Corona Virus - Covid-19 Information and resources

The Church of England Hopeline

A free phone line of hymns, reflections and prayers - available 24 hours a day on :0800 804 8044 - has been set up particularly with those unable to join online church services during the period of restrictions in mind.
www.churchofengland.org ►

Contacts in the Oldham area for support and information about religion, spirituality, faith and belief.

Contacts from various faith groups and denominations, willing to help local people during this difficult time; perhaps with arranging a funeral or coping with bereavement. Maybe people are enquiring about aspects of personal belief e.g. how to pray, the challenge of a loss of faith, the effect of the closure of places of worship on regular services/weddings/baptisms or how to access pastoral support with feelings of loneliness and isolation.

This contact list aims to direct people to support with matters of belief who may have been affected by Covid-19, pressures of being cooped up at home and feelings of hopelessness.

Christian Blessing Prayer for a Prayer Space at home

Dear God, Divine artist of all that is beautiful, we ask your holy blessing on this space that we are setting aside for prayer. May this sacred space be a sign for us of your divine presence in our home. May it be a place for us to gather with those we love in sorrow and in joy in rejoicing and in sadness in anxiety and in hope. Though in the world around us there is disease, here there may be ease. Though in the world around us there is sadness, here may there be joy. Though in the world around us there is grief, here may there be hope. May this sacred space protect our home from all evil and plague, from all that is not good.

We ask this in the name of Jesus, our brother and friend.

Amen

Light a candle if you have one.

Spend a few moments in silence.

You may end with the Lord's Prayer.

OUR Father, which are in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive them that trespass against us. And lead us not into temptationl But deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, The power and the glory, For ever and ever.

Amen.

A Safe Ramandan during the Covid-19 pandemic

The Muslim Council of Britain has issued guidance on COVID-19 and Ramadan.
https://mcb.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/MCB-Ramadan-2020-Guidance.pdf

MCB guidance includes updated information on who may be exempt from the fast.  Though some individuals in these groups may still prefer to carry out the fast.
These include:

• All those who are unable to fast due to illness (physical or mental) or being very frail
• Women menstruating or with lochia discharge
• Pregnant or lactating women who have credible concerns about their own or their child’s health
• Travellers
• Healthcare staff required to provide care to Covid-19 patients at real risk of dehydration and making clinical errors due to wearing PPE and long shifts

The WHO have also released guidance. 

This states that there have been no studies of fasting and risk of COVID-19 infection. They recommend that healthy people should be able to fast during this Ramadan as in previous years. COVID-19 patients may consider breaking the fast in consultation with their doctors.
https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/331767/WHO-2019-nCoV-Ramadan-2020.1-eng.pdf