Further to yesterday’s post, here’s what we’ll be doing at St Mary’s for the duration of the Corona virus crisis or until advised otherwise.

Eucharist
The Common Cup will not be offered and communion will be in one kind only (wafer)
Intinction will not be available.

No handshaking, hugging or kissing at the Peace; we are encouraged to adopt the Namaste gesture or use British Sign Language, as shown in the clip below.

All Services
Open plate collection will be standard for the time being as it avoids the hand-to-hand passing along of the collection bags.
The sidespersons will be the only ones actually handling the plate and they have been separately instructed in handwashing procedures.
Don’t forget that you can use the contactless payment facility at the back of the church!

Returning service books at the end of the service: we are encouraged to replace the books on the cupboard shelves ourselves rather than handing them to sidespersons.

After service refreshments will still be offered but we are asked not to carry cups to/for other people and also just take/return our own only.

Generally
Just look after each other!
Give people a ring or send them an email if you have any worries about them.
Wash your hands when you get home.
Don’t be tempted to hoard; just keep in mind this jokey Tweet, seen this morning:
“To the people who have bought 27 bottles of soap leaving none on the shop shelves for others, you do realise that to stop getting the corona virus, you need other people to wash their hands too!”
(Of course we’re not for a moment suggesting that anyone of St Mary’s needs this exhortation!)