Sunday services at 10am from 20th September

Following months of closure due to Covid-19, we’re delighted to announce that we will be re-opening for public worship on SUNDAYS at 10am every week from the beginning of September - until it gets too cold! At that point we plan to move to our sister church St Michael in the City over the winter, as we can’t use our hot air blowers due to the infection risk.

We are currently open for funerals only, and this is giving us the opportunity to trial our procedures and ensure that we can keep everyone as safe as possible.

We have risk assessed our church building and made plans to limit the infection risk as much as possible. Here is what to expect:

• First, and most obviously, please don’t come if you have any symptoms of Covid-19! Get a test and only attend if you’ve received the all clear.

• It is now the rule that everyone must wear a mask in church (unless you have one of the limited medical exemptions - please just make this quietly known to the verger at the door if this is the case). We will have a supply of disposable masks for those who need them, but please bring your own reusable mask if you have one to limit disposable waste.

• We’ll ask you to enter the church one person or household at a time, and maintain a 2m distance. On entering, please sanitise your hands and give your details for Track and Trace (these will be kept securely for 3 weeks and then disposed of. Your details will only be used for T&T and not for any other purpose).

• We can seat 30 individuals, households or ‘bubbles’ - please take a seat as directed by the churchwarden or verger on duty, to ensure that we can seat everyone safely. Please stay in your seat and don’t get up to greet people - hard, we know!

• Children of all ages are very welcome and we genuinely don’t mind if they make a noise. Normally we don’t mind at all if they run around enjoying the space, but for now children must stay with their parents at all times. You’re very welcome to bring pushchairs/prams into the church, and please feel free to bring toys/books/colouring activities/snacks from home - we’re not currently able to provide these.

• The toilets will be open and available - please sanitise your hands before entering.

• We can’t have the heating on as it blows air around, so you may want to wear a coat if the weather is nippy as we go into autumn!

• There will not be any access to the kitchen or any refreshments after the service. Please leave the church one by one as directed by the verger, continuing to keep 2m distance. If you wish to talk with friends or get to know new people, please wait until you have moved away from the church entrance to do so, so that others can exit safely, and keep at least 1m distance there whilst catching up with each other.

• Clergy and ministers won’t be able to go to the door to shake hands and say goodbye individually, but will stay in their places as you leave. If you would like a private word, please email or ring to arrange an appointment.

• If, within two weeks of attending church, you feel ill and/or have a positive Covid test, you must let us know immediately and inform the Track and Trace team that you were at church.