The Church of England Lunch Party

The Church of England has announced plans for the big lunch party in association with the Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebrations. From the Church Times:

Churches are being encour­aged to take their trestle tables and tea urns out to the street and to host a “Big Jubilee Lunch” on the after­noon of Sunday 3 June. Dr Rachel Jordan, national ad­viser for mission and evangelism, said that churches could be “known as places that hosted and helped to catalyse the biggest party the nation has ever had. . . . It’s a simple idea, and it doesn’t take much resourcing.” 

This initiative comes in tandem with 'The Big Jubilee Thank You' plan when letters sent to Her majesty from each diocese will give people the opportunity to add their own comments. The three big thanks are:

Thank you for your Majesty’s faithful witness to the Christian faith.

Thank you for your Majesty’s gracious leadership as Supreme Governor of our Church.

Thank you for your Majesty’s devoted service to our nation over the past 60 years.

After the Queen's appointment of a traditionalist chaplain, signatories may wish to add an appropriate apology for the church's departure from the traditional Christian faith:

Sorry, your Majesty, that the Church into which you were born does not now follow your faithful witness to the Christian faith having moved with the times rather than followed your example of devoted service and leadership.

Personally I would have hoped that the church Her Majesty and I were born into would be remembered for something other than 'a simple idea' of the biggest lunch the nation has ever had; real mission and evangelism based on our traditional Christian faith perhaps?