Restarting Worship at St Mary’s

It is for you to decide if you wish to attend public worship again and we shall still make recordings of services available on the website for those who choose not to come at present. This will be in sound only because of the technical issues about video recording or live-streaming from the church. A few things you need to know ahead of attending worship at St Mary’s:-

Before the service:-

  • If you have Covid-19 symptoms or have someone in your household or ‘bubble’ with Covid-19 symptoms please do not come to church, whether for services or private prayer.
  • Those shielding should follow government advice.
  • We will continue to make our services available for those who cannot or do not wish to attend services in church; these will be sound recordings linked to our website.

At the service:

  • We will provide hand sanitiser for use on entry to and exit from the church; this must be used please.
  • Remember the need to respect social distancing and hygiene.
  • We will ensure good ventilation during services.
  • Ushers will direct people to their seats and control movements around the church, including at the end of the service as people depart.
  • We will provide paper service sheets to be taken away once used.
  • We ask you to maintain 2 m social distancing.
  • Communal singing or raised voices are not permitted; the organ can provide music and we can also use recorded music.
  • Only one user of the lectern per service.
  • Avoid passing any equipment around if possible, and if it is necessary then using hygiene measures (gloves, alcohol spray) to avoid transmission.
  • Attendees wishing to give will be encouraged to give by contactless giving.
  • Any cash donated or donation envelopes will be quarantined for 48 hours before being counted.
  • No toys will be available.
  • Sunday Club will not start until September at the earliest.
  • There will be no refreshments after the service.
  • You are asked not to congregate outside the church after the service has finished.

Using the toilet:

  • Hand sanitiser will be provided for use on entry to and exit from the toilet.
  • The hot air dryers will be available for drying hands after using the toilet.
  • If you use the toilet, please wipe down any tap or door handle that you touch with the disinfectant wipes provided.

Details of the arrangements for receiving Holy Communion will be announced next Sun. Holy Communion will be administered by wafer only; use of the common cup is expressly not permitted.

As you will appreciate this is far from returning to what was ‘normal’ back in Feb., but it is the best that we can achieve at present given the guidance from government. We may well make minor adjustments in the coming weeks, but I anticipate that this will be our ‘new normal’ for several months to come.

We would welcome your feedback and suggestions as we find a way forward.

Simon