Dear fellow-worshippers at St. Bartholomew’s:
You may be aware that during these two months when I have led worship with a small group from the church, that we were in fact permitted to hold services for as many as could safely attend. We chose to exercise abundant caution by broadcasting to the congregation from church by Zoom into your homes.
Several changes in the local incidence of COVID-19 infection rates allow us to re-address our earlier decision together with a careful review of the Prime Minister’s statement on Monday 22 February.
Consequently, I am pleased to invite any who wish to do so, to return to congregational worship in church from this Sunday, 28 February.
The following conditions will be maintained:
- Those attending are to wear facemasks (unless medically exempt), observe the social distancing guidance and sanitise hands when entering and leaving the building, and if sharing Communion.
- Advise Sue Fenn (admin@ducklingtonchurch.org.uk, 01993 709814) that you are planning to attend. Numbers are limited to 40.
- Permitted seating is defined by the cushions placed in alternate rows and spaced apart.
- It is most important that on both entering and leaving church, that you do not gather outside your family group or bubble.
We will continually review our arrangements and if there is any deterioration in the level of incidence locally, then we will immediately tighten up these measures.
We wish to assure any who do not yet feel able to return for congregational worship that we will continue to broadcast the service on Zoom for as long as it is necessary.
There is no expectation for any to attend and the decision to do so must be an entirely personal one made on your own assessment of the risks to yourself and your family.
We hope to see you back at church when it is right and appropriate for you to do so.
With my prayers and blessing as we all work our way through the next weeks with the “road-map” leading us out of lockdown.
Rev’d Paul Boddam-Whetham