Coronation Day was unforgettable for the nation, but it will also be remembered by some as the day they met with the King of Kings.
On the weekend of 6 May, hundreds of Christians joined Royal fans around Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace and elsewhere in central London handing out gospels and Christian literature. Thousands of tracts and the coronation booklet God Save The King – co-authored by Roger Carswell and Alan Marsden – found their way into the hands of ordinary people, as well as celebrities such as TV hosts Ant and Dec and other guests at the Coronation.
Teams from Crown Christian Heritage Trust, wearing blue t-shirts bearing ‘The King is Coming!’ also spent two days handing out gospels and leaflets. They report that copies of John’s Gospel and Romans were distributed to thousands of people, including media crews, security teams – ‘and even the Archbishop of Canterbury’!
Christine Armstrong, evangelism worker at All Souls Langham Place, helped coordinate the evangelism outreach ‘Operation Coronation’. She said 25,000 books were given out, along with 34,000 leaflets/tracts, 2,000 New Testaments from Good News For Everyone (GNFE) and hundreds of coronation tea towels produced by 10ofThose.
Operation Coronation involved 100-plus volunteers from more than 50 churches. Armstrong described it as ‘a hectic, yet extraordinary and joyful time of Christian unity and sharing the gospel’ and said people wanted to get their hands on the God Save the King booklet as a souvenir.
Many conversations were had. ‘People admitted they didn’t know or had forgotten that Jesus Christ was at the heart of the Coronation ceremony and some appreciated the reminder,’ she added. ‘Others shared their different faith backgrounds and many were very open to learning more about Jesus, often taking a New Testament with them.
In an article for Premier Christianity, Carswell said on the Monday morning (8 May), he received an email with ‘news which made my heart leap’.
It read: ‘Mighty effort from many volunteers of over 60 churches. Our trolleys [of the booklet] have been mobbed…Two young Christians found me yesterday so excited to share that they met a couple of young ladies who had read the book and wanted what it said about a relationship with God and were ready to accept Christ. So right there, right then, led them to Jesus and are going to help them find a church in their home town in Scotland.’
Operation Coronation was a partnership with organisations including 10ofThose, Christ Church Mayfair, GNFE and Open Air Campaigners.
Coronation guests also included evangelical Christians. Matthew Price, vicar of St Mary Magdalene Church Gorleston in Norfolk, was invited as a ‘community champion’. He was recognised in the late Queen’s 2020 Birthday honours for services to the local community during the pandemic. His work for the most vulnerable in the community included community meals, a food bank and other initiatives. Price commented: ‘Amidst the struggle of trying to make ends meet in a largely forgotten and deprived estate, it was extraordinary to see our quiet, evangelical mission recognised with such high honour at this historic national occasion; one that itself had the service of Christ in the world at its heart.’
