Dear Corraneary church family,
I am happy to be able to bring you some good news today. The kirk session of Corraneary met on the evening of Tuesday the 15th of September to discuss the resumption of congregational activities in Corraneary and the preparations that would be needed for this to happen.
Session agreed on the necessary safety precautions that need to be put in place and voted to resume congregational worship once these preparations had been completed. I am happy to say that the preparations have been completed and we are ready to meet again on Sunday the 27th of September at noon.
To make our services safe we must follow the guidelines issued by the government and PCI until the COVID-19 pandemic has passed. If you have any of the symptoms of COVID-19 (e.g. a cough, raised temperature, loss of taste or smell) please do not attend church, seek medical advice and isolate.
Keep a safe distance (currently 2 metres) from others before, during and after worship. Please refrain from congregating to chat before or after the services. Please do not make any physical contact with those outside your household (no embracing or handshakes).
Please use hand sanitiser, which will be provided in the church building. You may bring your own hand sanitiser, mask and water for a drink. All members of the congregation are formally requested to wear face coverings during the service.
To keep numbers low we ask that only members of Corraneary attend these services. Should non-members/visitors arrive we would ask that they wait until all members have been seated to see if there is space for them to safely attend.
To allow for social distancing within the church building, some pews have had to be closed off. As a result, you may not be able to sit in your usual pew at this time. Each family should sit together at a safe distance from other families. The minister will remain in the pulpit for the duration of the service. At the end of the service, you will be directed to leave the church in an orderly fashion. Please follow the instructions given. Space is limited in the meeting house and if we run out of space inside the building, people will be encouraged to remain in their cars and listen to the service over the outdoor PA system.
Services will follow a scaled-down format as in the other congregations of the Bailieborough Group. Services will be shorter than usual with a reduced number of hymns and the children’s talk included in the sermon. There will be no singing, although people are welcome to hum along to the music. Pre-recorded music will be played. There will be no Sunday School for the time being. You may bring along a children’s Bible or colouring sheets.
If you do need the toilet, please wipe surfaces you touch, including handles, with wipes provided and place them in the bin provided after use. Young children should be accompanied at all times.
I know this is not the type of service that we are used to. I don’t believe anybody thinks this is ideal. It is not the type of service that we have been missing and longing to get back to. It will be some time before we are back to something resembling the old normality that we miss. We are starting small, but we hope that God will bless us and enable us to grow.
Please see the “Staying Safe at Church” guidance below. Please keep all ou
God bless,
Rev. John.
