"It is our view, in light of the continued increase of Covid-19 cases in the United Kingdom, that it is now necessary to suspend the administration of the chalice as well as physical contact during the sharing of the peace, blessing or "laying on of hands".

We therefore advise that all priests should:

•Offer Communion in one kind only to all communicants i.e. the consecrated bread/wafer/host, with the priest alone taking the wine.

•Suspend handshaking or other direct physical contact during the sharing of the peace.

•Suspend direct physical contact as part of a blessing or ‘laying on of hands’."

Services at St Nicolas will follow this guidance with immediate effect.