On Thursday afternoon, the Prime Minister announced the introduction of new Covid-19 Guidelines for England. Thankfully Plan B doesn't mean huge changes for us!
The two organisations that we are linked to have issued their helpful summaries on the impact on churches:
FIEC: Coronavirus FAQs - FIEC
Evangelical Alliance: Plan B introduced in England - Evangelical Alliance (eauk.org)
Two noteworthy aspects to the guidance are:
No "covid pass" will be required to attend church
Face Coverings will be mandatory from today (10th December) – except for singing. (But we will still encourage the wearing of face coverings when we sing).
Implications for Sunday Mornings from 12th December 2021 We will move from encouraging the wearing of facemasks to having to insist on the wearing of facemasks (unless exempt or under 18) as people enter the building. We will continue to encourage the wearing of facemasks when we sing, as our risk assessment views masks as one of the key mitigations against aerosol spread of the virus when we sing.
We plan to still serve refreshments after the morning service on the next two Sundays (12th and 19th December). So would ask that you wear facemasks until you are drinking a cup of tea / coffee.
Implications for Sunday Evenings on 12th December 2021
We will check that people have facemasks as they enter the building. Over refreshments (from 6-6.30pm) facemask won’t be necessary. But once the service begins at 6:30pm we will ask that all wear facemasks for the service (unless exempt or under 18). We don’t plan to have another in person Sunday evening meeting until Sunday 9th January 2022, so will reassess guidelines then.
Christmas Covid Adaptions
Carol Service
As advertised, we have chosen to hold our Carol Service at St Andrew's Church in Northey Avenue. This is a much larger venue in terms of capacity and roof height. Rows of seating will be spaced out further than we can achieve at CBC, and we still plan to have a zone of seating which is even more socially distanced. There is also a balcony which we can use as an overflow. Do be thinking and praying about who you might invite along, or who from the church family you might give a lift to if you are able. (This service won't be livestreamed - so please do come along in person if you are able to).
Christmas Day
We are planning to use both the Lower Hall and the Main Hall as overflow spaces on Christmas Day, so that we don't get overcrowded in the church itself. This service will also be livestreamed.
As these uncertain days continue, let's hold onto the truth described in today's devotional from Finding Hope under Bethlehem Skies. We can "shelter under the wings of the Almighty"! That truth is captured well in this new song from CityAlight:
Photo by Tijana Drndarski on Unsplash