The landscape of worship has changed a lot since the COVID-19 pandemic, with many churches continuing to offer online services to keep congregations connected. For Janet Bannister, a lifelong Christian worshipping at St Giles’ Church, Uley, the continuation of online services has been especially meaningful.
Janet moved to France in 2019, just before the pandemic began and since then, online church has provided Janet with a vital connection to St Giles and the Ewelme Benefice. Janet was baptised at St Giles’ Church as a baby, and has been worshipping there for over 70 years. She was deeply involved with church life, serving as PCC secretary for 25 years, a PCC member for over 30 years, lay chairman of the Dursley Deanery and a member of Churches Together in Cam, Dursley and District.
Despite her move, Janet has remained actively engaged with her benefice through live-streamed services, morning and evening prayer, and Lent study courses via Zoom. This technology proved invaluable during the difficult early days of the pandemic, particularly as she was also caring for her husband.
She said: “We arrived in France in 2019, just before covid, and at that time, online church livestreams and Zoom got me through those difficult days. Not only the fact covid was taking place, my husband had cancer during the same period. Without my church family in the UK, things would have been very bleak.”
While Janet attends a local Catholic church in France every six weeks, she faces restrictions on taking communion due to denominational differences.
Janet encourages those who struggle with attending in-person services, such as individuals with physical disabilities, those still wary of crowds post-covid, families with young children, and elderly worshippers, to give online services a try.
She said: “Do not be afraid to try. No one on online services knows who is watching unless you join the chat, so it is quite anonymous. It is easy to use, you do not have to have passwords or logins. So even with a basic amount of internet knowledge, it is simple.
“It’s also a flexible option. You do not have to watch on a Sunday, you can watch any time and any day.”
For Janet, live-streaming has both changed and improved her relationship with her faith community.
“The change has been the different services I can access in my benefice. Probably those that I would not have been physically able to get to. With several churches in a benefice, it is just not possible to go to every service. Live-streaming means you can access services at the appointed time or at a later date. It gives you the chance to see what else happens in your benefice. Some churches are still live-streaming funerals and weddings, lent services and of course services for Christmas, Easter and other festivals.
“The improvement has been the ease of worship, as you are in your own home. If you use chat and abide by the rules, you build quite a network of people who join with you for every live-stream service.
“You really feel part of that community. A different community, maybe, but still a community who are there to worship our Lord. You can welcome people, make the peace and give thanks for being there.
Also, in all the live-stream services, the person leading the service will welcome all those watching online, so it is very inclusive.
“For those Sundays your benefice does not live-stream, you can find another alternative. I believe the choice of services online helps to improve our faith because it tells us that we are not alone, we are many, and we are all there to worship our God.”
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