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Religion/spirituality

Church services resume but I’m nervous

(29 Posts)
netflixfan Wed 15-Jul-20 22:21:47

Hi all, my CofE church is resuming morning prayer on Sunday. I miss the church services and company - zoom isn’t the same. But I’ve got asthma, haven’t been shielded but content to stay at home. I went to boots today for hair dye, first shop visit, and it was fine.
But sitting in church with others for an hour? Not sure.
Is anyone else venturing to church for a service?

Grannmarie Mon 20-Jul-20 14:37:23

Our church reopened for Mass this weekend. Max. 50 at each Mass, our Parish Priest is going to provide an extra Saturday Mass as we had more people phoning to register than available spaces.

Yesterday we stood in a socially distanced queue to enter church, everyone over 5 years old has to wear a mask. We have an electronic temperature scanner on entry, automatic hand sanitisers, volunteers to check registration and direct you to your designated seat.

Reader on altar reads with mask on, not touching the Lectern, priest dons mask to distribute Holy Communion at arms length.
It's Mass, but not as we know it!

I am one of the Covid clean volunteers who stays behind to sanitise church after Mass. We are lucky to have a good group of around 30 volunteers who are enabling our Parish Priest to provide four weekend Masses, plus daily Mass.

The online Masses were a Godsend during lockdown, and many are continuing for housebound and shielding parishioners, but it is quite special and emotional to be able to return to 'real' Mass and receive Holy Communion again.

God bless and protect us all.?

felice Mon 20-Jul-20 15:19:11

As yesterdays service seems to have gone well I have made a reservation for next Sunday. CoS so no mass, I have been sent an order of service online and can either print it out (and take it home again) or download it onto my tablet.
Only about 20 people in a Church which usually has a congregation of between 75 and 100 so it will feel strange.
Masks are obligatory here 280€ fine if not worn and it will be odd to wear one during the service.
Safety first, a large envelope of yet more reusable masks popped through the letter box from the Government last week and I got a pack of reusable ones from the Pharmacy also again from the Government.

Grannmarie Mon 20-Jul-20 16:31:24

Hi, Felice, that's interesting that your government provides masks, where are you, if you don't mind me asking?
It is odd wearing a mask in church, but we're not allowed to sing anyway, although we are allowed a cantor and organist behind a perspex screen. Some people choose to wear visors