uk

Please try and help the more vulnerable and let us know if we can try and be of help.

If you require any further information please contact us on 07419 822535 or parishoffice@stchadstmary.org.uk.

Thank you.

Safeguarding Policies

Please note: We have the following policy in place for any service or event.
‘In light of Child Protection and Safeguarding Guidelines of the Church of England, we respectfully ask that any photographs taken by the general public at this event are not posted on any social media website.’

In line with the robust approach to safeguarding by the Church nationally and our response to an independent safeguarding audit, new safeguarding policies are now available for both St Mary’s Stretton and Lichfield Diocese.

Please click here to see St. Mary’s Stretton latest safeguarding policy.

Please click here to see Lichfield Diocese latest safeguarding information.

Sunday Talks

Visit our Sunday Talks page to catch up on our latest talks