National and diocesan advice
- Clergy looking to welcome refugees under the Homes For Ukraine scheme should read this diocesan guidance in the first instance along with this message from Bishop Michael sent to all clergy. There are also template hosting agreements in English and Ukranian.
- The Church of England has published a ‘toolkit’ of resources for parishes seeking to help refugees from Ukraine, plus additional safeguarding resources.
- The Sanctuary Foundation is asking churches to pledge their support for new arrivals from the Ukraine and has a useful video about welcoming refugees.
- The Derby-based Welcome Churches network has launched a Ukraine Welcome website aimed at welcoming refugees to the UK.
Ideas and experience around our diocese
Give
There are two main recommended routes for donating money: the Diocese in Europe and USPG's emergency appeal and the DEC Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal.
The people of Lichfield Cathedral are showing their colours in solidarity with the suffering of the people of Ukraine. Congregation members are assembling ribbons in blue and yellow for people to wear to show they are holding the Ukrainian people in their prayers. They are on sale in the cathedral for a minimum donation of 50p. Churches and other organisations across the diocese are being asked to do the same thing with all proceeds going to the DEC Appeal. All it takes is some blue and yellow ribbon, safety pins, and a little patience! Email Sue Turner for more information.
Resources
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Stories Of Hope - an eight-study DIscovery Bible resource is has been added to the Discover App and online - the studies are available in both English and Ukrainian.
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Some have asked about the availability of translated material from Common Worship and the Book of Common Prayer.
Whilst discussions are ongoing on the matter of translations into Ukrainian (and any suggestions welcome on this matter), we are able to point to some informal translations into Russian. Russian is a widely used written language in Ukraine in literature, media, and business.
The following have been made available by the Anglican Chaplaincy in Moscow:
- BCP: Morning Prayer, Holy Communion, and Litany
- Common Worship: Holy Communion, Morning Prayer on Sunday, Compline, Collects, Baptism, Marriage, Funeral.
Find them at https://moscowanglican.org/church-of-england-liturgies-in-russian/
Further advice or suggestions may be made with The Revd Dr Matthew Salisbury | National Liturgical Adviser
- The Common Worship communion service, with prayer A, translated into Ukranian.
Other actions by the Church of England include:
- signing a joint statement along with leaders of many other denominations and Christian organistiaons in the UK on behalf of members calling for an immediate cessation of hostilities towards Ukraine.
- Church Commissioners pressuring companies in which they are invested to review trade in Russia.
- seeing and serving in powerlessness - the Anglican church by the Kremlin
- Diocese in Europe and USPG launch Ukraine appeal.
- Attack on Ukraine "an act of great evil" say archbishops of Canterbury and York.
Ukraine flag image by Alex Maisuradze based on 3d work by UP9 licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.