People at high risk of Covid complications told to stay away from Christmas church services
Archbishop of Canterbury encourages vulnerable people to go online instead
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Boris Johnson speaks of heavy heart as Christmas is sacrificed to protect the vulnerable Christmas cancelled for millions as Boris Johnson announces new restrictions | Covid-19 Jessica Carpani, Live-blogging
19 December 2020 • 7:32 PM
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Boris Johnson spoke of his “heavy heart as he condemned 16 million people to Christmas without seeing their relatives.
The Prime Minister introduced a sweeping new lockdown for swathes of the South East after coronavirus cases soared.
He said that Christmas would be “different” this year but that the sacrifice would mean protecting the lives of the people we love so that we can “see them at future Christmases”.
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Video report by ITV News Presenter Julie Etchingham
In the first lockdown, when the Archbishop of Canterbury was about to close churches he said that the nation could look forward to the mother and father of all parties when the pandemic is over.
But as the end of the year nears, with Christmas get-togethers reduced, that party still feels a long way off. This will come to an end. We don t know when, but it will, the Most Reverend Justin Welby said. And then please, God, let s have the mother and father of all parties and celebration and weep for those we ve lost and rejoice in those who ve recovered and commit ourselves to a better country in the future.
Next Bishop of Chelmsford announced
Next Bishop of Chelmsford Announced
DOWNING Street has announced that the Right Reverend Dr Guli Francis-Dehqani will be the next Bishop of Chelmsford, succeeding the Most Reverend Stephen Cottrell, who became Archbishop of York earlier this year.
Bishop Guli is currently Bishop of Loughborough in the Diocese of Leicester, a post she has occupied since late 2017.
Speaking about her appointment, Bishop Guli said “It is a great privilege to be appointed as the next Bishop of Chelmsford. I know there are many challenges ahead both in the church and wider society, not least as a result of the pandemic. However, I am hopeful about the future. As Christian communities, I believe our task is to be faithful; to share the good news of Jesus Christ and to continue serving the world; to work well together and in partnership with others. In doing this, we’ll discover the extent of God’s love.