Christians across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight are primed to celebrate Easter from their own homes. But the message of Jesus rising from the dead will lose none of its impact.
Church of England clergy have been broadcasting their services digitally for the past 3 Sundays – initially from church buildings and then for the past 2 weeks from their own homes. Hundreds of extra worshippers have joined regular congregation members, tuning in via Facebook Live and Youtube.
At Newport Minster, the director of music will host his fourth ‘Hymns on the Piano’ request hour this afternoon (Thursday) from his home. Anyone can write in and ask for a hymn to be played from 15:30-16:30 and he’ll live-stream his performances on the minster’s Youtube channel at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzbJO_4jwsk8fguhhsFSXbg.
On Good Friday, clergy will lead services of reflection and meditation as they recall Jesus’s death on the cross. Then on Easter Sunday, churches will celebrate his resurrection from the dead with songs, readings, sermons and Communion – all broadcast live from clergy homes.
The Bishop of Portsmouth,the Rt Rev Christopher Foster, has asked former headteacher and diocesan schools adviser Sue Bowen to lead a workshop for children online on Good Friday at 09:30. She’ll be broadcasting from her garden and kitchen, helping children to think about making their own crosses and reflecting on what Jesus’s crucifixion means for them. It will take place on the Portsmouth Diocese Youtube channel. Church of England schools across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight that are looking after the children of key workers on Good Friday have been invited to tune in.
The bishop will then lead an Easter Sunday celebration from his own home at 09:00m, broadcast live on the Diocese of Portsmouth and Portsmouth Cathedral Facebook pages. Joining him from their own home will be head chorister James Cuthbert, aged 14, and his brothers George, 12, and David, 10, from Portsmouth Cathedral Choir. They’ll sing Jesus Christ is Risen Today as worshippers remember the life-changing impact of Jesus’s resurrection.
Ventnor’s St Catherines church do a short service on youtube every Sunday whilst this crisis is on. Very good.
Reading all the locals comments, it is blindingly obvious you have no Christians over there so why bother?