St Peter’s Anglican Church

St Peter's in Level 2: Message from Vicar Stuart Goodin

Good evening

I have just been watching the Prime Minister’s press conference with the news that we go back to Alert Level 2 at 6am tomorrow morning for a period of seven days. Our services tomorrow will go ahead, but will operate on the following basis (essentially as we did when we were at level 2 last year):

Attendance is limited to 100 people.

Please ensure you wash your hands thoroughly with soap before leaving home. You will be asked to use hand sanitiser on arrival.

Please use the Covid19 contact tracing app on your mobile phone: the QR codes for scanning are placed at each entrance. Contact tracing sheets are also available at the sidespersons table for those without the app.

Please observe physical distancing as you arrive and gather. We will observe distancing requirements in the church, keeping separation between each individual or bubble. We will only use every second row of seats. If you are asked to move along, or to shift rows, please be understanding as we seek to accommodate everyone within the requirements. The 8am congregation will meet in the nave, rather than in the chancel.

Please feel free to wear face masks. There is a small quantity of masks available at the welcomers’ table if you haven’t your own to bring.

The offertory plates will be located at the crossing – they will not be passed from hand to hand. Please place your offering in the plate as you enter.

The Peace will be done in a way that does not involve physical contact.

Communion will be offered in one kind only, and will be done queuing one by one rather than assembling at the altar rail.

If you are unwell, or if you are vulnerable to infection, or if the above conditions give you concern, please stay away. We will continue making appropriate worship resources and my sermon available online to provide for those unable or unwilling to gather in person. The online resources can be found here: http://www.stpeterspn.org.nz/st-peters-online.

While this has its tiresome aspects, overall it is right that we comply with the Government’s efforts to care for us collectively, and to exercise an appropriate duty of care for one another. So please once again exercise the grace you showed to one another last year.

God of peace,
let us your people know
that at the heart of turbulence
there is an inner calm that comes
from faith in you.

Keep us from being content with things as they are,
that from this central peace
there may come a creative compassion,
a thirst for justice,
and a willingness to give of ourselves
in the spirit of Christ.

Amen.

Grace and peace,

Stuart