Services in the Church Building
The last 10.30am service on Facebook Live was on 25 April 2021.
From Sunday 2 May 2021 onwards, the 10.30am service has been held in the church building again.
From Sunday 5th Sep 2021, the evening Service will resume at 6:15pm.
All are now welcome to join us in the building on Sunday mornings or on Sunday evenings!
For now, unless exempt, we are still strongly recommending the use of face coverings whilst in the Church building - particularly while singing - and the use of hand sanitiser when entering the Church. Thank you for continuing to follow this guidance to protect and love one another.
Welcome & Safety Information - 16 September 2020
Wednesday 16 September 2020
Dear Friends,
Well, I don’t know about you but it seems like an eternity since we worshipped in church together, doesn’t it? What a strange year 2020 has been. I am very much looking forward to meeting together for our first in-person worship service in the building on Sunday 27th September at 4.30pm, and each Sunday thereafter this autumn, if the health situation permits.
It’s a new service, at a new time, for this new season, so it’s neither the morning nor the evening service. And you are very welcome to come and join us, if you feel safe to do so, you have been missed! If you're not sure about whether or not to come, check out the personal risk assessment here, and perhaps have a chat with your elder or a trusted friend or family member. It is important that you do what is safe for you, and the 10.30am service will be continuing on Facebook Live each Sunday for you to join in with.
Everything we are planning is covered by carefully thought-through risk assessments, thank you to everyone who has helped make our church as safe as it can be. We are still allowed to meet together, as different rules apply to church buildings than when we meet socially in our homes. Each week there will be stewards to guide us and to oversee that everything's safe. Please follow any instructions they give you. Here's what we will all need to do to stay safe...
Dear Friends,
Well, I don’t know about you but it seems like an eternity since we worshipped in church together, doesn’t it? What a strange year 2020 has been. I am very much looking forward to meeting together for our first in-person worship service in the building on Sunday 27th September at 4.30pm, and each Sunday thereafter this autumn, if the health situation permits.
It’s a new service, at a new time, for this new season, so it’s neither the morning nor the evening service. And you are very welcome to come and join us, if you feel safe to do so, you have been missed! If you're not sure about whether or not to come, check out the personal risk assessment here, and perhaps have a chat with your elder or a trusted friend or family member. It is important that you do what is safe for you, and the 10.30am service will be continuing on Facebook Live each Sunday for you to join in with.
Everything we are planning is covered by carefully thought-through risk assessments, thank you to everyone who has helped make our church as safe as it can be. We are still allowed to meet together, as different rules apply to church buildings than when we meet socially in our homes. Each week there will be stewards to guide us and to oversee that everything's safe. Please follow any instructions they give you. Here's what we will all need to do to stay safe...
Booking in Advance:
You will need to book a seat for each service you would like to come to. Book in by completing the form
HERE (click the green 'register' button). Those who don't use internet can book in by phoning Maxine Slade.
We are working to a limited seating capacity and would hate to have to turn anyone away on-the-door. It will really help us if you would book in early (by Thursday 24th) so we can arrange the chairs to maximum efficiency.
At the moment, we’re just taking bookings for Sunday 27th. When there are spaces available, this will show on the booking website (up to the day) but as and when all the seats are taken you won't be able to book in and we won't have any available on-the-door. Please join in our online service at 10.30am on Facebook Live instead.
If you feel at all unwell, or have any symptoms of COVID-19 (a high temperature, a new continuous cough or a loss of change to your sense of smell or taste) you must not come to church. Please let your elder know if you are unwell so that the church can support you. There is also an option to return your ticket.
You will need to book a seat for each service you would like to come to. Book in by completing the form
HERE (click the green 'register' button). Those who don't use internet can book in by phoning Maxine Slade.
We are working to a limited seating capacity and would hate to have to turn anyone away on-the-door. It will really help us if you would book in early (by Thursday 24th) so we can arrange the chairs to maximum efficiency.
At the moment, we’re just taking bookings for Sunday 27th. When there are spaces available, this will show on the booking website (up to the day) but as and when all the seats are taken you won't be able to book in and we won't have any available on-the-door. Please join in our online service at 10.30am on Facebook Live instead.
If you feel at all unwell, or have any symptoms of COVID-19 (a high temperature, a new continuous cough or a loss of change to your sense of smell or taste) you must not come to church. Please let your elder know if you are unwell so that the church can support you. There is also an option to return your ticket.
Arriving at Church – use the main entrance
If there is a queue when you arrive, you will need to socially distance whilst you wait to come in. You also need to put on your face covering before you come into the church building, unless you are exempt from doing so.
If there is a queue when you arrive, you will need to socially distance whilst you wait to come in. You also need to put on your face covering before you come into the church building, unless you are exempt from doing so.
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When you come in, please give your name to the welcomer at the door. They will have a list of everyone who has booked in online and can tick you off. We will keep this list for 21 days after the service, together with the phone number you gave when booking in, just in case we are asked to provide details for the NHS Test & Trace service.
You will be asked to use the hand sanitiser station and then to walk on through the entrance lounge. There is a one-way system in place (please note the blue signs), and some of the rooms won’t be available, such as the small kitchen, prayer room, crèche and balcony. If you like, you can bring a bottled drink with you, and families might like to bring their own toys or books. You may wish to bring your own Bible too, as we can’t give these out. Our welcomers will have been asked to keep everyone moving along, for safety’s sake, so time to chat will be limited if there are people arriving behind you. Sadly, those who love a hug or a handshake won’t be able to share those – and that may feel hard when we haven’t seen each other for so long. If you have brought an offering, you can put this in the plate (on the wooden table in the sanctuary). If you are able to give online, through Direct Debit or by posting a cheque, though, that is a bit safer than giving cash. Thank you for your monetary gifts that have kept the church afloat in these difficult times. You can find out more about giving to West Kirby URC here One of the welcome team will show you to your allocated seat. All the chairs will have been thoroughly cleaned beforehand and laid out socially distanced according to the household bubbles that have booked in. Sadly, we won’t be able to move chairs to sit nearer friends. |
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During the Service:
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Please stay in your allocated seat and keep wearing your face covering (unless you are exempt). If you need to visit the bathroom, please follow the one-way system, sanitise your hands and follow the instructions inside the loo!
Unfortunately, we are not allowed to sing congregationally but we’ve planned other ways to enjoy music and to feel like we are corporately worshipping together. If you become unwell or develop any COVID-symptoms whilst you are at church, please tell one of our team then go straight home. |
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Children:
During the service, we are seeking to provide organised activities in the hall for babies with a parent, for toddlers and for primary school-aged children. The children will leave near the beginning of the service and return for the last song.
Parents, it would be especially helpful if you could book in as early as possible for the service on 27th and indicate on the booking form the ages of your children. Dan will then be in touch with you about what's on offer, with a copy of the risk assessment for your information. Details are still being confirmed, but we're grateful to all the families who have met with Dan to share their ideas.
If your children do not join in with the organised activity, the regulations say that they need to sit with their parent/guardian throughout the service. That’s a tricky thing to ask small children to do, so do come prepared with your own games and toys - unfortunately we cannot provide our usual crèche ones.
During the service, we are seeking to provide organised activities in the hall for babies with a parent, for toddlers and for primary school-aged children. The children will leave near the beginning of the service and return for the last song.
Parents, it would be especially helpful if you could book in as early as possible for the service on 27th and indicate on the booking form the ages of your children. Dan will then be in touch with you about what's on offer, with a copy of the risk assessment for your information. Details are still being confirmed, but we're grateful to all the families who have met with Dan to share their ideas.
If your children do not join in with the organised activity, the regulations say that they need to sit with their parent/guardian throughout the service. That’s a tricky thing to ask small children to do, so do come prepared with your own games and toys - unfortunately we cannot provide our usual crèche ones.
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Leaving Church:
We cannot have after-service refreshments of any kind at the moment, so when the service ends we will all need to leave the building in a safe and orderly way, socially distanced like when we arrived. The service leader will be asking people to leave group by group, as we have to keep up that physical distance. Thank you for your cooperation in that. |
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All this may sound onerous and very much outside our normal church experience. We will do our very best to provide the friendly, welcoming environment you are used to coming to and worshipping God in. We are all very much looking forward to welcoming you back to church! Let’s make the best of the situation we find ourselves in, and if you have any questions or concerns, please get in touch.
May God bless you,
Louise and all the team
May God bless you,
Louise and all the team
