Say Grace together at your Big Jubilee Lunch
On Sunday 3 June, the Queen has invited the nation to sit down together with neighbours and friends for a Big Jubilee Lunch. To mark the occasion, a special Grace has been written and has been seen by Her Majesty:
Grace for Diamond Jubilee Lunches
O God, the author of peace and lover of concord,
we give you thanks for the Diamond Jubilee of
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth; for her steadfast
faith and for her royal service to this nation
and all the peoples of the Commonwealth.
Bless the food before us and the people beside us;
may the sharing of this meal strengthen our
communities, and nurture the bonds between us
of friendship, hope and trust.
We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ
who reigns as servant of all. Amen.
HOPE, the national mission movement, is encouraging churches to take a lead in their communities so that Big Jubilee Lunches start with the Diamond Jubilee Grace, which can be downloaded from the HOPE website
www.hopetogether.org.uk
Roy Crowne, HOPE’s Executive Director, said: ‘The Diamond Jubilee gives everyone a great opportunity to show our gratitude to God for the good gifts we have in life, as well as saying thanks to the Queen for her 60 years of service. Let’s celebrate and let’s use this opportunity to pray together saying this special Diamond Jubilee Grace before we eat together in our communities.’
‘Grace is much more than a signal that it’s time to eat,’ according to the Archbishop of York Dr John Sentamu. He said: ‘Grace is an attitude to the whole of life, and its meaning is “gift”. We need to respond to the daily challenge to be ambassadors of the Grace and love of God, wherever we may be, encouraging the Church – and those outside – to be engaged in the life of this nation for the common good.’