Dear friends
Yesterday the Methodist Church offered the following guidance to circuits and churches –
It is with sadness that we recommend that worship services in Methodist Churches are suspended for the time being in line with Government guidance.
This is a sad but, I believe, inevitable and appropriate response to the Covid-19 crisis, especially bearing in mind that many of our congregation and users fall into the vulnerable category. This means that there will be no worship services in our churches this Sunday, and this will continue until such time as the Government lifts its guidelines on gatherings. I will be producing some posters for you to use and will endeavour to get those sent out today.
The advice goes on to add –
During this incredibly difficult time when people might want to spend time in prayer in their Methodist Church. Local trustees should consider whether it is possible to open up their churches to enable people to come and pray or sit quietly, perhaps offering prayer stations as a point of reflection with precautions around physical distancing.
In the coming days we will be exploring, alongside our ecumenical colleagues, how we can ensure that in every community there is a church open for prayer on each Sunday. If you wish to open your church for prayer this Sunday as an alternative to a service, please observe the following guidelines.
- Avoid physical contact (no handshaking)
- Encourage people to sit at least six feet away from each other
- Do NOT offer refreshments
- Anyone stewarding should wash their hands frequently
- Any printed materials must be used only once then discarded (in the case of hymn books bibles etc keep them separate and don’t use them again for at least 72 hours)
If you are planning to open on Sunday, please let us know and we will endeavour to let you have some prayers and suggestions for a focus for prayer.
The guidance on Weddings and Funerals is more vague. My interpretation is that at present they can still take place in church, but it will be a very simple ceremony and numbers would be very restricted. We have not yet received any information on restrictions at the Crematorium.
The restrictions also apply to any meetings which the church organises, so all fellowships, choirs, lent and bible study groups, church councils and committee meetings etc are suspended. Instructions will be sent out as to how the church can make the decisions it need to in order to continue to function in due course.
Clearly there is a need to watch over one another in this time of worry, and pastoral care is as vital as ever. Please support one another through this time, but preferably by telephone. Be aware that most care homes are now discouraging / not admitting visitors. Kina and I will continue to offer what care we can, but again this will primarily be by telephone.
We are conscious that a closure like this, alongside loss of income from user groups, is going to be a financial hardship to churches, and this is a question that we will be looking at in the coming days. In the meantime, we would encourage people to continue their giving, either by setting up a standing order (your treasurer will help you with that) or by putting your offering aside each week until we can resume.
The question everyone asks is how long this will last and sadly that is question I cannot answer. Some are suggesting at least until after Easter though my personal feeling is more pessimistic and that we are looking at the remainder of this plan. I any event, the current circuit plan remains in force and when we are given the all clear will resume. I will be making the June to August plan in the coming weeks and will be requesting dates from preachers and churches shortly. With my pessimists head on I would suggest that you do not plan any major events before July.
These are unique and trying times in which we are living. We have never in living memory had to close church buildings like this before but remember that the building is not the church, we are. Take this as an opportunity to be church in the community. If you are able to please join in with community initiatives which seek to support those worst affected, and if there isn’t one start one. Most of all look after yourselves and those around you.
If you are on Facebook, please follow the circuit Facebook page westernfellsmethodistcircuit as this will be one of our main tools for distributing information. If you do have any questions, please email or telephone and we will try to answer them.
God Bless
Paul and Kina