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.
The advice aims to limit any spread of COVID-19 and thus protect communities and the NHS.
The archbishops have called for clergy to livestream services and prayer from their homes or church, 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 Broadcasting Worship Online page offers further advice, including what equipment to use, key things to consider and FAQs.
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 Episcopal Area | ||
Parish of Girlington, Heaton and 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 10.30am | Link |
All Saints Ilkley | Sunday Service 10.30am | Link |
Fountains Church Bradford | Sunday Service 4.30pm | 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 |
Parish of Baildon | Sunday Service 10am, Messy Church | Link |
St James' Thornton | Sunday Service 10am | Link |
St James' Bolton | Sunday Service 10.30am, Weekday Morning Prayer 8.45am, Wednesday Night Prayer 7.30pm | Link |
All Saints Keighley | Sunday Service 10.30am, Wednesday Service 11am | Link |
Keighley Shared Church | Sunday Service 10.30am, Wednesday Family Time 2pm | Link |
St John's Bierley | Sunday Mass 10am, Wednesday Mass 10am, Wednesday All Age Service 12.30pm | Link |
St Oswald's and All Saints Bradford | Sunday Service 10.30am | Link |
St Stephen’s West Bowling & St Matthew’s Bankfoot, Bradford | Sunday Service 11.15am | Link |
Parish of Tong and Laisterdyke | Sunday Service | Link |
St Margaret's Frizinghall | Sunday Service 10am | Link |
St Stephen's Steeton with Eastburn | Online Offerings | Link |
Holy Trinity Bingley and St Wilfrid Gilstead | Sunday Service 11am, Wednesday Service 7pm | Link |
St Augustine’s and St Clement’s | Sunday Service 10am | Link |
Huddersfield Episcopal 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 | Sunday Worship 9.30am, Sunday Sing-a-long 11am, Saturday Storytime 11am | 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 |
United Benefice of Todmorden | Morning Prayer 10am, Sunday Service 11am, Sunday Evening Prayer 4pm | Link |
Huddersfield Parish Church | Holy Communion 10am, Morning and Evening Prayer | Link |
St Thomas' Heponstall and St James' Hebden Bridge | Sunday Service 10.30am, Evening Worship 7.30pm | Link |
Christ Church New Mill | Worship resources and meetings | Link |
St Martin's Brighouse | Sunday Worship on Zoom 11am | Link |
St John's Clifton | Sunday Worship on Zoom 11am | Link |
St Johns Church, Golcar | Sunday Service 9.30am | Link |
Benefice of Lepton, Emley and Flockton | Sunday Morning Prayer 10.30am, Sunday Evening Praise 6pm, Tuesday School Lesson 10am, Wednesday Reflection 10am, Friday Collective Worship 3pm | Link |
All Saints’ Clayton West | Sunday Service 9.15am and Tuesday Service 9.15am | Link |
St Augustine’s Scissett | Sunday Service 11am and Tuesday Service 9.15am | Link |
Christ the King Battyeford | Sunday Service 10am | Link |
Honley and Brockholes | Sunday Service | Link |
All Saints Halifax | Sunday Service | Link |
St David's Holmbridge | Sunday Morning streamed service, Evening Zoom prayer service | Link |
Holy Trinity and St Jude, Halifax | Sunday Service 10am. Tuesday to Saturday 8.30am for morning prayer and Sunday evening compline at 8pm, all on Facebook. | Link |
Leeds Episcopal 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 John the Evangelist Oulton with Woodlesford | 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 |
St Hilda's Cross Green and St Saviour's Richmond Hill | Sunday Mass 9.30am, Morning Weekday Mass 9am, Various Holy Week services | Link |
St Paul's Ireland Wood | Sunday Service 9.30am | Link |
Leeds Minster | Daily Reflections | Link |
St John's, Wortley and Farnley | Sunday Service 10am, Wednesday Service 10am, Evening Prayer every day at 7pm | Link |
St Giles' Bramhope | Sunday Service 9.30am | Link |
Elmete Trinity Benefice | Sunday services, daily reflections, longer seasonal reflections and Messy Church | Link |
St Mary's Garforth | Sunday Service 10am, Wednesday Night Prayer 8pm | Link |
St Stephen’s Moortown | Sunday Service 10.30am, Wednesday Service 10am | Link |
St Philip’s, Osmondthorpe | Sunday Service 10.30am, Monday and Wednesday Prayer 12pm | Link |
St Wilfrid’s, Halton | Sunday Service 10.30am, Monday and Wednesday Prayer 12pm | Link |
St Chad's Far Headingley | Sunday Service | Link |
St Michael's Headingley | Sunday Service 10am and daily prayer | Link |
St Barnabas' Alwoodley | Sunday Service 10.30am | Link |
All Saints Otley | Sunday Service 10.30am | Link |
Christ Church Upper Armley | Sunday Service 10.30am, Thursday Virtual Prayer Meeting 8pm | Link |
Oakwood Church | Sunday Service 10.15am | Link |
Beeston | Sunday Communion Service 9.30am | Link |
Ripon Episcopal Area | ||
Bishop Thornton, Burnt Yates, Markington, Ripley and South Stainley | Morning Prayer Monday to Saturday. Sunday Communion 10am | Link |
St Mark's Harrogate | Sunday Service 10am. Sunday morning prayer 11am and midday prayer Monday to Friday on YouTube | 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 |
St Andrew's Starbeck | Sunday Service 10am | Link |
St John’s and St Luke’s Bilton | Children's Service 9.30am, Sunday Service 10.30am | Link |
St Peter's High Harrogate | Sunday Services 9.30am and 11am, Morning and Evening Prayer during the week | Link |
Holy Trinity Ripon | Thursday Holy Communion 11.30am, Sunday 9am Holy Communion, Sunday 10.30am Morning Worship | Link |
Parish of Catterick with Tunstall | 10.30am Sunday Service | Link |
St. Aidan’s Church Hellifield | Sunday Service 10am | Link |
St. Mary’s Church, Long Preston | Sunday Service 10am | Link |
Upper Wensleydale | Sunday Service 10.30am | Link |
Stanwick Group of Churches | Zoom Sunday Service 9am, other Zoom services throughout the week | Link |
Masham Group of Parishes | Services via Zoom and recorded for YouTube | Link |
Lower Wensleydale Benefice | Phone Church every Sunday at 9am, 10am & 16.00pm. Morning Prayer during the Week at 9am and Midweek Holy Communion on Wednesdays at 9am | Link |
Wakefield Episcopal 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 Communion 10.30am, Evensong 6.30pm, Wednesday Communion 10am | 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 |
St Peter's Stanley | Sunday Mass 10am, various weekly worships | Link |
St Catherine’s, Belle Vue and St Andrew’s Wakefield | Sunday Service 10.30am, Morning and Evening Weekly Prayer | Link |
All Saints Darton and St John's Staincross | Sunday Mass 10am | Link |
Benefice of West Barnsley | Sunday Eucharist 10.30am | Link |
St Cuthbert’s and All Saints’ Ackworth | Sunday Eucharist 10am and Daily Prayer | Link |
Christ Church South Ossett | Sunday Service 10am | Link |
St Michael’s, Carleton, Pontefract | Sunday Holy Communion Service 10.30am, Evening Prayer Monday to Friday 7.00pm, Morning Prayer Monday to Saturday 8.30am (during Lent) | Link |
How to live stream
Here is a video guide from our Digital and Social Media Officer, Richard, sharing how livesteaming is done on Facebook.
Richard shares some more top tips below, offering advice with regards to shooting a good video or live stream at your home.
Fountains Church, Bradford have also produced a helpful written guide to live streaming on Facebook, which can be accessed here.
More support and advice with regards to live streaming can be found on the Church of England website. Their digital team have released a number of blogs with helpful information included.
A Church Near You
AChurchNearYou.com is being used to signpost those churches that are live streaming services and events. Churches need to add the 'Livestream' tag to their services and events that will be broadcast. Remember to add this into your churches description, telling people how they can watch your online events. You can add a link to the platform you're using to stream, such as your Facebook Page or YouTube Channel.
Copyright
When uploading content to platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and a church website, it is important to take copyright rules and laws into consideration. This is particularly applicable when using music in your videos/livestreams and other audio/visual content not created by your church. Helpful guidance can be found here on the Church of England website and on this blog written by Resound Worship.
Can we perform live music during a video or livestream?
A church wishing to sing and play live music on a live or pre-recorded video on YouTube, Facebook and Instagram are able to do so. In order to do this it is recommend that you apply for the CCLI Streaming Licence introduced in mid-March 2020. This permits you to stream or webcast live worship music on social media platforms which are normally intended for personal, domestic use only, including YouTube and Facebook. This licence also covers the right to show song lyrics on screen, to enable viewers to sing along.
Can we embed a livestream on a church website?
If the video is embedded from YouTube, as the host of the video, the platforms licence covers this. However, if the video is hosted on the church website, the church would need to apply for a Limited Online Music Licence (LOML) provided by PRS for Music.
Can we play a recorded song as part of a livestream?
Most backing tracks and recorded songs are copyrighted material. Always be aware of the background music in your live video because social media platforms monitor and flag copyrighted content. You may receive a copyright violation, meaning the video is muted or even banned. Therefore, recorded music cannot be used as part of a video recording or livestream unless you have the permission from the copyright holder.
Some song recordings however, have been made free to download and use without any copyright concerns. For example, the Church of England have made hymns and songs available for use by clergy and church leaders livestreaming Sunday services, recorded by the Choral Scholars of St Martin-in-the-Fields. Anthony Gray, an organist in the Diocese of Leeds has recorded organ music for St Margaret Ilkley's online services. These are now available for any church that wishes to use them and can be downloaded here. Other websites, such as Resound Worship and Worship Video Lyrics also offer music and videos that can be used for live streamed services.
Dial in Services
While a majority of people are able to access church livestreams at the moment, we are aware there is a number for whom this isn't possible. In response some churches have made alternative provisions, such as a dial in conference call, allowing people to use their phone to access meetings on platforms like Zoom. Please find examples below of how some have made this facility possible.
All Saints Ilkley
We use the website www.whypay.net and pay £8 a month for their pro package. This means up to 50 people can dial in to a conference call service using the same set of numbers every time, and it only costs a standard rate per minute or nothing if people have bundled minutes as part of their landline or mobile contract.
A typical service operates as follows. At the appointed time people dial-in to the conference call with their arrival being announced by hearing their first name. There is a few moments of general chitchat and then the person leading the service mutes everybody except those who are involved in preaching, reading the Bible or leading the prayers. At the end of the service everybody is a muted to say the grace together and to give their farewell greetings.
The pattern has worked well for us. We have a service of prayer on Tuesday and Thursday mornings at 8:30am, and at 9:15 am on Sunday mornings. Typically we have up to 10 participants during the week and up to 20 on a Sunday.
Sutton with Cowling & Lothersdale
We recently started a ‘dial-in’ Sunday service, using telephones only, where those attending the service call a local rate ‘03’ number. For our first service our Vicar, the Revd Helen Collings, led the service from Sutton. Our curate, the Revd Brian Greenfield gave a talk from Glusburn and readings and prayers were led remotely by members of our three parishes from their homes in Cowling, Lothersdale and Sutton. The first service was well received with over 50 people participating.
Here is a helpful blog from Revd Bryony Taylor, who offers help with setting up phone church using Whypay telephone conferencing.
Video Production
Churches have also been producing videos during this time, covering services, thoughts, reflections and more, and putting them on social media and YouTube. The Diocese of Leeds has produced a guide for churches and individuals looking to get started themselves, which can be found here.