I wanted to flag up two brilliant resources for churches and ministers to use over the next fortnight…

1. Platinum Jubilee Video from Go Chatter

This lovely video from Go Chatter picks up on the Queen’s own request for prayers for her time as Queen before her coronation, as well as using quotations from the Queen’s Christmas speeches. It finishes thanking God ‘for our Queen who serves her King’.

You can download a non-preview copy from Go Chatter here.

2. Queen Elizabeth II book by Alison Mitchell & Emma Randall (‘Do Great Things for God’ series)

We’ve enjoyed a few books from this ‘Do Great Things for God’ series of Christian biographies for kids. It kind of mimics the ‘Little People, Big Dreams’ series which you tend to see in the kids’ bookshelves of supermarkets, etc.

What I especially liked about this book was the level of interesting detail in the way Alison Mitchell tells Elizabeth’s story: from the surprise of her not expecting to ever be the monarch, to the different areas of her charity service, as well as fun little anecdotes that I’d not come across before, like when Elizabeth and Margaret sneaked out of Buckingham Palace when war was over to celebrate with the crowds. Emma Randall’s illustrations are bright and feel personable.

It ends with some snippets from her Christmas messages, a timeline of her life, and a quotation of Mark 10:45 – ‘for even [Jesus] did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many’.

Full colour, full size illustrations are available to download for free enabling you to read the book in church, etc. You can also download a school assembly plan, as well as worksheets for different age groups.

You can pick up a copy of Queen Elizabeth II here.

3. Jubilee Object Lesson Set

This is interesting – not seen something like this for sale before. A set of visual aids (3D printed!) for your own all age Jubilee talk or assembly.

Available here from One Way UK.

4. ‘Rise Up & Serve’ Jubilee Song from Hope Together

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. You could play the video or sing along in church.

More info and various versions, backing tracks and sheet music here.

5. ‘The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee 2022’ tract by Roger Carswell

A short folded tract explaining about the Queen’s 70 year reign, using examples from her speeches where she talks of faith in God, and the forgiveness only found in Jesus. Written by respected evangelist Roger Carswell, it also explains that one day every knee will bow before the King of Kings, even the Queen herself. Available for 15p for one copy, with reductions for bulk orders.

Available here.