Platinum Jubilee

Is your church preparing for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations over the extended bank holiday weekend of 2-5 June 2022?

The UK and Commonwealth will celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee with a 4-day Bank Holiday from 2-5 June 2022. Churches are in an ideal place to bring communities together for these national celebrations, which end on Pentecost Sunday.

Watch Bishop Paul's message for the Queen's Platinum Jubilee

Resources and Ideas 

The Church of England has published their Liturgical resources for The Queen's Jubilee, detailing prayers, readings and more. To access the resources please click here.

HOPE Together has provided a range of resources for your church, including ’70 Acts of Service’, a new contemporary hymn to be used in celebrations and Platinum Jubilee branded banners and posters.

The Song - A new anthem ‘Rise Up and Serve’ has been commissioned by HOPE Together and partners, and written by song writers Graham Kendrick, Mal Pope and the contemporary worship band Rend Collective.

The YouTube video featuring choirs from around the Commonwealth will be produced by Les Moir from the Word & Worship Trust who played a significant role in bringing together The UK Blessing, which has been watched by nearly 5 million people.

What else is planned?

  • Our Faithful Queen - a gift book using rarely-seen prayers the Queen prayed as she prepared for the Coronation. This 64-page book full of photos will be published by HOPE Together and Biblica in March in the same large-format as ‘The Servant Queen and the King She Serves’ which HOPE published with LICC and Bible Society for the Queen’s 90th birthday.
     
  • The new book Our Faithful Queen is based on the prayers the Queen prayed in preparation for her Coronation – they were given to her by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Geoffrey Fisher, in a book of devotions to use from 1 May 1953- to 2 June – her Coronation Day.

An animation and book The Girl Who Grew Up To Be Queen for under 5s is being published using Happyland children’s toys from The Early Learning Centre to explore the question, ‘What do you want to be when you grow up?’

70 Acts of Service is an invitation to communities to celebrate the Queen’s 70 years of service by serving others – the 70 community service ideas include: ideas for individuals, small groups and whole communities. Examples include:

  • Drop a small card to a hidden hero, just to let them know they’re noticed.
     
  • In a queue? Buy the next person in line a coffee/sandwich/pint along with your order. Or pay for a bus ticket for the person behind you.
     
  • Ask a local care home if there are residents who have no visitors, who’d welcome a visit. Commit to visiting at least once a month.
     
  • Set up a free shoe-shine stall in your high street or town centre – with the necessary permission from the local authority.

On Her Majesty’s Service for 11-14s – seven ready-to-use sessions for youth organisations, schools and uniformed organisation produced by youth specialists from the Church of England, HOPE Together, Pais Movement, Youth For Christ, YouthScape, The Message, Prayer Spaces In Schools, Girls’ Brigade and Boys’ Brigade.

Your Street Party Planner – ideas, plans and games for fun-packed community events developed in collaboration with the Methodist Church.

You can discover more resources for your church here.

Jubilee events in Durham Diocese

  • St Cuthbert and St Oswald Parish, Hebburn will be hosting an afternoon of musical entertainment by 'Off Key Music Community Windband' on Sunday 5 June 2022, 2pm - 4pm. More information is available here.
     
  • St John's, Ingleton, Darlington will be holding a flower/photography location for exhibits and having a Service of Thanksgiving from the Revd Canon Alec Harding on Sunday 5 June 2022, 2pm. 
     
  • Billingham Team Parish Get Along Group are holding an afternoon tea. They will have a short reflection of thanks for the Queen. They will also host a quiz, play an eclectic playlist of music covering the Queen's reign and hold a raffle. This will be on Saturday 28 May (one week before the Jubilee weekend). This event is fully booked.
     
  • St James' Church plans to celebrate with appropriate events, services and involvment of the wider community. This will include the village schools, and they hope to include local businesses. More information will be available soon.
     
  • Durham Cathedral will welcome families daily from Saturday 28 May - Sunday 5 June, 10am - 4pm, for fun activities. These include trails to spot Bede the Bear around the Cathedral! For older children, Durham Cathedral Museum awaits, to learn which king's head is buried under the cathedral and how medieval kings called on St Cuthbert for protection in battle.
    The cathedral will be joining other UK monuments by lighting up in red, white and blue on the evening of Thursday 2 June. 
    A service of thanksgiving will be held on Saturday 4 June at 3pm, including music from a specially formed children's choir.
    More information is available here.
     
  • St Andrew's Church, Lamesley will hold a Special Service of Thanksgiving to mark the Queen's Platinum Jubilee on Friday 3 June, 3pm. There will also be a BBQ for church members on Saturday 4 June, which is currently being planned. 
     
  • The Queen's Baton Relay, which will tour the nation prior to the Commonwealth Games, will visit St Peter's Church in Monkerwearmouth on Thursday 14 July. 
     
  • St Andrew's, Winston have a number of celebrations this year for the Queen's Platinum Jubilee. On Thursday 2 June, from 8.30pm, they will host a Songs of Praise service with a toast to the Queen, alongside bagpipes playing 'Diu Regnare' and Bugle call 'Majesty'. It will also be one of the churches visited as part of the Queen's Baton Relay. On Sunday 5 June, from 2pm, there will be a Historic Exhibition at Winston Village Hall, a family picnic on the Village Recreation Field and a 'Platinum Jubilee Homes and Gardens Decoration' competition. 
     
  • St Mary's, Gainford will be hosting a Blessing and Opening of the Community Herb Garden at the Churchyard at 11.30am on Sunday 5 June. This will be followed by a Platinum Jubilee Service on the Green from 12pm, and then a Garden Party with a local band from 12.30pm.
     
  • St Philip and St James Church, Witton-le-Wear are hosting a celebratory event on Sunday 5 June after the 10.30am service. They will be going into the village for a street party, but the church will be open all day for children to come into their craft corner.
     
  • St Margaret's, Tanfield will be holding a Patriotic Songs of Praise on Sunday 5 June, 4pm to celebrate the Jubilee. The church bells will be rang on Friday 3 June from 2pm for one hour. Anyone is welcome to attend the bellringing.
     
  • St Cuthbert's, Darlington (DL1 5QG) will be holding a Service of Thanksgiving on Sunday 5 June at 3pm, with Archdeacon Rick Simpson preaching and a choir of 30 taking part. They have also received funds to give out 300 Commemorative Books to all who attend. Click here for more information.

If your church is planning to mark the Jubilee, please let the Diocesan Communications Team know at communications@durham.anglican.org

Have you added your event to the official Platinum Jubilee website? If not, you can learn more here!

National Platinum Jubilee events

  • The Queen's Birthday Parade (Trooping the Colour) will take place on Thursday 2 June, featuring more than 1,400 parading soldiers, 200 horses and 400 musicians. You can learn more here.
     
  • The Platinum Jubilee Pageant on Sunday 5 June will combine street arts, theatre, music, circus, carnival and costume to celebrate Her Majesty's unwavering duty and dedication to the commonwealth. You can learn more here.
     
  • The BBC and Buckingham Palace have announced a glittering line-up of performers for the Platinum Party at the Palace, including Queen + Adam Lambert, Elbow and George Ezra. It's live on BBC One, iPlayer and BBC Radio on Saturday 4 June. More information is available here.
     
  • St Paul's will celebrate the Jubilee with a Service of Thanksgiving on Friday 3 June, alongside the launch of a new exhibition exploring the history of Jubilee celebrations at St Paul's across three centuries. More information is available here.
     
  • The National Churches Trust are encouraging churches to publish a Jubilee Proclamation, thanking The Queen for her patronage of church buildings and heritage - supporting over 12,000 churches with grants and loans in excess of £100 million. More information is available here.

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