The Church of England is preparing to take the church into people’s homes – through TV screens, laptops, computers and mobile phones – ahead of the first Sunday without public worship.

The Church of England has published new advice to help parish churches and cathedrals prepare to reopen their buildings for public worship after more than three months of lockdown because of the coronavirus.

Following a recent announcement that places of worship could reopen for individual private prayer from June 15, the Government has now revised the date in guidance just published to June 13.

The Archbishops of Canterbury and York are calling for Church of England churches to put public worship on hold and become a “different sort of church”.

A statement from the Bishop of London following the Government announcement that church buildings will be able to reopen for public worship from 4th July

Places of worship will reopen for public worship from 2nd December

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, has launched a free national phone line as a simple new way to bring worship and prayer into people’s homes.

The Archbishops of Canterbury and York, together with the Bishop of London, have joined national faith leaders in calling on the Government to permit public worship during the forthcoming lockdown in England. 

A free phone line offering hymns, prayers, and reflections 24 hours a day has received more than 6,000 calls in the first 48 hours.

Chaplains from a hospital and a hospice are to join the newly-confirmed Archbishop of York this weekend as he leads worship from York Minster for the Church of England’s weekly online service.