All Saints Church to begin broadcasts this weekend – Westmeath Examiner

The Church of Ireland plans to start broadcasting its services from this weekend in response to the Covid-19 crisis which has led to a ban on indoor gatherings of groups of 100 or more.

This Sunday March 29, a live online service will be broadcast from 12 noon on the parishs Facebook page.

We hope that all our parishioners and the wider community will join us, Canon Alastair Graham told the Westmeath Examiner on Monday.

That is just a short-term measure, however, as the church has engaged to have a professional company equip All Saints Church with the technology required so all their services can be broadcast.

Ahead of all that, spurred on by the youth movement Lighten Our Darkness, members of the faith in Mullingar are lighting a candle in each of their homes at 7pm each evening to show that Gods love, life and hope is never overtaken by the darkness that surrounds us.

As well as lighting the candle, the faithful pray to God for help with the crisis the world is in.

Our hope is that through prayer we may all find peace, healing and assurance in Gods love and protection, said Canon Graham.

In response to the coronavirus crisis, the parish has produced a booklet Prayerful thoughts and comforting words at a time of National Crisis, which has been sent to everyone living in the parish and is available online to members of the wider community.

Hard copies are available on request via the parish website.

As part of the process of offering succour to parishioners, there is a Lets keep talking campaign under way.

This project encourages everyone to keep in touch with God through prayer and bible reading and through telephone calls to keep in touch with family, friends, neighbours and parishioners, says Canon Graham.

In addition, a number of parishioners have also volunteered to keep a regular contact with neighbours and people living in the parish and wider community and an active group of people in the parish have offered to deliver shopping and other needed items to people living in the community who are unable themselves to collect them while maintaining the guidelines of social distancing.

For Easter, the parish is inviting younger parishioners to create and prepare a special Easter card with a prayer for everyone in the parish.

These will be delivered with Easter Eggs, which have been kindly donated, on Easter Saturday and after the doorbell has been rung or the door knob rapped, these will be left on the doorsteps.

Read more here:
All Saints Church to begin broadcasts this weekend - Westmeath Examiner