Attending Sunday Services In Person

Dear Friends,

We are delighted that from the 8th November onwards our Sunday services will be open for you to attend as well as continuing to be live streamed (and provided on DVD/CD for those who have requested that).

Due to the current Covid related restrictions numbers will be limited so we are asking everyone who would like to come on a given Sunday to book in advance. This will need to be done for each week you’d like to attend. Booking is for one week at a time. We know this is laborious and we are very sad that it has to be this way, but we are doing our absolute best to make it as easy as possible for you.

You can register your interest to attend for a specific Sunday using this link. If you use it now it will give the chance to register you interest for our first in-person service, Sunday 8th November.

https://tickets.myiknowchurch.co.uk/gb/MTIzNC04/t

We are also offering the option to phone the church office on 01483 763078 on either the Monday or Tuesday before the Sunday that you’d like to come. If no one is there to take your call, please leave a message and it will be picked up. However, if you are able to use the online method we would appreciate you doing so.

Once you have registered your interest we will then contact you later in the week to confirm your place. If there is high demand then we will offer some people a place the following Sunday. Priority for church attendance will, of course, be given to those who are unable to watch online.

We have now held two in-person services on Wednesdays and these have gone very well. Obviously the experience is very different to what we are used to but there is still much joy to be had in gathering together in our church building. The service will be very similar to the ones you see online at the moment and my challenge will be to make it as meaningful as possible for both those present in the building and those watching at home – pray for me!

You may be wondering where we’re up to with regards our provision for children. Leonie and others are working hard behind the scenes to come up with creative ways to serve our children and families who would like to attend the Sunday services in person. Our aim is have something ready by the start of Advent (29th November) as the URC is producing something very special which we can’t wait to share with you. So look out for more details over the coming weeks. Until then, if you have little ones you will probably find it easier to keep joining in online. 

Below are some reminders of things you need to know in advance…

  1. There will be someone at the pavement edge to hand out permits for Heathside car park.  These permits may be used every Sunday, as before. There will be some spaces as usual in the church car park for those who need them.
  2. You will be asked to arrive no earlier than 15 mins before the start time and be called to enter in a distanced manner from outside (if it is raining heavily there will be alternative arrangements for waiting).
  3. Everyone will need to sanitise their hands on arrival. Please keep your coats and take them to your chairs.
  4. You will be warmly welcomed and shown to your own dedicated seat for the morning.
  5. All households must maintain a distance of 2m from one another and the seats will be arranged to facilitate this. 
  6. Face coverings will need to be worn unless you have a medical exemption.
  7. No congregational singing is permitted but I know you’ll be singing in your hearts!
  8. Sadly, we won’t be able to share refreshments afterwards and will ask you to adhere to a one way system when leaving.
  9. One of the ways to reduce risk is to have good ventilation, which means windows will be open. Please wrap up warm!

We see this as the next step in our journey through this pandemic, but understand that it won’t be right for everyone. Whether you chose to attend in person or keep sharing online, please be assured of my ongoing prayers for you all.

Yours in Christ,

Lucy