The return of #sarumhour

‘#sarumhour’ uses the popular idea of an 'hour' hashtag and allows those who follow it to catch up at the end of a “busy Sunday in ministry”.

The hashtag is assumed to be open to everyone - clergy and lay, Anglican and of other traditions - but its focus is ministry in the Diocese of Salisbury.

The hashtag was first used back in 2014, but is now being relaunched by its original instigator, Revd Canon Eleanor Rance, Rector of the Salisbury Plain Benefice. She says:
“In 2014 we trialled for a while the idea of catching up on Twitter at the end of a Sunday. Using the popular idea of I suggested we just chat with one another about our day, things happening in our parish/context and perhaps exciting events coming up.

“We usually ended with a form of prayer- not exactly Compline by tweet, but asking for and sharing prayer requests for the coming week during our last 5 minutes or so of the hour. As ever, this was probably one of the most popular elements of the whole thing- sharing proper interest and concern for one another in the real world, and offering our ministries to God's care.

“When we started it last time we were a small band and I, personally, got distracted by the joint temptations of Homeland and Downton Abbey and over time we just stopped, but my
personal feeling is that in 2019 there are many more Salisbury Diocese people making use of Twitter in particular as a good communication platform, so who knows how an hour of focused chat may develop?

“This year we've decided to aim for 8pm-9pm on the first Sunday of the month, but I think we can see how it unfolds. If someone decides to tweet with the hashtag on any other Sunday I have no doubt people will join in...!”

See the results of the first discussion via the #sarumhour hashtag.