Prayers of Love and Faith"From December 2023, The Church of England has authorised special prayers of blessing to be offered to celebrate same sex relationships. These are entitled Prayers of Love and Faith, and can be used as part of a regular church service such as Holy Communion or Evensong. Our Benefice Churches of St Peter’s Thurston and Holy Innocents Great Barton are delighted to be amongst those churches ready to offer these services to same sex couples in this area of Suffolk.
These prayers have been designed to ensure same sex couples can feel more part of church life than previously, and being able to declare love and commitment to each other in the sight of God is an important part of the journey for couples of faith. We are overjoyed that we can offer this to same sex couples in our Benefice and the wider Deanery.
The Church of England continues to discern the journey with its LGBT+ siblings; as you will no doubt know, marriage services are prohibited for same sex couples at the time of writing. Many, many people within the Church hope that this will one day change. We know that there is a long road to travel. We continue to be a voice within the Church seeking equality for all.
If you are interested in affirming your relationship as part of your journey of faith, perhaps following a civic marriage or civil partnership service, then do please get in touch with Fr Ben atrevdbenjaminedwards@gmail.com, or telephone 07522396397, who will be very happy to discuss your requirements and answer any questions you have."
