COVID-19 Booking Conditions

Temporary terms of attendance: COVID-19

UPDATE March 2021: When we meet again from April 4 the government rules still stipulate that you must not mingle with other households, unless you are in a support bubble. We therefore ask you to enter and take your seat immediately, strictly observe social distancing at all times, and leave quickly after the service. Face coverings remain mandatory. Thank you.

The following terms are temporary (until further notice) in response to the current Coronavirus health crisis and in accordance with Government guidance and law as in effect from August 14th 2020 (and subsequent amendments).  Please read this carefully before agreeing to these terms.

Please DO NOT come to the Church if any of these apply:

• If you have, or might have, Coronavirus.
• If you have symptoms of Coronavirus (a high temperature, a new, continuous cough or a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste).
• If any members of your household have, or might have, symptoms of, Coronavirus.
• If you have been asked to stay at home, through the “Test and Trace” process, or for any other reason.
• If you are shielding and have been advised to stay at home to avoid getting Coronavirus.

Please note that while at the church the following will apply:

• Physical distancing of 2 metres between households must be maintained at all times. 
• You are required (by law) to wear a face covering* at all times whilst within the church building for the purposes of attending a church meeting.  If you forget your face covering single use masks will be available for you. 
  If you are unable, or unwilling, to wear a face covering* we would kindly ask you to stay at home and enjoy the service via our internet live-stream on YouTube.
• There will, unfortunately, still be no facilities for children, including Sunday School, Creche etc..  Children must be supervised by their parent / guardian or carer at all times and will be required to sanitise their hands, maintain social distancing and sit with their household group throughout the service. Hopefully this will change as government restrictions are eased and more folks receive their covid-19 injections.
• A one way system will be in operation.  Please enter via the main doors or the right hand side door.  2 metre distancing markers are provided in the event of a queue to enter, please respect these.  You should exit by the Left Hand Disabled Access door.  (If someone requires to use the disabled access for entry please wait while they enter and maintain 2 metre physical distancing).
• Please wash your hands or use anti-bacterial hand rub when entering and leaving the building, this will be provided at all entries and exits, as well as in the toilet(s).
• The main toilets will be out of use.  The disabled toilet will be available for ’emergencies’ but in the interests of hygiene please try to avoid using this unnecessarily. Please use hand sanitiser or soap before and after using the toilet. Thank you.
• Chairs will be physically distanced by two metres from the next household and a booking system will be in use (Churchsuite) so that we know how to seat everyone.  Numbers will be strictly limited in accordance with our COVID-19 Risk Assessment, so advance booking is essential.
• Stewards will be available to guide you to your seating, to supervise the one-way system and use of the toilet.  
• The church will have all high touch areas cleaned before and after meetings.  A full cleaning of the church will take place 72 hours after the main church service. We would ask you to ensure that you and any children wash hands or use sanitiser upon entry and exit and before and after using the toilet.
• This is an opportunity to meet for worship / prayer, please do not use it as a chance to meet up to talk to people you’ve not seen in a long time, we understand that this could be difficult.  Please refrain from hugging, kissing, hand-shaking and other close proximity activities. In the early weeks of re-opening the government rule of ‘No Mingling’ in church will apply.
• Services will be live-streamed and will therefore start promptly.  To cause minimum disruption we would ask you to be seated before by 10:25.  The service may include the use of pre-recorded songs, but as restrictions are eased we hope to also include live worship music.  Unfortunately there will still be no congregational singing and the use of raised voices must be avoided.  Spoken responses to prayers are permissible.
• Please avoid bringing any personal possessions, or bags that could be left behind.  It is your responsibility to remove anything that you use while in church, including any rubbish / tissues etc.. Items you have touched are regarded as hazardous and you should not expect Naomi to handle them.
• A booking system (Churchsuite) will be in operation and you should not attend if you are unable to book in advance.  If you arrive at the church without having booked you will in all probability be asked to return home as we have strict capacity limits which must be observed.
• Your booking will also act as a register of people who have attended in order to support the NHS Test and Trace system.  You will be checked-in upon arrival at church to confirm your attendance and this information will be held for a minimum of 21 days. See below for our privacy notice.
• Wherever possible please use on-line methods for your Tithes and Offerings.  There will be a receptacle for cash or cheque offerings which you may use, but there will be no offering collected during the service.
• The kitchen will be out of use and there will be no catering provided.
• Please enter quickly and take your seat immediately.  Please leave promptly when the service ends and respect anyone who wishes to pray quietly before they leave. Please respect the ‘No mingling’ rule.