CHURCHES, COVID-19 AND COMMUNITIES Experiences, Needs, and Supporting Recovery March 2021 The Centre for the Study of Christianity and Culture University of York 2 © Centre for the Study of Christianity & Culture, University of York, 2021. Please email any enquiries about this report to [email protected] Further copies of the report can be downloaded from the Churches, COVID-19 and Communities website: https://churchesandcovid.org Churches, COVID-19 and Communities 3 CHURCHES, COVID-19 AND COMMUNITIES Experiences, Needs and Supporting Recovery Table of Contents TABLE OF FIGURES ........................................................................................................6 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ...................................................................................................7 THE CONTEXT OF THIS REPORT ................................................................................7 CONSULTATION AND RESEARCH METHODOLOGY ..................................................8 KEY FINDINGS ..............................................................................................................9 Churches and communities: provision of social care ............................................................... 10 Churches and communities: buildings, wellbeing, place-making, and heritage ............... 11 Churches and communities: supporting grief and loss ............................................................ 12 CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................14 SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS ........................................................................14 Recognition of the multi-faceted contribution made to society by churches ...................... 14 Supporting churches in their contribution to community wellbeing and recovery ............ 15 SECTION 1 CHURCHES AND COMMUNITIES: PROVISION OF SOCIAL CARE ........19 1.1 INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................19 1.2 NEED .....................................................................................................................20 1.2.1 The impact of the loss of church-based 'cradle to grave' activities .......................... 21 1.2.2 Combating major disadvantage .......................................................................................... 23 1.3 CREATIVE INITIATIVES ........................................................................................25 1.3.1 The characteristics of effective intervention ..................................................................... 26 1.3.2 Partnership initiatives and support for other frontline workers .................................... 28 1.4 CHURCHES AND RECOVERY ..............................................................................32 1.4.1 Churches as hubs of social care ........................................................................................ 33 1.4.2 Understanding and meeting complex social needs ...................................................... 35 1.4.3 Partnership working ............................................................................................................... 37 1.5 FUTURE SUPPORT REQUIRED ............................................................................38 1.5.1 Recognition by national and local government of the importance of churches as community hubs .................................................................................................................................. 39 1.5.2 Making and keeping buildings fit for purpose for social care ..................................... 40 1.5.3 Financial support for church community and social care activities........................... 41 Churches, COVID-19 and Communities 4 1.5.4 Support in recruiting, training, and managing volunteers ............................................ 45 1.5.5. Training and support for church leaders .......................................................................... 46 1.5.6 The challenges of communicating, interpreting, and applying guidance ................. 47 1.6 LESSONS LEARNED .............................................................................................50 1.6.1 Church buildings are key to the delivery of social care ................................................. 50 1.6.2 Faith groups bring long-established networks and local knowledge which make them key partners with other agencies in meeting community needs ................................. 50 1.6.3 Problems in agreeing, disseminating, and applying COVID-19 guidance have often hindered churches from playing their full role in the community. ............................... 50 SECTION 2 CHURCHES AND COMMUNITIES: CHURCH BUILDINGS, WELLBEING, PLACE-MAKING, AND HERITAGE ................................................................................52 2.1 INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................52 2.2 NEED ......................................................................................................................53 2.2.1 Church buildings: spirituality, individual wellbeing and worship ................................. 56 2.2.2 Church buildings, community wellbeing, and social cohesion .................................... 63 2.2.3 Church buildings and place-making: shared history, heritage, and culture ............ 65 2.3 CREATIVE RESPONSES .......................................................................................69 2.3.1 Creative ways of providing worship and spiritual provision online ............................. 69 2.3.2 Creative ways of returning to in-person worship ............................................................. 72 2.3.3 Creative approaches to exploring shared histories, heritage and culture ................ 74 2.5 FUTURE SUPPORT REQUIRED ............................................................................76 2.5.1 Making buildings fit for purpose: maintenance and repairs, upgrading facilities, and building development ................................................................................................................ 76 2.5.2 Clearer and more enabling guidance ................................................................................. 78 2.5.3 Supporting online and in-person worship and visiting ................................................... 79 2.6 LESSONS LEARNED .............................................................................................79 SECTION 3 CHURCHES AND COMMUNITIES: SUPPORTING GRIEF AND LOSS .....81 3.1 INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................81 3.2 NEED ......................................................................................................................83 3.2.1 A pandemic of unsupported or unresolved grief ............................................................. 83 3.2.2 The impact of restrictions on the use of church buildings for funerals and for personal processing of loss ............................................................................................................. 86 3.2.3 The impact of loss of activities which support individual recovery and wellbeing . 88 Churches, COVID-19 and Communities 5 3.3 CREATIVE INITIATIVES .........................................................................................89 3.4 CHURCHES AND RECOVERY ...............................................................................91 3.4.1 The need for human contact and in-person support ...................................................... 92 3.4.2 The role of church buildings in providing comfort ........................................................... 92 3.5 SUPPORT NEEDED ...............................................................................................93 3.5.1 Recognition of the importance of funerals. ....................................................................... 93 3.5.2 Provision of clearer, more positive guidance ................................................................... 93 3.5.3 Training in counselling and bereavement support ......................................................... 94 3.6 LESSONS LEARNED .............................................................................................94 DETAILED RECOMMENDATIONS .................................................................................96 OVERVIEW ..................................................................................................................96 1. FINANCE ..................................................................................................................97 2. IMPROVED GUIDANCE ...........................................................................................98 3.TRAINING .................................................................................................................99 4. ENHANCED SUPPORT FOR THOSE SUFFERING GRIEF AND LOSS ................. 100 5. FURTHER RESEARCH AND INFORMATION NEEDED ......................................... 100 APPENDIX 1: RESEARCH TEAM AND METHODOLOGY .......................................... 102 APPENDIX 2: RELEVANT SURVEYS AND REPORTS CARRIED OUT BY OTHER ORGANISATIONS ......................................................................................................... 108 APPENDIX 3: COVID-19 GUIDANCE: ISSUES IN CLARIFYING,