A Church of England video proclaiming “Christmas isn’t cancelled” has been viewed nearly two million times, as its parishes prepare for a record number of services.
The video, shared across social media platforms, invites all to “discover the joy of Christmas at your local church”, with church leaders saying Christmas being cancelled “is news to us.”
“It’s Christmas. It belongs to all of us, and everyone is invited. Whether you’ve been going to church for 50 years, five minutes, or have never been before, come and spend Christmas at a church near you.”
The video was released days before Tommy Robinson’s ‘Unite the Kingdom’ carols service in London, which was advertised as “putting the Christ back into Christmas”.
It has received 125,000 likes, comments and shares, according to the Church. The video was also praised by public figures, including Health Secretary Wes Streeting.
The number of Advent and Christmas services in Church of England parishes are on track to surpass last year’s total of 23,525.
Visits to its online church-finder, A Church Near You, have recorded a week-on-week increase of 20 per cent.
It comes as polling, commissioned by charity Tearfund, found that nearly half of adults in the UK plan to attend a Church event or service this Christmas. This rises to nearly 60 percent among Gen Z and Millennials.
The church’s “Joy of Christmas” campaign, launched at the beginning of Advent, aims to provide reflections and devotions for people of all backgrounds.
A picture book, The Grumpy Owl and the Joy of Christmas, has also been produced to support the campaign.