To keep everyone safe when we come into church, please can we all pay careful attention to the following points.

• At the entrance to church someone will be noting your name and phone number, so that if someone in attendance subsequently tests positive for Covid-19, the rest of the congregation can be ‘track and traced.’ This information, in compliance with GDPR, will be deleted after 21 days.

• The diocese strongly advises that face coverings should be worn by all those attending a place of worship.

• There is no numerical cap on how many people can attend a service, as long as people are 2m apart. Once that stage has been reached, any further people seeking to come into church will not be permitted to do so.

• Before coming into church, please sanitise your hands. Hand gel will be provided.

• To keep to the required social distancing, please sit in alternate pews, 2m apart, in a seat where an order of service has already been placed. (Family groups can be seated next to each other).

• No hymn books or orders of service will be given out. When you come into church disposable paper copies will have been placed in the seat positions to be used.

• If you normally follow the readings in a pew bible, please bring your own bible to church.

• Singing is not currently allowed.

• Refreshments are not permitted to be offered after the service.

• Toilets need to remain closed for now.

• Please follow any instructions given on exiting church, (E.g. exiting one row at a time). One way systems may be in place in some of our churches. Also, please remain socially distanced in car parks and church grounds, before and after the service.

• Children’s play corners are closed and soft toys and hard toys will have been removed.

• The collection plate will not be passed round. A collection receptacle will be placed in one place, and your attention drawn to it by the service leader.

• If you become unwell in the service, with Covid-19 symptoms, please go straight home and go online to NHS 111, or call 111.

Specific guidance for Communion Services

• The peace cannot be shared.

• Communion wafers will be covered when the priest says the words of consecration over them.

• Those handling the elements before or during the service will have used hand sanitiser first.

• Wafers will be dropped into communicant’s hands rather than being placed. If inadvertent contact is made, both the priest and communicant will re-sanitise their hands.

• The priest will re-sanitise their hands just before the distribution.

• To avoid touching and to keep social distancing; the communion rail will not be used. Please form a line, keeping 2m apart, standing from the priest, as far as is possible.

For further information, please use the following link.

https://www.churchofengland.org/more/media-centre/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-churches#na

Revd Chris Hopkins and the Church Wardens. 25th July 2020