Updated Pandemic Measures

Updated Pandemic Measures

Dear Friends
Relaxing pandemic restrictions

I am delighted to write to tell you that many of the public health restrictions at our church will be lifted in the coming weeks.

On Sunday 6 March, we shall reintroduce use of the altar rail at the High Altar at 9.15am Sunday services, while retaining a distribution point in the nave for those who would prefer to receive the Sacrament standing. From the same day we shall reintroduce use of seat coverings and kneelers at the pews. 

We currently aim to reintroduce the ministries of servers and Eucharistic Ministers, and the option of receiving Holy Communion in both kinds from Sunday 27 March (Mothering Sunday). On the same date we aim to reintroduce processions at the beginning and end of 9.15am service. These changes are contingent on our being able to recruit people for these ministries, and the date is open to change for this reason. If you served God and his church in these ministries before the pandemic, we shall be writing to you soon with more information.


Protecting ourselves and others – especially those who are clinically vulnerable

The House of Bishops COVID Recovery Group has written to all incumbents asking them to consider how to protect those who are clinically vulnerable, as they undertake their responsibility for public health measures.

Advice from scientists is that social distancing and face-coverings remain effective ways to protect oneself and others. For this reason, at the moment, we are continuing to invite you to maintain 1m+ social distancing in the Parish Church and also in buildings owned by the PCC. To support this, we shall continue to ask you to use alternate pews where possible – and we have retained the pew ribbons as a guide. We recognize that the numbers attending the Confirmation Service on 20 March will mean this will not be possible at that one service.

As a way of protecting others, we also continue to invite you to wear a face covering, unless you were exempt under the Government regulations which will end tomorrow. This is especially important when we are singing. 

Want to know more?


To read more about the changes we are making, click here. To read for yourself the advice to incumbents sent by the House of Bishops COVID Recovery Group, click here.

Thank You!

I wish to thank the members of the PLT Subgroup, which I have led in undertaking a review of the risk assessments which stand behind the changes named above. I wish to thank also our Health and Safety Advisor and our Churchwardens who read and agreed the risk assessment and a detailed account of the changes respectively. 

We shall review these changes in light of any further advice which many be issued by the House of Bishops; and, in all events, I shall lead a further review of our risk assessments in Eastertide. 

More ‘Thank You’s

Revd Holly is currently suffering from COVID-19, but hopes to be able to return to her ministry from Sunday. Revd Tina and I are convalescing after COVID-19. Tina remains off work; and my GP gave me permission yesterday to return to work, but only on a very restricted basis – a few hours per day for the next three weeks. I ask you to remember all of us, and our families, in your prayers. I know that you pray for us, and for the whole PLT, regularly. As we minister to you and to all 16,500 people in our parish, we need your prayers.

On behalf of the whole church community, I wish to thank the remaining members of the PLT who have been wonderful in providing cover in these difficult circumstances – taking on significant extra work, volunteering to write sermons despite tight deadlines in other parts of their lives, and volunteering to lead services while on annual leave. We are grateful also the clergy of our mother church of Holy Cross Woodchurch who have also provided cover in addition to their own pastoral responsibilities. It is only the generosity of PLT members and visiting clergy that has allowed us to avoid cancelling Sunday services. We all stand in their debt.

Bearing one another’s burdens

It is inevitable that some of us will feel that the changes above are too slow or do not go far enough, while others will believe that the changes are premature or go too far. No matter what decisions you would have taken, I hope that you will be able to recognize in these changes a desire to balance competing goods.

As I wrote at the end of the document Updated COVID-19 Pandemic Measures, available on our website, the traumatic events of the past two years have been stressful for each one of us. In these difficult days, I feel humbled to lead a church community in which so many people have preferred others to themselves and have put aside their own preferences.

God calls us to continue to respond with compassion both for ourselves and for others who feel differently from us. For in this way, we shall know within ourselves, and shall minister to others, the love of God. There is no higher calling than that.

With kindest regards
Joe

The Revd Dr J Kennedy
Vicar of Oxton St Saviour