In a time of crisis many people find comfort and hope in their religious faith. As I write this, on the third day of the second lockdown the Government’s restrictions have closed
‘ Places of worship, apart from for the purposes of independent prayer, for funerals or funeral commemorative events, to broadcast an act of worship, to provide essential voluntary services or urgent public support services, for registered childcare, and to host permitted gatherings’.
It appears that more people are turning to prayer than ever before. In March 2020, the Archbishop of Canterbury delivered a service from his kitchen table which was watched by five million people as it was broadcast on the BBC and Facebook. This was the largest single congregation in the history of the Church of England. Other faiths and denominations have noticed a similar trend and have quickly adapted to expand their online prayers and services.
Here are some links that you may want to explore to help you continue to practice your faith in these challenging times.
- The C of E website https://www.churchofengland.org has many resources including how to find when your local church will be streaming their services.
- Daily Hope is a free 24 hour free phone line for people without internet access. Call 0800 804 8044
- The Catholic Church of England and Wales website also has advice and list of churches offering online services @ https://www.cbcew.org.uk/
- The Muslim Council of Britain https://mcb.org.uk/ has resources and prayer guidance
- Jewish Care @ https://jewishcare.org/ has lots of information and a direct helpline 020 8922 2222
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