As many of us gather on May 23rd, and again from June 13th onwards, there will be a variety of feelings in the room. Some will have been champing at the bit for months; others will be stepping out beyond their comfort zone in attending. Both of these responses are understandable in these strange times. Following the teaching of Scripture, out of our love for one another, we will conduct our initial gatherings in a way that honours the most cautious amongst us. This means that some of us will be choosing to lay down what we think we could do, and perhaps even what we feel would be right to do, in order to ensure that everyone attending feels comfortable doing so. We’ve spent considerable effort putting together a strong risk-assessment for the morning, and we’re asking everyone who’s attending to please read and agree to follow the rules we’ve agreed.
Our rules for gathering
- Please book in ahead of the Sunday – ideally as soon as possible. To let us know you’ll be joining online, or that you’re elsewhere, please use the same form, so we know who’s responded.
- On the day, please arrive at the time on your booking so we can allow people into the building in a safe manner.
- You will need to sign in at the entrance for track-and-trace purposes – details will be kept for 21 days.
- All attendees aged 11 and over must weat a Facemask at all times while indoors, unless you are exempt.
- Only the worship band are allowed to sing at this time. Others attending are strongly encouraged to hum!
- Hand sanitiser will be available on the door.
- All attendees will have a forehead temperature check before entering the hall as an additional precaution.
- When inside, we all need to move straight to our seats, and to stay there. After the service, we’ll “dismiss” people one group at a time – please wait to be asked.
- Lastly – while inside, please do not have any physical contact with anyone outside your household or official support bubble. Many of us would dearly like to hug, to shake hands, or even to offer the “COVID elbow”! Please keep that for outside, before or after the service.
Booking in
On Wednesday morning, Al will be meeting with the school to discuss final practicalities. One of the big things to sort out will be numbers. How many people we can safely fit into the hall depends strongly on which people attend, as households can be sat closer together etc. It would therefore be incredibly helpful if people could indicate before Wednesday morning whether they’re planning to attend, by clicking this link: https://bit.ly/33SOVrX. There are options for “not attending” or “attending online”. Please also ensure that families register all people who are planning to attend.
We’re really looking forward to gathering together – see you there!