IT WAS one of those “Where were you when . . . ?” moments that linger in the memory. Almost exactly five years ago, Boris Johnson gave a special TV broadcast to announce the first UK lockdown. This would last three weeks, he suggested — a time span that felt, at the time, unimaginably long, but turned out to be an absurd underestimate. As it turned out, restrictions — albeit in various forms — were to last for two years.
By the following morning, the Archbishops of Canterbury and York had issued a letter to all the clergy: it was, they wrote, imperative for the health of the nation that the Church strictly observe the new guidelines, and, as a result, all churches were to be closed, even for private prayer. Clergy were encouraged to offer online worship, where possible. In an unprecedented move, the Archbishop of Canterbury celebrated the eucharist in his kitchen on Easter Day, in a service recorded on his iPad. Last weekend, the Church marked the fifth birthday of its national online services. Fifty-nine weekly services were produced last year, garnering an astonishing 21 million views. And, every week, an average of 4000 people watch the service from start to finish. At the same time, 2023 figures suggest that 31 per cent of parish churches were continuing to offer some form of online worship.
It would be churlish not to celebrate such an achievement. At a local level, many parish priests and lay leaders, saddened as they were to be locked out of their churches, embraced the opportunities offered by technology. Necessity proved, as so often, the mother of innovation, providing a way to continue ministering to those cut off from their worshipping communities. The producers behind both national and local initiatives showed creativity and imagination. As a result, online church now has a solid place within the mixed economy of Anglican worship, and is a particularly welcome addition for those who are housebound or otherwise unable to attend in person. In many places, live streaming of funerals, weddings, and baptisms is now almost routine, allowing family and friends to attend and support from a distance.
We are still learning about the long-term legacy of the pandemic. Not only did an estimated 177,000 people in the UK alone die from Covid-19 — and the Bishop of London has recently called for more support for those bereaved by Covid — but, a recent study by the University of Southampton suggests, one in ten people in Britain may be living with long Covid today. The deep-rooted social, psychological, and economic effects are likely to linger for decades. The UK Covid-19 inquiry continues, meanwhile. The inquiry’s “Every Story Matters” project — which invites the public to contribute to the research without formally giving evidence — has already gathered 56,000 personal stories, and remains open for submissions until 23 May. It is to be hoped that the Church will also be reflecting on the Covid years, gathering the stories of those most marked by the pandemic experience, and learning lessons. The success of online worship does not outweigh the damage done by the closing of churches. Sadly, other pandemics may follow. We can only hope that the Church will be ready.
