WATCH: Islanders invited to ring in Easter

Friday 10 April 2020

In the absence of church bells ringing this Easter weekend, Jersey’s Dean is inviting people across the Channel Islands to ring in Easter Sunday in a very different way this year.

Islanders are being called upon to create their own chimes in celebration of the festival, by ringing bells out of their windows, from their gardens and in their driveways.

Whilst the current health crisis saw many churches finding a new way to connect with their congregations by live streaming services – this has now been suspended until further notice. The decision was taken after a video conference amongst the Church of England Clergy in Jersey. 

Jersey’s Dean The Very Reverend Michael Keirle has therefore announced that, without any services taking place over the Easter weekend, Easter Sunday should be marked in a slightly different way this year.

His invitation comes as a joint message between himself and his Guernsey counterpart, the Very Reverend Tim Barker.

Pictured: Both Christian and Jewish festivals will be celebrated differently this year.

The Clergy have agreed alternative means to ‘toll bells’ to observe the religious bank holiday weekend and are inviting all Channel Islanders to ring any bells they have in their homes, play the sound of bell ringing through a sound system, phone or other device from their gardens, driveways and out of their windows. 

The bell ringing should take place at 10:00 on Easter Sunday as a new way to celebrate the festival.

The Deans of Jersey and Guernsey commented: “Although, for the time being, we cannot use our wonderful buildings or stream services from within them, congregations and clergy across the Channel Islands are using the internet in really creative ways to stream and record services and we look forward to people ‘joining’ us on Easter Day. 

“Please also ring or broadcast your bells from your homes, drives, gardens and balconies, at 10:00 on Easter Day to celebrate this great festival.” 

This week is also of significance to those of the Jewish faith, with the festival of Passover having commenced. Ordinarily a time for families to gather together in celebration, this year’s Passover will also be different for the island’s Jewish community.

In light of this, President of the Jersey Jewish Congregation Stephen Regal has issued a video message.

Video: President of the Jersey Jewish Congregation Stephen Regal gives a special Passover video message.

He said: “At this time, we are all sharing the hardship of separation, separation from our families, separation from our friends and colleagues at work, but in some ways we are closer together. As we start our celebration of the Passover festival, our Christian friends head for Easter week. It shows that we’re all in this life together, for better or worse. We can and should support each other at this stressful time. Particularly during a period where in more normal times we would be celebrating a holiday, looking forward to a warm spring and a hot summer.”