What did you do for your Christmas carol service, with the public seeing church buildings as a Covid danger zone? The pandemic has made us think outside our buildings, and many churches have responded creatively.
For their carol service in 2020, Highbury Baptist Church in North London went outside into Highbury Fields, Islington’s largest green space. With a makeshift PA, two violins and a guitar, a small group of people and a table of giveaway books, it wasn’t a big gathering. Phil Heaps, co-pastor at Highbury Baptist, said: ‘There were many people out and about, and a good number stopped to listen.’ They repeated this in 2021. ‘Certainly, there remains a general goodwill towards carol singing in our increasingly hostile society, and we intend to do it again next year.’
Further out in North London, Grace Baptist Church Wood Green had gone further in 2020, getting permission to block off the street outside their church building for a carol service, and they repeated that a year later. The pastor, Ryan King said: ‘We have to be creative, and keep our nerve in the days and even hours leading up to such events. I often quote “He who observes the wind will not sow, and he who regards the clouds will not reap” (Ecc.11:4). It is very important that we cultivate strategic relationships with people of peace in the community and establish a commendable track record with our neighbours of consistent presence and compassionate engagement.’
