News

Tier 2 update

Please note that the new Tier 2 restrictions in London do not make any difference to churchgoing.Churches remain open for public worship on the same conditions as before: socially distanced seating, no hymn-singing (alas – how much we miss it), communion in the form of the bread only, and all the other protocols that have been in place since July. This includes a discreet record being kept of attendance, for contact-tracing purposes – if you see one of the clergy apparently taking notes while the other is preaching, it could be that they are particularly intent on the sermon, but it is more likely that they are making a note of who’s there! These notes are destroyed after three weeks.

Services next Sunday 25 October, (Bible Sunday, the Last after Trinity) are at the usual times.

The evening service in church at 6.30pm next Sunday 25 October, will be Choral Evensong, led by the Chamber Choir (no hymns, of course). Very careful thought and planning has gone into this service, to make sure it complies fully with the current regulations for choral singing in church.

Good to know…

Your first port of call for up-to-date guidance and information on Covid is the Public Health England website 

You should self-isolate for 10 days if:
– you run a temperature higher than 37.8 deg C,
– you have a new persistent cough.

You should self-isolate for 14 days if you have been in direct contact with someone confirmed to have the virus (longer, because of the possible incubation period before you develop symptoms).

The PHE website has really helpful guidance on what you do/do not need
to do if you have to self-isolate.

If you do have to self-isolate, feel free to let the clergy or the church office know. Apart from staying in touch, and keeping you in our prayers, we may be able to arrange help with getting groceries or collecting prescriptions.

The NHS is anxious about the pressure on its 111 phone line. They recommend using this website in the first instance: https://111.nhs.uk/covid-19

Keep washing your hands properly and regularly. 20 seconds is one sing-through at moderate pace of “Twinkle, twinkle, little star”, or one verse
of “Praise God, from whom all blessings flow” (NEH 244) with a pause at the end of each line. It’s best to wash with soap and lots of hot water. That’s better than alcohol-based hand sanitisers, although they are good if there isn’t soap and water to hand. Anti-bacterial handwashes are good in themselves, but not especially useful against a virus.

The virus lives for max. 72 hours on a hard surface

COMMUNITY SPACE AVAILABLE FOR HIRE

 We have two well-equipped rooms within the church hall complex, which are available for hire.
Because of current Covid-safety restrictions, there are temporary limits on the way in which they can be used.  The Parish Office can supply further information if you are interested.  Please note that the Hall is not hired for private parties, and that we have special rates for local community organisations.