Monday 22nd March 2021
A National Day of Reflection – 23rd March
How we are joining this national day to reflect on the events of the past year
On the anniversary of the first Covid-19 lockdown we’ll be pausing to reflect. Initiated by the charity Marie Curie, the National Day of Reflection on 23rd March is being marked across the country. It will be a time to reflect on our collective loss, support those who’ve been bereaved, and hope for a brighter future.
Across Pilgrims’ Friend Society we will be marking the event in various ways. These will include a special time of prayer and reflection, observing the one minute’s silence at 12pm and lighting candles as it gets dark.
Stephen Hammersley, Chief Executive of Pilgrims’ Friend Society, said, “We have all lost a lot this year. Many have lost people who were precious to them, and others have lost their health and sense of well-being. They all need to know that they are not forgotten. When I pause for a minute in silent prayer at 12pm, I will be thinking of colleagues who have experienced grief and distress, and the tributes I have read from relatives thanking us for looking after their family members so well and so selflessly.
One of our homes which experienced profound loss early in the pandemic was Finborough Court in Suffolk, where several residents sadly passed away from the virus. Recalling the events of a year ago, Jonathan Dorrington, Business Manager at the home said, “At first there was barely time to take a breath, let alone grieve, as we hurried to understand the government guidance which changed day by day, get hold of PPE and adapt to a very different home life. This year we can look back and see how faith in God has brought us through a dark season.”
In the midst of the pandemic, staff at Finborough Court were encouraged by how the village joined in with the Thursday Clap for Carers, clapping outside their home. The community also created a Just Giving page to raise money for staff. The home is now thinking of using these funds to create a memorial their garden to remember those they lost.
As you reflect on the pandemic, however you have been affected, we hope that you will experience the Lord’s peace and comfort, and a sense of hope for the future. Do keep us and our homes and schemes in your prayers.
Jonathan Dorrington has written a piece about Finborough Court's experiences during the pandemic for the website Christian Today.
Read it here: Reflections from a Christian care home in the valley of the shadow of death
