Coronavirus

Update (12/04/21) 

The third lockdown has ended but care still needs to be taken to ensure collective worship is safe. The details listed below still apply. Revised service times can be found near the bottom of the page.

 

As you will be aware the government is allowing churches to open for public worship from next weekend. Accordingly we shall resume worship in our church from next Sunday 5th July. However there are many changes that we have had to make to ensure that everybody is kept ‘Covid-19 safe’. These are listed below.

  • Pattern of Masses in Church to be re-established, starting with Sunday 5th July at 10.30 am. For the time being there will only be one service each Sunday at 10.30 am

  • The Nave Altar to be used.

  • No Server will be required.

  • People must maintain social distance. This should be 2 metres where possible.

  • There will be a one-way system in Church, the entry will be through the main porch and exit through the north door by the font.

  • There will be hand hygiene points at the entrance and the exit with clear signs to ask people to use it.

  • Books and re-usable Orders of Service should not be handed out. Single use service sheets may be given out as long as they are then taken away by the person using it. They must NOT be given out by a sidesperson but collected by each individual as they enter.

  • You will be asked to place your service book in a box by the piano before leaving

  • There cannot be any congregational or choral singing. It is permissible to have a single cantor and organist.

  • There is to be no food or drink, ‘except that which is central to worship.’

  • There should be no common cup and no exchanging of the Peace.

  • The celebrant will wear a facemask ‘when speaking or singing over food’ – ie during the Eucharistic Prayer.

  • Hands should be washed carefully at the offertory and again before the administration of communion.

  • Communion should be received in the hands with arms outstretched.

  • Cash poses a risk of infection. Ideally as many people as possible would switch to standing order. Please give using contactless card giving if possible.                                                    
  • The advice will be that services should be kept short and the people should be discouraged from remaining in the building for any significant time afterwards.

  • Records of those who attend will need to be kept for test and trace purposes. Good practice suggests that this will also include people who come into the church to clean etc. We are awaiting guidance on the GDPR implications of this.

  • No toilet facilities will be available. 

  • Update (Saturday 26th July)

    Please note that the Church of England has decided to follow the government’s advice and that face masks should be worn at all times in our Church building.

  • Update (Saturday 15th August)

    The disabled toilet in church is now open for use. Sanitising wipes are available in the toilet and we ask you to use them on the tap, door handle, seat and anything else you may touch BEFORE using the facilities. That way you can be confident that they are COVID-19 free before making use of them. Please place the sanitizing wipes in the basket provided when you have finished with them.

    The toilets will be cleaned on Sundays and Thursdays.

     

A short video filmed at church shows the precautions that have been made and it can be viewed here. Hopefully it will allay people’s fear about coming to Church.

Services

Sunday

10.30 am Holy Eucharist 

Monday

12 noon Holy Eucharist 

Tuesday

10.30 am Holy Eucharist 

Friday

Church open for private prayer 1.00pm – 5.00pm

Second Saturday of Month  (Healing Eucharist) 

9.30 am Holy Eucharist 

Last Saturday of Month (Our Lady of Walsingham)

9.30 am Holy Eucharist 

 

The Church of England has an app for Morning and Evening Prayer which can be downloaded. Below is a link to their website with these and other Daily Offices.

https://www.churchofengland.org/prayer-and-worship/join-us-service-daily-prayer

More specifically, for the current situation,

https://www.churchofengland.org/more/media-https://www.churchofengland.org/more/media-centre/coronavirus-covid-19-liturgy-andprayer-resources