MONDAY UPDATE: click here for a link to the service, for you to watch.

People who cannot make it to church on Sunday now have a new option to watch a local service from the comfort of their own home.

On Sunday morning (15.3.20) the Penlee Cluster plans to livestream its service.

In order to view the service, go the the cluster service and select the Cluster Live Stream tab, or alternatively, click here.

The theme of the service, which starts at 10.30am,  is ‘being a Barnabas church’. Bishop Philip will be the guest preacher.

Cluster team leader, Revd Sian Yates, said: “We have for some time been working on being able to make our services available to people who are unable to come to church.

“It seems all the more important now, as people are considering that they may need to ‘self-isolate’. And of course there are people who may well be feeling isolated for many other reasons, or who simply can’t make it to church on the day.

“We are pleased to be able to offer a new way to welcome people, and share in our worship.”

Increasing numbers of churches are likely to turn to technology, as the web offers us lots of different ways of reaching out and speaking to people.

Revd Chris McQuillen-Wright, Priest-in-Charge at St Column Minor and St Colan, and rural dean of Pydar, is working on his online offering, at kerdh.co.uk.  His website offers written sermons and audio files.

Guide to streaming

If you are interested in live-streaming your services there is plenty of information available to you. A Beginner’s Guide to Going Live With Your Service or Event For Free is available here.

As with everything we do, we should consider the safeguarding implications of live streaming. There may well be people who do not want to be identified – for example, children in care and victims of domestic violence – and they should be protected.

If you intend filming, then, please put up clear notices and clarify which parts of the church will be captured by the camera. It would make sense to film from behind the congregation, and to stop filming before people file out.