18/07/2020
Dear friends
Our two churches will reopen for public worship next weekend (25/26 July)! This is possible due to the generous help offered by many of you. There are still things to be done, so if you can still offer to help, please do so. Thank you all.
Your PCC discussed the reopening at some length, and our Risk Assessments for each church have been published on the parish website.
Although the churches are reopening, the present circumstances mean that there will be many unfamiliar aspects to the mass, and we will all need to show generosity of spirit as we get used to them. Individuals and households will sit with 2m distancing from others, and you will be shown to your seats by our Welcomers, who will also ask you to use hand sanitiser on arrival. Face coverings are advised but not (at present) compulsory.
To help support NHS Track & Trace, on your first visit you will be asked to complete a short permission form, and then on each visit record your name (on a sheet or into a dictaphone). All kneelers have been removed and cushions have been put to one side: if you use a cushion you must collect it, and bring it and take it away with you each time.
There will be no communal singing (and so the service at St Augustine's will be shorter) and you are asked not to congregate within church or its grounds to chat, however tempting at 4 months that may be - wait until you're on the pavement if you wish to do so.
As collection plates cannot be passed around, there will be a box at the back of each church into which offerings can be placed when coming in to church.
Receiving communion and the conclusion of the service will perhaps be the most different, but I will say more about this at the time.
The weekly pattern of worship is very similar to what it was before, except that on Sunday, the Mass at St Aidan's has been moved back slightly to 9.00am (capacity 20), and the masses at St Augustine's are now split between a 10.30am mass on Sunday morning (capacity 36) and a 6.00pm mass on Saturday evening (capacity 28), which fulfils the obligation of attending Sunday mass.
We do not wish to introduce a booking system, as some churches have, so it would help enormously if you could give an indication of your preference for Sunday attendance by clicking on the link below, not by REPLYing. Thanks for participating!
I look forward from hearing from you, and seeing you again very soon.
With my prayers and best wishes
Fr Tony
Please take the survey titled "Back-to-Mass Survey". Your feedback is important!
📷
SURVEYMONKEY.CO.UKCan you spare a few moments to take our survey?Please take the survey entitled "Back-to-Mass Survey". Your feedback is important in planning our masses!
