Alexa, say grace: C of E launches prayer skill for smart-home devices

Alexa, who is God? Or: Alexa, read the Lord’s prayer, say grace, explain something about Christianity, find a church near me.

The Church of England has launched an Alexa “skill” to complement a range of apps it has produced as part of a digital drive over the past few years. Other faith organisations are also harnessing technology to allow people to access prayers, readings and worship on the move or in their homes.

The C of E’s Alexa skill offers a prayer for the day, as well as morning, evening and night-time prayers and a grace before meals. It answers questions such as: what is the Bible? Who is God? What is a Christian?

The skill is integrated with A Church Near You, which allows users to find nearby services and events, and users will also be able to ask about weddings and funerals.

John Sentamu, the archbishop of York, said the service would “enable regular churchgoers and those exploring faith to connect with God in another way at a time that’s right for them. A quarter of UK households now own a smart device and … this fast-growing area was identified as a priority for development.”

Adrian Harris, the C of E’s head of digital, said: “Platforms such as Alexa give the church the ability to connect people with God and to weave faith into daily lives, whether for daily prayers or exploring Christianity.”

The skill is compatible with all Amazon Echo and Alexa devices. “We’re prioritising Alexa at this stage to reach as many people as quickly as possible but plan to launch on Google and Apple devices in due course,” Harris said.

There are currently more than 40,000 skills available on Alexa, and about 500 connected to faith.