Due to current events and the limitations that COVID-19 has had on public gatherings many parishes across our diocese have decided to livestream Sunday services, prayers and acts of worship from domestic settings, in keeping with new national church guidance to close churches.to clergy and public alike.
A letter to all clergy from the Archbishops and Bishops sent on Friday, March 27 reiterated an earlier call for church doors to be shut and that clergy are not to enter the churches, even indiviually.
The advice aims to limit any spread of COVID-19 and thus protect communities and the NHS.
The letter calls for clergy to livestream services and prayer from their homes, so that those who are unable to join them in person can still worship virtually.
Livestreaming is a great option to continue to engage with your congregation. Not only is it an opportunity to worship together, but offers community for many people who may feel isolated. There are many methods of livestreaming a worship service and our COVID-19 section offers plenty of advice.
Below is a table with information about what some churches are streaming, along with a link. If you would like to have information included in this table please email details to communications [at] leeds.anglican.org.
| Church | What they are streaming | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Bradford Epsicopal Area | ||
| St Paul's Manningham | Sunday Service 10.25am | Link |
| Kildwick, Cononley and Bradley | Sunday Service 10am, Morning and Evening Prayer 9am and 4.30pm Monday to Thursday | Link |
| All Saints Bingley | Sunday Holy Communion Service 10.30am | Link |
| Bradford Cathedral | Sunday Service 10am | Link |
| All Saints Ilkley | Sunday Service 10.30am | Link |
| Fountains Church Bradford | Sunday Service 4.30pm | Link |
| St Margaret's Ilkley | Sunday Service 10.30am | Link |
| St Peter's Shipley | Sunday Evening Service 6.30pm | Link |
| St Mary's Oxenhope | Sunday Service 10am | Link |
| St Paul's Shipley | Sunday Service 10am | Link |
| Harden, Wilsden, Cullingworth and Denholme Benefice | Daily Morning and Evening Prayer | Link |
| St John's Great Horton | Sunday Service 10.30am, Morning Prayer 9am | Link |
| Huddersfield Epsicopal Area | ||
| Christ Church Pellon | Sunday morning service and Thought For the Day daily | Link |
| St Augustine's Halifax | Sunday morning service and Thought For the Day daily | Link |
| St John's Coley | Sunday morning service and Morning Prayer | Link |
| Hartshead Hightown Roberttown and Scholes | Night prayer at 9pm | Link |
| All Saints Batley | Sunday Service 11am | Link |
| Community of the Resurrection Mirfield | Five Daily Services | Link |
| St Stephen's Lindley | Daily Prayers and Reflections, Junior Church Weekly Challenge | Link |
| Erringden Benefice | Recorded Sunday Service and Prayers | Link |
| Holy Trinity Huddersfield | Sunday Service and Morning Prayer | Link |
| Benefice of Cleckheaton | Sunday Eucharist 12pm, Midday prayer during the week | Link |
| Dewsbury Team Ministry | Sunday Service 10.30am, Morning Prayer 9am | Link |
| Holy Nativity Mixenden | Sunday Service 10am, Evening Prayer 6pm | Link |
| St Saviour's Ravensthorpe | Sunday Service 10am, Midday Mass during the week | Link |
| Thornhill Parish Church | Sunday and Holy Week Services | Link |
| St Peter's Birstall | Sunday Service 10am | Link |
| St Mary's Todmorden | Holy Week Services 10am | Link |
| Huddersfield Parish Church | Holy Week Services and Reflections | Link |
| St Thomas' Heponstall and St James' Hebden Bridge | Sunday Service 10.30am, Evening Worship 7.30pm | Link |
| Leeds Epsicopal Area | ||
| St Edmund's Roundhay | Morning Prayer, Compline, Sunday Morning service 10am and Wednesday service | Link |
| St George's Leeds | Sunday Morning service 10.30am | Link |
| Holy Trinity Cookridge | Sunday Mass and prayers an thoughts throughout the week | Link |
| Holy Trinity Rothwell | Sunday Service | Link |
| St Peter's Morley | Sunday and Wednesday services, 9.30am | Link |
| Christ Church Lofthouse | Sunday Eucharist, Midday Prayer and Compline | Link |
| St Mary's Whitkirk | Sunday Service 10am | Link |
| St Oswald's Methley | Sunday Service 10.30am | Link |
| St Luke's Holbeck | Sunday Service 10.30am | Link |
| St Mary's Woodkirk | Prayers throughout the week, with a 10.30am Holy Communion on Sunday | Link |
| St Peter's Rawdon and Leeds Diocesan Deaf Churches | Accessible Services for the Deaf Community | Link |
| St Mary's Swillington | Sunday Service 10.30am, prayers throughout the day | Link |
| St Paul's Morley | Sunday Service 10.30am | Link |
| All Hallows Leeds | Sunday Service 10.30am, Wednesday Evening 7.00pm | Link |
| St Stephen's Kirkstall and St Mary's Hawksworth Wood | Sunday Eucharist 10am, Morning Prayer 10.30am | Link |
| St John's Moor Allerton | Sunday Service 10am | Link |
| St John's Adel | Sunday Service 10am, Holy Week services | Link |
| St John's Farsley | Sunday Service, Morning Worship | Link |
| St John's Yeadon | Sunday Service 10.30am, Midday Prayer Wednesday | Link |
| Ripon Epsicopal Area | ||
| Bishop Thornton, Burnt Yates, Markington, Ripley and South Stainley | Morning Prayer Monday to Thursday | Link |
| St Mark's Harrogate | Sunday Service 10am and Midday Prayer Monday to Friday | Link |
| Ripon Cathedral | Sunday Eucharist 10.30am, Morning and Evening Prayer 8.30am and 6pm | Link |
| Pannal with Beckwithshaw | Sunday Service 10am | Link |
| St Wilfrid's Harrogate | Mass 6pm Monday to Friday, 10am on Sunday | Link |
| Knaresborough Team Ministry | Sunday Service 10.30am | Link |
| St James' Wetherby | Sunday Service 10am | Link |
| Parish of Easby, Skeeby, Brompton on Swale and Bolton on Swale | Sunday Service and daily refelctions | Link |
| Kairos Church Harrogate | Central Gathering 10.45am | Link |
| Wakefield Epsicopal Area | ||
| St James' Thornes | Prayers and services as often as they can | Link |
| St George's Lupset | Prayers and services as often as they can | Link |
| Benefice of Royston and Felkirk | Sunday Mass 9.15am, Monday Mass 17.30pm, Wednesday Mass 9.30am | Link |
| Christ Church Lofthouse | Sunday Eucharist, Midday Prayer and Compline | Link |
| St George's Barnsley | Sunday Service 11am | Link |
| All Saints Pontefract | Sunday Morning Prayer | Link |
| St Mary's South Elmsall | Sunday Mass 10.30am, Wednesday Mass 12 noon, Messy Church Sunday 2pm, Holy Week Services | Link |
| St Giles Pontefract | Sunday Mass 10am and Wednesday Mass 9.30am | Link |
How to livestream to Facebook - a guide from Fountains Church Bradford
Fountains, the diocese's new Bradford city centre church, is livestreaming a range of services and prayers, details of which are here: https://bit.ly/33yQtGJ.
Here is their how-to guide:
Firstly, set up your smartphone somewhere where you can see everything that you want to be on the livestream. Make sure the phone is close enough that voices and audio can be picked up, you don’t want people to not be able to hear what is going on! A tripod can come in really useful; you can get buy one of these online for less than £20. https://www.amazon.co.uk/LINKCOOL-Aluminum-Lightweight-Smartphone-Blueto...
Next, go to your Church’s Facebook page (ensuring you are logged in as an admin) and tap ‘Create a post’
Next select ‘Live Video’. You may be asked to give Facebook permission to use your microphone and camera, make sure you allow this.
Then all you need to do is press ‘Start Live Video’ when you’re ready to go.
Pros and Cons
+This setup is super simple and easy to operate
+Facebook Live requires no expensive software or external cameras so is relatively inexpensive if not free
-As you’re using the built-in microphone from a smartphone the audio quality won’t be brilliant and it may be hard to hear at times
