Lockdown Church Attendance 2021-01-21
2021-01-21
TAGS
Response quality
Questions & Answers
Q1
Partial Answer
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Context
Churches faced challenges in providing services to parishioners both physically and online during a strict nationwide lockdown.
What additional support has been provided to the clergy and churches to help people attend church in person or online during the January 2021 covid-19 lockdown?
The Church is grateful to the Government for not imposing another national closure of religious buildings. It is right that parishes take local decisions on what to offer. There were nearly 36 million viewings of the Church's Christmas “Comfort and Joy” series. For those who prefer the telephone, the DailyHope worship has received 350,000 free calls.
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Assessment & feedback
Did not address specific support measures or financial assistance directly asked about.
Response accuracy
Q2
Direct Answer
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Context
Concerns over the ability to deliver live church services online were raised due to potential lack of skills among vicars.
Does my hon. Friend agree that the delivery of online live church services is enormously important, and—we must be frank—that this is not a skill that might come naturally to many vicars? Does he agree that the Church of England should make an absolute priority the provision of online resources, and the training of vicars and church teams to deliver them?
Indeed I do. Over 7,000 people have now attended the Church's digital training, equipping parishes across the country to stream services on a variety of different platforms. My own rector has now been commended for her YouTube skills by eight-year-olds in her benefice.
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Assessment & feedback
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Response accuracy
Q3
Partial Answer
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Context
Many churches have lost income from offertory collections and fundraising events, putting maintenance and repairs at risk.
Rother Valley's churches have lost a great deal of income from the in-person offertory collections and fundraising events, putting church maintenance and repairs at risk, including the much-needed repairs to St Simon and St Jude church in Thurcroft. Does my hon. Friend share my concern regarding the black hole in local churches' budgets and potential delays to repairs, and will he work with churches to ensure that they have what they need to survive?
My hon. Friend raises a really important point. I draw his attention to the Parish Giving Scheme, which people can do by direct debit, and to various online giving options. Of course, the commissioners have provided tens of millions of pounds to help churches.
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Assessment & feedback
Did not commit to working with churches on repairs or addressing delays directly asked about.
Response accuracy