Jesus prayed to his Father “May they all be one”. (John 17:21)
There is a much greater open-ness and co-operation between Christians from different churches and denominations, and music can often help to break dividing walls.
Ecumenical news from Northampton and the surrounding area is featured here on this page.
Prayer & Praise for Northampton is now hosted by
Churches Together in Northampton
and continues on the first Monday of every other month.
Download a poster for September-November 2018
ARCHIVE PRAYER & PRAISE:
Prayer & Praise for Northampton Summer 2016
Photos from P&P at St Giles Church in 2015 here
Photos on the Vine from NTCG in 2014 and
All Nations Church in 2015 on the VINE here
CTE 2018 FORUM: Together in God’s Mission
The broadest ecumenical representative gathering of Christians in England – last September at The Hayes Conference Centre, Swanwick.
Reports, photos and videos from Churches Together in England here
The Musician in Residence wrote about The music at Forum here
Watch The Lord’s Prayer – a new musical piece commissioned for Forum
CTE Conference 16 to 18 October 2017 at The Hayes Conference Centre, Swanwick, Derbyshire
Link to a fascinating Report and Reflection
on this unique conference HERE
As well as providing musical accompaniments,
“One metaphor we were given is of us all as 
allotments in God’s garden, rather than as
having our own private gardens.”
This then inspired a graphic illustration of Allotments as a way of showing how churches sometimes get on with their neighbours! See pdf: God’s Garden of Allotments
A new walk of witness on Good Friday in 2017 from Westone to Weston Favell Shopping Centre was led by people of all ages from local churches.
What’s good about Good Friday?
That was the question behind this unique journey together. Walking through the shopping centre singing Jesus remember me when you come into your kingdom, in beautifully improvised harmony, over forty people then gathered at the Community Area outside Tesco, to watch a short drama based on hands, followed by the song How deep the Father’s love, with sign language to bring the words to life more deeply. A Gospel reading and some reflections led to When I survey the wondrous cross, which many people joined in, and finally Here is love, vast as the ocean – gave just a hint of God’s great love for Our Community – on Good Friday.
Photos: Christiaan De Haes
Towards harmony in the post-Reformation church
was the subject of the RSCM’s International Summer School held in Liverpool, with liturgies at the Metropolitan and Anglican cathedrals, growing harmonious relationships between musicians from different traditions and countries.
In a talk on Music and Liturgy for Parish Mission and Ministry, Teresa Brown described music as one of the wheels that keeps the liturgy moving in a parish.
See this illustration of PARISH MUSICIANS IN HARMONY for discussion.
THY KINGDOM COME
PREPARING FOR PENTECOST IN 2017 :
AN ECUMENICAL PENTECOST NOVENA
As a resource for this year’s THY KINGDOM COME prayer initiative, this Ecumenical Pentecost Novena may be used between Ascension Thursday and Pentecost Sunday.
This service was devised by the Diocesan Evangelisation Team in Northampton. It encourages Catholic churches to invite neighbouring Christian churches to join them in prayer together for a new outpouring of the Holy Spirit in our own lives, upon the Church and the whole world.
It has also been translated into Polish: Ekumeniczna Nowenna przed Zesłaniem Ducha Świętego
Copies of the Ecumenical Pentecost Novena in English and Polish can be downloaded from here.
ECUMENICAL LINKS
Churches Together in England
CTE website
with Reflection of the Month:
“Ecumenical Choir wants an Encore!” here
PAST EVENTS
21st January 2015 Northampton Cathedral
A Celebration of Ecumenism in Northampton
Bishop Peter Doyle invited church leaders from across the four counties of the diocese and from Churches Together in England, to Northampton Cathedral to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Vatican Council’s decree on Ecumenism – Unitatis Redintegratio – during the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.
Photos: Tony Allen
The congregation that filled the cathedral were delighted to see the diversity of clergy gathered from a variety of traditions, seated in a semicircle around the altar. Greek Ecumenical Patriarch Archbishop Gregorius read the Gospel and the preacher was the Archbishop Bernard Longley of Birmingham.
Read the full News report here
Read the Homily of Archbishop Bernard Longley, 21 January 2015 here
A choir of 50 singers was recruited by the Cathedral’s Director of Music Teresa Brown to lead the congregation in song and end the evening on a joyful note with the Hallelujah Chorus!
Link to photos of the choir and details of the music on this page:
ECUMENICAL CHOIR
21 June 2014 St Augustine’s Church, Milton Keynes
“Ecumenism: The Joy and the Challenge”
This meeting of the Ecumenical Commission of Northampton diocese included the opportunity to see what Pope Francis has to say about Christian unity in these two short videos:
YOUTUBE: Pope calls for Christian Unity during general audience
YOUTUBE: Pope Francis on Catholics, Orthodox and other Christians
They were followed by some fascinating discussions and sharing with Bishop Peter Doyle and representatives from parishes and their ecumenical friends.
6 June 2015 St Augustine’s Church, Milton Keynes
“Ecumenism and the Ordinariate”
Hosted by Bishop Peter Doyle and the Ecumenical Commission of Northampton diocese
Guest Speaker: Mgr Keith Newton, Leader of the Ordinariate in England and Wales.
6 June Ecumenism & Ordinariate poster