COVID-19 (Coronavirus)

The category: Notices

The tags:

We remain committed to serving God and our community during this time. As such, the church remains open as usual and as things stand, none of our services or activities are subject to cancellation. We are aware however that this is an evolving situation, and we will continue to follow closely advice issued by the Church of England and Public Health England. In line with advice from the Government and Archbishops, we are currently making the following provisions:

• We are asking anyone who is currently experiencing symptoms of an upper respiratory tract infection (namely, a persistent cough and fever) to remain at home and not to enter the church building.
• We are asking everyone to proceed straight to the church lavatories upon arrival at church to wash their hands thoroughly with the soap provided.
• We are currently having problems obtaining sanitising hand gel. Once this becomes available, we will also be providing this at the entrance.
• Tissues are available at the entrance, and we ask that everybody takes a couple on arrival just in case they are required.
• Refreshments will be served as normal, but we ask that you only take a cup or biscuit for yourself, and not pass them to others (unless you find it difficult to come to the hatch). Biscuits will all be wrapped (which means we get exciting things like Penguins*).
• During the liturgy, we have suspended all touch. This means that we will not be sharing the sign of peace by shaking hands, and blessings will be done without any laying on of hands.
• We ask that everybody receives communion in the hand rather than on the tongue.
• Communion will be offered in one kind only (i.e. only the bread). Whilst the priest will continue to receive the chalice as well, this does not mean they are getting anything better or more! Anglican teaching is that Christ is fully present in both elements of communion, and his grace is not halved by only receiving the bread.
• The Vicar and Churchwardens are currently working on a contingency plan which will detail what will happen should the Vicar or any church officers become ill or need to self-isolate to ensure that we are able to continue as normally as possible.

Whilst some of these may feel like overkill, we have some very vulnerable people within our church community, and by taking these steps now, we hope to be able keep all of our activities running as usual unless we are advised otherwise.

*We can’t afford real Penguins, so we have the next best thing…