Bishop's Christmas Message Launches London's Internet Church

God does not come as legislator with an ideology but in the life of a child to melt our divisions and with the promise of peace and goodwill for all the world

22/12/06

The Bishop of London will deliver his Christmas message to Londoners via the capital's new internet church, which launches on Saturday 23 December, thanks to a partnership between the Diocese of London and Premier.tv.

The new initiative has been created using the template of a real church, St Stephen Walbrook in the City of London, and will offer sermons, services, prayer and worship to all visitors via the internet, 24 hours a day.

Visitors to the website, which will become fully operational in the New Year, will be able to access a virtual church, based on the historic Wren design of St Stephen Walbrook, providing a schedule of dedicated TV programmes and a communication centre allowing virtual 'parishioners' to access lectures and interviews and to enter into dialogue with others.

Delivering his Christmas message to London, via the St Stephen Walbrook Internet Church's inaugural broadcast, Bishop Richard will say:

"I am glad to be using this new way of communicating the Christmas message. As this 21st century opens up, there are all kinds of new possibilities and I believe that there is huge promise in our wired-up world.

"But it is also a time of anxiety for many people. The country's most senior scientist, Lord Rees the President of the Royal Society, questioned the other day whether we would have the wisdom to use for good the power unlocked by some of the discoveries of the 20th century in genetics and nuclear energy. There is also the common challenge of climate change and the pollution which comes from believing that we are masters and possessors of the earth rather than its stewards.

"The City of London is a place which is open to the hopes and fears of all the world. We are posted at a global crossroads and news of the perils and the promise of the 21st century is constantly received here.

"God's message is 'do not be afraid'. The darkness is visible in the Christmas story. The account of the birth of Jesus Christ in the Bible is far from being a cosy, sentimental tale but it speaks of God with us, of his word made flesh, of hope for the world. God does not come as legislator with an ideology but in the life of a child to melt our divisions and with the promise of peace and goodwill for all the world.

"I hope that you will be able to savour the celebrations this year and enjoy the company of friends and family. I pray that all our minds and hearts may be open to the plight of those who like the Holy Family are far from home and vulnerable whether to poverty or violence.

"May the hope that comes with Emmanuel - God with us keep you from fear and cynicism."

The Bishop's Christmas message will form part of the internet church's first ever broadcast, "Christmas @ the Internet Church", which will be presented by the Venerable Peter Delaney, Archdeacon of London and will feature an interview with actress Lynda Bellingham.

This full broadcast is now available on Premier.tv.