COVID-19 Online worship and devotional resources

This page includes examples of how faith communities are providing ‘virtual’ worship and devotional opportunities and guidance, as well as examples of resources for prayers at home whilst places of worship were closed following social distancing measures.

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• The Church of England has posted digital resources on its website, including mental health reflections, with the aim to make as much of these resources available in simple downloadable and printable formats as possible for those who cannot easily access the technology. https://www.churchofengland.org/more/media-centre/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-churches#guidance-for-churches CoE have also launched a 'Faith at Home' campaign to help families pray together https://www.churchofengland.org/faith-action/faith-home?mc_cid=24c6f6ab6f&mc_eid=%5bUNIQID%5d
• The United Syngagogue livestreamed a Purim service https://www.thejc.com/community/community-news/united-synagogue-livestreaming-purim-service-for-those-affected-by-coronavirus-1.497862
• The Movement for Reform Judaism have uploaded their siddur (prayer book) online https://www.reformjudaism.org.uk/online-siddur/
• London Buddhist Vihara has been live streaming evening puja every day via its Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/lbvihara/?rf=142215239128577
• Every evening at Neasden Temple swamis pray for the health, safety and well-being of all those affected by Coronavirus around the world. They marked #NationalDayofPrayerandAction on 22 March by offering prayers for those working tirelessly to treat patients who have been impacted by COVID-19. This was streamed live and joined by many around the world. https://twitter.com/NeasdenTemple/status/1242041889420914688 On 2 April 2020, celebrations of the birth of Bhagwan Swaminarayan and Bhagwan Rama were livestreamed from BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in London. The swamis participated in devotional singing and chanting, narrated stories of the Bhagwan’s lives, and also performed a musical narration. https://www.baps.org/News/2020/Shri-Swaminarayan-Jayanti-and-Shri-Rama-Navami-Celebrations-18663.aspx#
• The Catholic Deaf Association have prepared liturgical resources and videos, including for Holy Week. https://catholicdeaf.org.uk/resource/
• Liberal Judaism have compiled a list of livestreaming services from synagogues across the UK. https://www.liberaljudaism.org/resources/live-streaming/
• Heaven’s Road Catholic Radio broadcasts over 250 live Holy Mass each week from 20 churches in England and Ireland. http://www.heavensroadfm.com/live-masses/
• The Methodist Church has posted numerous resources online for worship at home. https://www.methodist.org.uk/our-faith/worship/singing-the-faith-plus/seasons-and-themes/worship-during-the-coronavirus-pandemic/
• Britain Yearly Meeting (BYM) and Woodbrooke are working to support Quakers to set up online worship for their local communities. A guide to joining and holding online worship is now available on the Woodbrooke 'online worship advice' page. https://www.woodbrooke.org.uk/about/online-mfw/Online-worship-advice https://www.woodbrooke.org.uk/about/online-mfw
• The Diocese of London have posted links to digital resources, TV and radio programmes, and a range of other resources from London parishes. https://www.london.anglican.org/articles/worship-and-prayer-resources/
• The Catholic Church Bishops' Conference have listed a number of resources to aid worshippers in prayer at home. https://www.cbcew.org.uk/home/our-work/health-social-care/coronavirus-guidelines/prayer-and-worship-at-home/
• The Federation of Student Islamic Societies (FOSIS) have published a Ramadan guide with verses from the Qur’an, prayers related to daily themes, and more. https://drive.google.com/file/d/13Z7DL27dPhdSTT_cqid-GJp6OmDZ_u7x/view
• The Diocese of Blackburn has posted Bible Podlets, which are podcasts for adults to use with under 11s. https://www.bdeducation.org.uk/podcasts/bible-podlets/
• The Movement for Reform Judaism has launched RJ:TV; an interactive broadcasting service. This will include daily prayer services, adult learning sessions, and a daily “Corona, Coffee and Care” slot facilitated by Reform Judaism’s Wellbeing and Inclusion Manager. https://mailchi.mp/reformjudaism/news-and-events-from-reform-judaism-s5m71yz5gz-2490833?e=d67122ef4d https://www.reformjudaism.org.uk/rjtv-online-community-from-reform-judaism/
• Weekly Satsang sabhas (religious assemblies) for children, teens and adults are being webcast live every weekend by BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha.
• The Anglican, URC and Methodist churches in Birmingham held a virtual ‘Walk of Witness’ on Good Friday. A map is available online that takes you to various Stations of the Cross with images from last year’s Walk, along with video reflections. Participants were able to download a service sheet and prayer card before joining. https://www.birminghamdiocese.org.uk/walk-of-witness-2020
• The Methodist Church have a virtual prayer wall on their website. If an individual prays for someone, they can click the candle icon to ‘light’ the candle. https://www.methodist.org.uk/our-faith/prayer/prayer-wall/
• Everyday Faith is the Church of England’s campaign that aims to help people live out their Christian faith wherever they may be. Spiritual connection is maintained through daily services, regular emails, organised pastoral phone calls, emailed sermons, Meditation groups, and a Community Support Team. https://www.salisbury.anglican.org/news/everyday-faith-during-coronavirus
• Daily arti with scriptural reading, prayers and chanting as well as weekly Satsang sabhas (religious assemblies) for children, teens and adults are being webcast from the Neasden Temple at neasdentemple.org
• Churches Handbook is a crowdsourced index of useful digital communication tools for church leaders, communications teams and church staff to refer to during the coronavirus outbreak. https://covid.churcheshandbook.co.uk/
• ROOTS – a website that provides worship and learning resources for the Church – have posted resources for worship at home, including activities for children. https://www.rootsontheweb.com/
• The National Methodist Choir GB has started a virtual church choir. https://nmcgb.org/
• St. Gregory's Church in Chorley, as well as the Metropolitan Cathedral in Manchester, have been webcasting Masses. Although St. Peter’s Cathedral in Lancaster does not have the broadband capability to webcast its services, the diocese has been recording Masses and uploading them to YouTube for viewing later. Many other individual parishes are webcasting live – including St. Clare’s in Preston and St. Kentigern’s in Blackpool – and a diocesan Instagram account is being used to provide images for reflection, such as Stations of the Cross. https://www.lep.co.uk/health/how-lancashires-religious-communities-worshipped-webcam-because-coronavirus-2508287
• The Diocese of Lichfield has published a number of at-home resources for children's, youth, and familes' ministries. https://www.lichfield.anglican.org/latest-coronavirus-information/home-resources-children-youth-families
• The Baptist Union has uploaded numerous resources for children, young people, and families. https://www.baptist.org.uk/Articles/570776/Coronavirus_resources_for.aspx
• Masorti Judaism have posted a schedule to services and other events taking place throughout the weeks to come. https://masorti.org.uk/masorti-judaism-events-during-covid19/#.XqG4_8hKg2x
• The Oxford Foundation has been holding regular multi-faith virtual prayer via Zoom with various faith leaders and representatives. The third of these was held on 26 April 2020 on the theme of 'Self-restraint, Courtesy and Empathy'. https://www.theoxfordfoundation.com/covid-19
• Liverpool Buddhist Meditation Group are holding meditation sessions online via Zoom. The timings of the sessions can be found here https://www.kagyubuddhism.org/home/centres-and-meditation-groups/liverpool-buddhist-meditation-group/
• Ipswich Buddhist Centre has listed a number of online meditation and reflection sessions from various Buddhist centres https://ipswichbuddhistcentre.org.uk/the-dharma-web/
• St Cuthbert’s, Bolton will be hosting a virtual pilgrimage on the parish YouTube channel to Lourdes, Rome, the Holy Land and then Camino to Santiago over the next month. https://www.dioceseofsalford.org.uk/faith-in-a-different-way-how-technology-is-helping-catholics-to-build-communities/
• The Archbishop of Canterbury has launched a free dial-in worship phoneline which will offer music, prayers and reflections as well as full worship services from the Church of England https://www.archbishopofcanterbury.org/news/latest-news/archbishop-canterbury-launches-free-dial-worship-phoneline-during-coronavirus 
• East London Mosque and London Muslim Centre have published a video explaining how to perform congregational prayers at home https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZv04c9un2w
• The Dialogue Society have held two inter faith prayers online with community and faith leaders to bring people together with messages for unity amidst the current pandemic. 
• A virtual choir of 111 missionaries from the England Manchester Mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints sent a musical message of hope on Easter Sunday through Facebook Live. https://news-uk.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/england-manchester-mission-choir-reaches-global-audience?fbclid=IwAR3thNvztOwdfnr-uWgEvK7_GVUAcX7S6OlvSuYVDpD_UAym6PWt9yGiPs0
• Central Synagogue London have a programme of events taking place every week, including afternoon and evening services, and memorial prayers. https://www.centralsynagogue.org.uk/events/upcoming/
• The Ner Yisrael Community have launched a communal learning programme called 'Project AMeN', which is a shared Torah endeavour. Over the next 2 months, they would like to jointly complete 'Nach' and 'Shas Mishnayot'. They are inviting people to sign up and take part in this initiative. https://www.neryisrael.co.uk/projectamen
• On 30 April 2020, The Buddhist Society held a basic meditation class on Zoom. It is also holding a Buddhism course, as well as a number of online classes via Zoom. https://www.thebuddhistsociety.org/
• Over 65 churches and movements came together online to sing a blessing over the UK. https://ctbi.org.uk/buildings-are-closed-but-church-is-alive/?fbclid=IwAR3iWcbDftMuCpJdF6pig3Us-f6zaC_0gx7-QXwbLOvDFuxUhC5pg63LUds
• The choral scholars of St Martin in the Fields will release recordings of five songs each week, to help churches compile online worship. https://www.chelmsford.anglican.org/news/article/choir-to-sing-weekly-hymns-for-digital-church-services-across-the-country
• The Catholic Bishops' Conference have put together a directory of various Live Masses online, including services in other languages. https://www.cbcew.org.uk/home/our-work/health-social-care/coronavirus-guidelines/online-mass-directory/
• The Federation of Student Islamic Societies (FOSIS) have compiled a list of events that Islamic Societies across the UK are holding, such as Qur'an classes. https://www.facebook.com/fosischannel/photos/a.123542467683002/2932136216823599/?type=3&theater
• The England London Mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints recently held it's monthly “Why I Believe” devotional online, which would normally rotate between chapels across London. https://news-uk.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/england-london-mission-s-online-devotional-strengthens-christian-faith-globally?fbclid=IwAR0czITyuievZSHuNQNUgCxEZ2HOP8Yq1zN7S7N_nvEX4jeK6fpBKzGSgzo
• Clergy from the Diocese of Middlesbrough will be leading a 'Virtual Pilgrimage' to Lourdes after their annual visit to the French shrine was cancelled. The Pilgrimage will take place from Saturday 23 May to Thursday 28 May 2020. https://www.cbcew.org.uk/catholics-prepare-for-virtual-lourdes-pilgrimage/?fbclid=IwAR39VZr7ob8HpHVt6z8prd2WEEzBtRtnIlQdQXpMb2gweQxIbvLlt7FwKgo
• Birmingham Faith Leaders' Group are holding a 'prayer of solidarity during the pandemic' on Thursday 4 June 2020 from 7:30pm to 8pm on Facebookhttps://twitter.com/FaithLeadersGrp/status/1267962946107387905. 
• The English Heritage organisation virtually streamed the Stonehenge Summer solstice festival on 21 June 2020 in line with social distancing rules for Pagans and Druids who celebrate the festival annually. https://www.euronews.com/2020/06/21/covid-19-forces-digital-streaming-of-stonehenge-summer-solstice-festival
• On 20 June 2020, Unitarians UK hosted an online celebration of Summer Solstice. https://www.facebook.com/UnitariansUK/photos/a.2152344151647170/2580205225527725/
• On July 4 and 5 2020, BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir in London webcast a series of programmes to celebrate the festival, with worshippers participating in devotional offerings at home. https://www.baps.org/News/2020/Guru-Purnima-Celebrations-18953.aspx This forms part of a series of online worship programmes regularly livestreamed by BAPS, including weekly sabhas and a prayers for Akhand Dhun on May 24 2020.
• On July 13 2020, the Spiritualists' National Union held an online memorial service via Zoom to remember loved ones lost during the COVID-19 lockdown. 
• Newcastle Hindu Temple has online services have proven to be a success, reaching hundreds of devotees across the UK and beyond. https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/hindu-community-bame-coronavirus-lockdown-18197805
• Teenagers Har-Rai Kaur and Jaap Singh set up a Facebook and Instagram page called Living Room Kirtan to share Kirtan with their friends and relatives whom they could no longer meet during lockdown. They went on to post a new shabad (Sikh hymn) every day, connecting with sangat (the congregation) across the world. https://religionmediacentre.org.uk/blog/kirtan-blog/

Last updated: 11/08/20

Note: IFN's pages on COVID-19 are being updated regularly. Listings may not be exhaustive or include all possible examples, and IFN makes no guarantee as to the accurary of information linked to.