Vicars Monthly Letter

Vicars Letter July 

Dear Friends,

You will recall that I promised to update you with any changes in respect to the pandemic and the re-opening of our churches.  As I type this letter on the 23rd June I am pleased to advise you that our churches will be open for personal prayers.  The doors of St James’ and St Peter’s will open on alternate Sundays 9.30am - 10.15am, please check your notice sheets or your churches website for the dates. 

As I have already said the doors are open for personal prayers for people to ‘pop-in’, there will be no public services.  Both our churches have been adapted and areas cordoned off so that we comply with social distancing.  I appreciate that the government has relaxed this to 1 meter however, in church we will still adhere to 2 meters - signage will remind visitors of this.  As well as instructing visitors to use the hand sanitisers available.  Someone has already asked if it would be okay to wear their face mask when in church and that wouldn’t be a problem - after all it is down to personal choice.  Closing at 10.15am will then allow visitors to get back home so they can watch the Eucharist which is available on YouTube from 10.30am.

Funerals are also allowed in church however, these are regrettably not public services.  A funeral at this time is limited to immediate family only and again adhering to the social distancing of 2 meters.

Even though these are the first steps of the church moving towards pre-pandemic days it will still be a long journey.  Also, individuals will need to make their own decisions whether the time is right for them to come out of self-isolation.  Not an easy decision to make but one I will fully support either way.

When there are further updates I will let you know through the ‘From the Vicarage’ emails and also our notice sheets and websites.

Your friend and priest

Kevin