What is the latest position as regards services?
Weddings
Sadly, the news for those hoping to get married this summer is not good. Not even small weddings—limited to about 10 people—are allowed to take place.
Baptisms
Only emergency baptisms may be held in hospital or at home.
Funerals
Funerals continue to take place but under restrictions. Neither funeral directors nor clergy are allowed to meet the bereaved in advance of the funeral. The first physical meeting is at the service itself. Currently no more than 16 family members may attend, and singing in permitted. From tomorrow it will possible to hold a funeral in a church if the PCC agrees to this. However the same rules will apply and social distancing will be the order of the day.
Private Prayer
From June 15th private prayer will be permitted in church if this is what local churches decide. PCCs must decide whether or not to open the building. A risk assessment must be carried out in advance and arrangements for supervision and cleaning agreed and put into place. Your PCC will be meeting soon to discuss our response to these new options.
Church services will not be held for the foreseeable future. A Baptist church held—legally—a physical service in Frankfurt last month. So many infections were linked to that service that they have gone back to Zoom. It reminds us of the need to avoid large gatherings during the present emergency.