As a result of decisions made by Government it is possible to re-open churches on or after 29th June.
At a meeting of the Killiskey Select Vestry held remotely last Tuesday, guidance received from Church
and Government bodies was reviewed. A re-opening plan was considered and a decision was then taken
to re-open Nun’s Cross Church for public worship from Sunday 5th July, provided safety measures have
been put in place by then. This appears likely but a final decision will be taken by Saturday 27th June. To
this end an implementation team comprising Richard Henderson, Michael Norman, Lesley and Ken Rue
was formed at the meeting and Scott Golden was appointed as Compliance Officer.
Nun’s Cross Church and the services held therein will be adapted to the current circumstances and will
appear unfamiliar in some ways, but the overriding concern is for the safety of those attending.
The following is a summary of key elements of the plan:
Attendance
Those who have symptoms of coronavirus or are recovering or have been in contact with someone who
has been positive should self-isolate and not come to church.
Hygiene
There will be sanitiser units and sprays in various places.
Parishioners are encouraged to bring and take away their own sanitiser and tissues.
A cleaning rota will be established for the church, vestry and toilet.
Hymn books and prayer books will not be used and will be replaced by service leaflets.
The congregation will be encouraged to take leaflets with them at the end of each service and to dispose
of these at home.
The church will be ventilated.
The congregation are encouraged to contribute directly to the bank.
There will be no collection during a service. Cash may be left on a plate at the rear of the church.
The clergy will not greet people at the back of the church on exiting.
There will be no tea/coffee after church.
If the building is exposed to a person with symptoms, it will be closed for 72 hours.
There will be pedal-operated bins for the disposal of face coverings and disposable gloves.
Signage
There will be signage outside and inside the church to encourage social distancing, hand washing and
lack of physical contact.
Social Distancing
The number attending will be limited to a maximum of 50 people (potentially increasing at a later date).
The congregation will be advised to stay a distance of two metres away from those outside their
household (potentially reducing to one metre at a later date).
Pews will be cordoned off to ensure social distancing rules are applied.
Sides people will assist the churchwardens with stewarding.
Tracking and Tracing
A register of attendees will be maintained.
Visitors will be required to supply their name and mobile number.
Services
To facilitate those who may feel too vulnerable to attend, services will be uploaded to
Facebook/YouTube.
Readers to be requested to sit near the lectern and not to touch the microphone.
Singing
The choir will be suspended, as will congregational singing.
Hymns will be sung by a cantor or recorded music played.
Communion
The sign of peace will continue to be suspended.
Perspex visors will be worn by those distributing communion.
Hands are to be sanitised before handling receptacles/ the elements.
Funerals
Numbers attending to be limited in accordance with government guidelines.
No condolence books to be permitted at funerals.
Family members to be prohibited from carrying coffin.
Baptisms
Numbers attending to be limited in accordance with government guidelines, potentially resulting in
more private baptisms.
Clergy not to hold or touch children who are being baptised.
Candle to be lit by parent from Paschal candle.
Weddings
Solemniser not to touch wedding ring or couples’ hands.
Individual pens to be used by signatories when singing register.
Outside groups
Use of the church by outside groups will be suspended until viable health and safety plans are received
from them.
Ken Rue
Killiskey Parish
20 June 2020
A copy of these guidelines are also available here: Nun’s Cross Church Re-Opening Plan