Guidance for St Cuthbert’s post 19th July - issued by Rev John McDermott.
The Government advice is to ‘proceed with caution’. That idea is open to interpretation; some will wish to emphasise proceed while others would prefer more caution.
Amble has benefitted from an excellent vaccination programme thanks to the wonderful work of staff at our medical centre. On the other hand, our region has particularly high levels of new covid cases at present.
I am suggesting we do proceed but slowly and in gentle stages over the coming months.
From Monday 19th July church will be open again every day. David Riches our Verger will open church as happened before Covid.
From Sunday 25th July in our collective worship and for the time being we shall continue to maintain social distancing and use hand sanitiser. I am also encouraging everyone to continue to wear facemasks inside church.
Reception at Communion will continue to be in one kind only (Bread).
We shall begin to add songs into worship, and at first these will be quiet pieces which we can all sing sitting down.
We shall continue to monitor the situation closely and when we feel safe to do so we shall lessen the restrictions in the weeks to come.
The intention is to comply fully with given advice in the hope that we can gradually open up church functions whilst maintaining the safety of everyone.
I urge you all to pray for all those with responsibilities for these matters, national and local government politicians and civil servants, scientists and those in the field of medicine.
I shall attempt to keep everyone informed of changes as they occur.
John McDermott 18.07.2021