Worship Update

Many of you will have heard Boris Johnson's statement at lunchtime yesterday (23rd June). Some will be delighted at the prospect of church reopening while others will be more hesitant. For want of sounding like a worn out record can I repeat the process that has to be followed. There are steps which need to be undertaken before any doors can be re-opened:

• The church nationally has to agree to our reopening, this is because they decided to close us down. So constitutionally this is how it has to be
• We have to wait from guidance from Methodist Church House which will be based on guidance from Government. This information, I suggest , will be key in deciding whether to open or not
• Each church needs to submit to the Circuit Leadership Team a completed Covid 19 Risk Asessment form and an Action Plan (an idea of the measures and procedures that will be in place in your building both for Sundays and other times). Once we have both documents at Circuit level we will look at them and suggest any alterations, amendments or omissions
• That there will need to be some consultation with the membership about the question of opening, this should not be a decision taken by a handful.

I will continue to try to keep you informed of changes as soon as they come to me but want to stress at this stage it is important we are being advised something is possible not told it should happen. This decision needs consultation.

I hope something will be forthcoming soon but past experience suggest the Government may not get around to publishing advice until later in the week and as Conference is about to happen the Church response may be slower than normal.

Blessings, Richard