Religious leaders, charities and MPs last night demanded an end to the ‘inhumane’ restrictions on funerals.
They called for the limit of 30 mourners to be raised to allow more friends and relatives to say farewell to loved ones.
The plight of grieving families was highlighted by the sight of the Queen sitting alone at the Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral on Saturday.
One MP said it was ‘absolutely atrocious’ that the monarch was left by herself as she bid a final farewell to her husband of 73 years, unable to be comforted by family. Mourners must remain socially distanced from anyone outside their household or support bubble at a funeral.
As a woman whose entire life has embodied public service, the Queen would never have considered any tweaking of the Covid restrictions, even for the funeral of her husband of 73 years.
So on Saturday she sat masked and socially isolated in St George s Chapel looking both bereft and stoical, though most strikingly of all I thought, utterly alone.
The worst part is that this was wholly unnecessary.
There was no scientific basis for so few members of her family to be there, dotted along the vast empty pews; nor for them having to wear masks at this important moment in our history, the death of the longest serving royal consort.
Gifted women should be more widely recognised in FIEC churches, a key figure in the network says.
FIEC
Elisabeth Smyth
Elisabeth Smyth recently retired after more than 20 years of service with the Fellowship of Independent Evangelical Churches (FIEC).
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‘Great is thy faithfulness!’
An introduction to the life of David and Margaret Bendor-Samuel by their newphew, Paul Bendor-Samuel. David and Margaret are well-known figures in the Wycliffe Bible Translators and the Fellowship of Independent Evangelical Churches (FIEC). Paul was formerly Interserve’s International Director; now he is the Executive Director of the Oxford Centre For Mission Studies. The introduction is followed by a review from Tom Hawksley of David’s newly-published memoirs.
Tom Hawksley, has been engaged in mission for nearly 40 years and has written three books about mission in the Middle East.
‘GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS’
By David Bendor-Samuel