Spring Harvest launches online conference after cancelling event over coronavirus

After coronavirus forced the cancellation of Spring Harvest's annual conference, organisers will instead be taking the event into people's homes.

Spring Harvest Home is a brand new concept to replace the regular four-week conference in April after it had to be axed as the pandemic took hold in the UK. 

It will be a more condensed programme, running from 13 to 17 April instead of the original four weeks, the Spring Harvest team promised it would be a "truly unique time of being quality Church together".

Over the course of the five days, a broad range of sessions will be available online, including Bible teaching, live worship, specialist seminars, workshops and "light-hearted viewing" suitable for all the family. 

The programme is being made available completely free of charge via YouTube, and the Spring Harvest team are encouraging people to connect with each other as they watch it together digitally. 

The material will be inspired by the theme for the original gathering, "Unleashed - The Acts Church Today". 

"We are all disappointed that we can't join together as one Spring Harvest family this year, but the team here have been working really hard to adapt and deliver the heart of Spring Harvest... direct to your living room," said the team.

They added: "Never has there been a more appropriate time for us to gather together as a community to worship, learn, laugh and pray together.

"It's our prayer to serve everyone who tunes in, helping us all to encounter God, be inspired by the good news of Jesus this Easter, and to see all of us, our communities and our culture, transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit." 

It comes as the organisers, Essential Christian, launched a fundraising appeal to help cover the cost of cancelling the main event. 

Essential Christian has warned that it stands to lose an estimated £1.5m in revenue and that it is unable to recover other "large" costs already paid out. 

"We fully appreciate that these are troubling times for many families who may be under a number of financial pressures," it said.

"However, we hope that you will partner with us so that we can ensure Spring Harvest continues to inspire both the Church and individuals to encounter God, and transform many more lives for years to come, to help shape the future of our nation." 

To receive updates on Spring Harvest Home, subscribe to the Spring Harvest YouTube channel