“We want to commend our ministers and clergy for their prayerful and creative use of various online platforms and other means that have brought encouragement, through God’s word and through prayer, to His scattered people.”

As the island battles this pandemic, standing alongside other denominations and Christian organisations, we are today issuing a call to pray — Ireland's church leaders.

“It became clear that the line in the sand had turned into a canyon. This protocol graciously allows us to continue to live out the mission of making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world, albeit in different expressions,” says Methodist Bishop Thomas Bickerton.

While we acknowledge that points of difference obviously remain, the goal of restoring devolution remains within reach – Ireland’s church leaders.