The Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby is to lead a national broadcast as the Church of England responds to the challenge of becoming a “different sort of church” in the face of the coronavirus crisis.

The service, including prayers, hymns and a short sermon, will be broadcast on BBC Radio Cornwall this Sunday as well as on the Church of England website and BBC Radio 4’s Sunday Worship at 8am.

The Bishop of Truro, the Rt Revd Philip Mounstephen will also be joining BBC Radio Cornwall’s Donna Birrell on Sunday morning from 7am.

Churches of all major denominations will also be marking a national day of prayer and action this Sunday (Mothering Sunday) particularly remembering those who are sick or anxious and all involved in health and emergency services.

LIGHT A CANDLE OF HOPE: A NATIONAL CALL TO PRAYER ON MARCH 22 AT 7PM.

A National Day of Prayer and Action has been announced by the presidents of Churches Together in England, re. the Coronavirus epidemic, for this Sunday, March 22.

Meanwhile local churches will be streaming acts of worship or sharing reflections online as part of an expansion of digital resources to meet the need for spiritual guidance and support. A list of churches live streaming in our diocese will be available later today on the diocesan website and social media channels.

It comes after the Archbishops of Canterbury and York wrote to clergy on Tuesday advising them to put public services on hold until further notice in response to Government advice to restrict public gatherings to help prevent the spread of the Covid-19 virus.

In his address the Archbishop will say: “In all of the current troubles, and they are very serious troubles, looking inwards will only reveal the limits of our own resources, and lead to deeper fear and selfishness.

“Acting in love found from God in Jesus Christ will do the exact reverse. As we look out from ourselves in love, we can enable people to find the place of their nurture, not their historic place but a new place where they meet God and find his consolation.

“As we share our consolation the mother love of God will enfold them. As we love the poor, go and give to a foodbank, call on someone who is isolated, do their shopping, pray with and for them from a distance, we will find that we are deeply consoled by our own gift of consolation.”