We are delighted that we shall probably be able to worship together in church from 5th July. Because of the amount of work involved in making a church ready for worship amid a continuing risk of infection from Covid-19, for the moment only one church in our group of parishes will open: St. Nicholas, Adare, at 10:30am on Sundays. Everyone from any of the parishes is invited!
We will see how this goes, and add churches as it becomes possible and advisable. We may, however, add a midweek service. We are adapting and adjusting as we go!
Even though we can worship in person again, it would be wrong to expect to be back to ‘normal’ immediately; as long as the risk of infection remains, we need to change some of our ways of doing things. It is important that we set an example, even if doing so is not ‘church as we would like it to be.’ We also must remember that some people may be vulnerable because of medical conditions that we are not aware of.
· Physical distancing: This is the basic practice which underpins the others. Please make every effort to comply rigorously with prevailing government restrictions.
· Wearing masks: We need to adhere to government guidelines, which may change — but in the meanwhile, masks should be worn wherever possible. You are encouraged to bring your own, though the church will have an emergency supply.
· Hand sanitisers will be available in the church and the church porch — please use them. You might want to bring your own, and possibly also disposable tissues to take home.
· Pews: In order to comply with distancing requirements, we need to fill up from the front pew first. That means you may be guided to a pew other than the one you would normally choose. Enjoy the different view! Family members may of course sit together.
· Visitors: Some new people may wish to come to church to give thanks for safety or recovery. Even though it won’t be possible to welcome them as normal, please take the opportunity to make them feel welcome; they might also need to have the service explained.
· Children: The books/ toys etc at the back of church won’t be available for the duration. Perhaps you might bring crayons or (silent!) toys to keep young ones happy, and try to keep the children in one place — we've been asked to minimise movement if possible.
· The Service: For the moment, the service will be Morning Prayer. We will return to having Holy Communion services when the House of Bishops issues guidelines for doing so.
· Music: Our first services will likely have recorded music and no congregational singing. Singing is ill-advised because it is potentially more likely to spread infection. We will endeavour to return to singing as soon as possible, though you might be asked to sing through a mask!
· Hymnals / Prayer Books: These will not be needed. A service booklet will be provided. You are asked to take the booklet home and bring it with you each time you come to worship.
· Going in / Coming out: These are the times when we may be at the most risk of getting too close to others, so please be careful to maintain distance, and avoid congregating in groups outside.
· Tea/ Coffee: We won’t be able to serve refreshments in church for a while.
· Contact Tracing: We have been asked to keep a record of attendees for possible tracing. These records will be disposed of after the recommended 21 days.
· If you’ve got the sniffles, a temperature, or you’re just simply feeling icky, much as we’d love to see you, please stay at home. Links to the readings are provided each week in eGleanings, and online worship opportunities are expected to continue for the foreseeable future.
· Offertory Collections: Again, we’ve been asked not to pass the plate for collections, but use a retiring collection instead. However, this might be a good time to instigate a standing order if you haven’t already done so.
These are a lot to take in, we recognise. So let us take them in a spirit of good humour and perhaps even a sense of adventure, and give thanks for the opportunity to again worship in a church and at least see one another!
The above is adapted from the Rev. Michael Cavanaugh, Kenmare.