People with sight loss can easily feel unable to join in with or attend church, leading to a lack of community support and human connection. Torch Trust is a Christian sight loss charity, and has a new FREE initiative - Sight Loss Friendly Church (SLFC) which has been developed to help churches to become accessible for people with sight loss. More information can be found at the Homepage - Sight Loss Friendly Church from Torch TrustSt Matthew's is proud to now be a Sight Loss Friendly Church which means that we will always provide a warm welcome to people with sight loss. We will endeavour to follow these principles:THINK - When planning church events, services or communications think “What can we do to include blind or partially sighted people?”ASK - Approach individuals and ask what would be best for them.ACT - Make changes, adapt room layouts or use Torch resources so that everyone with sight loss feels included in your church.St Matthew's currently can provide large print hymn books, service sheets and Eucharist booklets. We are currently investigating how best to guide a blind individual around our building correctly.Our Sight Loss Champion is Mike Seymour. Please contact him on 07885 831868 or email at mikeseymour52@live.co.uk. We would welcome any feedback and ideas. Please speak to Mike, our Clergy, or the Church Wardens if there is anything we can do to assist you at St Matthew's. Thank-you.
Together@ St Matthew’s Following the success of our summer holiday programme, we are please to continue Together@St Matthew's on Mondays.The session will take place between 3.30 - 5pm on Mondays and is aimed at children and families (although all are welcome). There will be craft activities, games, food, prayer, music, chat and fun. Anyone can drop in at any point during the 90mins and stay for as little or long as they wish to but all under 18s must be accompanied by an adult. Please spread the word and encourage people to come along. We look forward to see you there.
Lifting RestrictionsAs you will be aware, the government are planning to lift most remaining Covid19 related restrictions on the 19th July. This will open up new options for our worship and fellowship. However, due to particularly high cases in East Lancashire we need to proceed with caution. Below is an outline of how we intend to ease restrictions over the next two months. From the 19th July:- Communion will be distributed in both kinds (bread and wine) but reassurance given that it's OK to choose to only receive in one kind - Words of administration reintroduced at the distribution of Communion- People can choose to stand or kneel when receiving Communion- The rows of chairs that have been removed will be put back in- Congregational singing reintroduced including the singing of the Gloria and Angus Dei - Collection of details for Track and Trace will continue- People invited to share a sign of God's peace in a way that they and those around them feel comfortable with- People can choose where to sit and who to sit with- For Parish Eucharists the St Paul's Chapel Chairs are a designated 'Social Distancing' zone where people are asked to remain 2m from those not in their household or bubble and to wear face coverings. People are invited to sit here if they would find that reassuring or more comfortable- Everyone will be encouraged to wear face coverings entering and leaving church and when moving around but can take them off when seated During August:- At the 9am Parish Mass on the first Sunday of the month people will be invited to receive Communion at the high altar once more- Servers will be reintroduced including processing in and out and processing the Gospel, but the choir will not process in or out. Only clergy will distribute the chalice. - People are invited to exit by either the main door or the Lady Chapel door. Clergy will greet people at the main door after services but won't shake hands- Refreshments will be shared outside after the weekly Parish Eucharist (Family Service on the 1st Sunday) weather permitting - The Social Distancing Zone will stay in place for Parish EucharistsFrom 1st September onwards:- Eucharistic ministers begin distributing the chalice again- Refreshments will be shared inside after the weekly Parish Eucharist (Family Service on the 1st Sunday) - The choir will recommence processing in and out - The Holy Water stoops will be put back into church and filled - The collection plate will be passed around and the collection and elements will be processed forwards during the service- Holy Eucharist on Friday will take place in the Lady Chapel (this may be possible sooner that September) - The Social Distancing Zone will be reviewed Please feel free to speak to Father Alex or Rev Kat if you have any worries or concerns about the lifting of restrictions.
Exciting New from Father AlexAt St Matthew's church we were very fortunate to receive some generous donations from the general public after the BBC News item back in December. We appointed a working party in how best to use the resource we received and ensure St Matthew's could continue to serve the parish whilst being fit for the future. We have taken our time to consider how we could do this regarding the church space and it was clear we needed to be outward looking, beyond our regular and unchanged Eucharistic services.Subject to permission being granted by the Archdeacon, the PCC has authorised a temporary re-ordering of the church (for 18 months) to create opportunities for education, worship, prayer, socialising, community engagement and events. This will mean rather than putting all the chairs back after Covid-19 restrictions we will be putting some back and removing others to create a 'space' to offer to the community inside the church (all chairs that have a dedication plaque will be kept in use). The worship area will be more intimate and we look forward to 'unlocking' things (more on that below).We will implement tables, chairs, catering, and a food bank area. The Lady Chapel will soon return to a chapel used specifically for Holy CommunionWe will be exploring new ways to worship, outside of our regular Eucharistic services, which remain unchanged. The Breakfast club will move into the church space.We will be exploring the possibility of opening church everyday, serving 'decent' complementary coffee and offering fellowship to our parish.We will offer mental health support to those who need it and signpost the most vulnerable people in our parish to the correct people who can help.We will be partnering ecumenically, and with charities, who can provide support. We will offer pastoral care and support to the most vulnerable people in our parish and beyond and support other churches in their work if required.We will continue to grow our relationships with our church school and our friends from other schools in the local area.We are now part of the Inclusive Church Network and we will ensure people of all backgrounds, colour, religion, sexual identity, disability will be made welcome and encouraged to explore their faith. We plan to make the church more accessible and user-friendly.This is a exciting time for St Matthew's and as the Vicar I recognise change can be difficult, but also that change is sometimes necessary. We will continue our work humbly. This is a thought-through approach to try something different and we hope it is well received. As the Vicar I genuinely recognise this is a huge shift for the congregation and unchartered territory for our church but I do believe it offers us the opportunity for growth.Please note, this is a St Matthew's church project and not in conjunction with any other church or churches, although we will support other churches if required and we are able.The aesthetic and appearance of our beautiful church will fundamentally remain the same, and visitors old and new will still recognise it as it was. It has always been our intention to preserve the beauty and attraction of St Matthew's.This update may arouse some questions, and myself and Rev Kat are happy to take questions or your concerns at anytime.May these agreed changes help us to further spread the Gospel of Jesus, particularly to those who need it most.Please keep God's church of St Matthew's in your prayers.Fr Alex.
