Dear Friends

I have to say there were days during our lockdown when I wondered if we would ever open our church doors again. I know that sounds a bit dramatic, but your mind plays funny tricks on you when you are in such strange situations. 

Thankfully, my pessimistic thoughts are no longer and the church has been open for private prayer for two weeks. It’s heartening to see so many people using the church for prayer and lighting candles,  The time has now come to open the church again on Sunday for public worship. It is true that locking down  is infinitely easier than unlocking so following extensive discussions with our clergy and churchwardens Susan and Chris we have decided to open up slowly, adopting a cautious approach. Here are some of our decisions-, they are not written in stone, they will change and adapt as the weeks go by.

Our Sunday pattern of worship will be.
8.00am Mass (On-Line only) church will be closed.
9.30am Parish Mass (please note the time change) in church. We will be socially distanced, we expect hands to be sanitized, if you feel safer please wear a mask – liturgical colours would be fun. We are in green till the end of November! The toilets will be closed unless you are desperate – please talk to a steward.
We believe we can accomodate up to 50-60 people so we hope that is enough for everyone that would like to attend.
On arrival you may need to queue (correctly spaced) at the north door.You will be directed to your seats by a sidesperson so we maintain social distancing and there is no congregating at the back of church.
There will be music, but no singing and it will be a much shorter service. 
Communion will be offered in one kind and we will come to you, there will be no need to move from your seat. There will be no coffee for the time being so we ask that when the service is over you make your way straight home via the South door.
We hope to start a children’s/family service at 11.00am in mid September – please watch this space.
8.00pm or 6.00pm Compline or Evensong, said online.
We have not made a decision about our Thursday morning mass yet, please watch his space.

We will continue with some kind of online presence/talk during the week but it might not always be me – thank God, I hear you cry!

Simon