Sunday 7 June 2020 - Worship

It was wonderful to gather together for worship in the church last Sunday, and our measures to observe the pandemic requirements seemed to work smoothly.

This Sunday 7 June we will therefore celebrate the Eucharist:

BCP at 8am

NZ Prayer Book at 10am

It will still be necessary to make adjustments in order to do this safely: communion will be offered in one kind only (bread), wafers will be dropped into your cupped hands, and you will be asked to stand rather than kneel at the altar rail. Other directions will be given during the service to ensure that we maintain distancing etc throughout.

We will hold off offering morning tea for now.

As for last week, the following still apply:

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

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.

Contact tracing will be undertaken by having someone take your name and phone number as you arrive.

We will also be taking a photograph of the congregation to keep as a record for contact tracing as to who sat where. The photo will not be used for any other purpose.

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.

If you are unwell, or if you are vulnerable to infection, please stay away. We will continue making worship resources and my sermon available here (and by email if you wish) to provide for those unable to gather in person.

Thank you for the generosity of spirit shown to one another and to those leading last week as we entered into the strangeness of the different way of operating: there was a lovely warmth displayed. I have no doubt that it will continue as we take this next step forward.

Finally, you will no doubt be aware of the possibility of a move to Level 1 next week. Please don’t assume that this will automatically represent a return to “normal”. We may be legally permitted to operate in a particular way; but that does not necessarily mean that it is safe and wise to do so. We will continue to evaluate the balance of these considerations as we go.

Grace and peace,

Stuart Goodin, Vicar