Transcript
Today, Sunday, the 4th of July is being marked as Thank You Day.
It’s been a challenging year – more than a year now. And the pandemic has raised all sorts of questions and levels of uncertainty for all of us. But one thing that’s been a common feature, is our desire to recognize what others have done through this difficult time and find an opportunity to say thank you to them.
There are so many people to say thank you too throughout the country. Our frontline NHS staff, delivery drivers, shopkeepers, volunteers who have manned the vaccine centers.
So many, many people.
The idea to have a day where we can nationally acknowledge our thanks and gratitude started with 13 individual people. This was then gathered up and has now become a national event supported by hundreds of organizations.
And so today, I want to take the opportunity to say thank you to you.
This has been difficult and challenging year, your churches have had to close from time to time, and you’ve had to work out new ways of worshiping.
And yet through it all, I have heard stories of hope and encouragement. I’ve heard about the ways in which you have served your local communities. It might have been by shopping for elderly people, for those who have been shielding, for checking in on people who are on their own, and making sure they are okay, for collecting prescriptions, for running food banks, for actually cooking meals and taking them to families in need.
There have been so many ways in which you have served your local communities.
So, thank you.
Thank you for the ways in which you have supported your own congregations. You have found new ways to worship together. You’ve learned how to use zoom to meet with one another. You’ve been creative in offering new ways of being fellowship together.
You have held things, well, together. I really want to acknowledge how much this has been challenging, but how creative and imaginative you have been and how that deep desire to be church and to be church together, as being one, that has been our foundation through it.
Jesus said that he is the light of the world, but he invites each one of us to take that light out into the world in our own ways. Throughout the pandemic, I’m aware that there has been light shining in your parishes; in your benefices; in your towns and villages; in your neighbourhoods and local communities. As you have reached out to one another and to the others around you in your communities, so Jesus’ light has shone more strongly.
My thanks. My gratitude. In my prayers for you as you continue to shine the light of Jesus and to bring hope in the dark places.
So this thank you day, I just add my thanks to each and every one of you.
Thank you.
What is Thank You Day?
- Together is a coalition of some of the UK’s best-known organisations, including the Church of England, with the aim of bringing people together and bridging divides, to help build a kinder, closer, and more connected society.
- Together are planning a national ‘Thank You Day’ to take place on Sunday 4 July, to mark the end of this phase of the crisis, to say thank you to everyone who helped us through and to look forward, reminded of what matters and how we want to stay connected to each other in the future. The invitation to take part has been backed by several household names including the Archbishops of Canterbury and York.
- Archbishop Justin has also contributed to an online promotional video in support of the campaign.
