UPDATED: Precautions against Coronavirus

We are closely following the advice from the government and instructions from the CofE to parishes, as it develops daily.  The BHC leadership team has made plans so that we are ready to respond quickly if and when we are required to change or limit services and/or areas of ministry.  Our plans aim to ensure that we can carry on as safely as possible, but maintain a spiritual and pastoral presence and continue to worship. 

FOR NOW church services and activities are continuing, with the following precautions:

No Communion—for this Sunday it affects 8am, 9am, Busbridge Contemporary, Hambledon Contemporary services which were due to have communion as part of the service. 

Coffee and refreshments—we will not be serving coffee after the Sunday services.  You are welcome to bring your own in a flask or mug.  Refreshments and food shared at other events will only be shared when high levels of hygiene can be maintained.  (Saturday’s Marvellous Movie Matinee and CYF activities will offer individually wrapped snacks, for example).

Printed materials and handouts—Hymn and prayer books have been removed from the churches.  Printed handouts will be limited to single use song sheets and notices where necessary.  Please help yourself.

Larger congregations— Busbridge Contemporary and Unplugged—will meet outside this Sunday to allow social distancing.  The services will be 30-40 mins.  Children’s work will take place as normal at 10am.  Busbridge Contemporary will be in the school playground, and Unplugged will be in the Old Rectory garden.

THINGS YOU NEED TO DO:

Follow government advice and guidelines to protect yourself and others from the spread of Coronavirus.

Please don’t come to church or the Old Rectory if you feel at all unwell, even if the symptoms are not indicative of Coronavirus.  The same request applies if there’s a chance that you might have been exposed to anyone with the virus, or anyone who has come from a containment area.

Please let the church office know if you have any symptoms of the virus, and particularly if you are being tested or have tested positive.

Please consider the safety (vulnerability of members, numbers, meeting space) when arranging to meet in home groups, for prayer or other bible study.

AT CHURCH:

Wave hello, bump elbows, tap toes etc.  Please continue to offer a warm and friendly greeting to each other without  handshaking or other hands on contact for the time being.

Keep your distance!  Please aim to sit/stand apart 2m from each other. 

Please make use of the handwashing facilities at both churches, and in the school hall.  We have a limited supply of hand gel in the churches, but it is proving difficult to more and we need to keep it for use by the clergy.  Please bring your own if you can.

Your will see from the listing on the front that some higher risk events have been cancelled.  Looking ahead, arrangements are likely to change, possibly at short notice, PLEASE CHECK www.bhcgodalming.org TO SEE IF THE EVENT YOU ARE COMING TO IS TAKING PLACE.  Any changes will be published on the calendar, on bhcgodalming facebook and Instagram pages, and by email.  (Have we got your email address? - email vic.hicks@bhcgodalming.org)

What about ….?  This probably won’t have answered all your questions on more specific aspects of church life, and we may (or may not) be able to answer anything else you think of.  Please call or email the office and we’ll create add things to FAQs on the web site.

Other items

We send our love to two Hambledon families bereaved during the last week: John Tidmarsh and the family, following Annie’s death on 5 March … and Simon Rhodes and family, following Louise’s death on 10 March.  Once funeral details have been settled, we will let you know.  In the meantime, please hold them all in your prayers, asking God to surround them with his love … and for his peace and comfort to be very real.

Posies for Mothering Sunday – 22 MarchCarole Keating asks for volunteers to help her make posies for Mothering Sunday. If you would like to join her on Saturday 21 March at 9.30am in Busbridge Church Centre, please contact Carole via liz.gorst@bhcgodalming.org.  Any donations of greenery (especially heather) would also be gratefully received.

‘What’s on your washing Line?’ A creative Lent installation will be on display outside Busbridge Church from 2 March until Easter.   Come and have a look.

***DATES AND EVENTS FOR LENT AND EASTER ARE NOW ON THE WEB SITE—PLEASE ALSO TAKE ‘A WHAT’S ON YOUR WASHING LINE?’ LEAFLET TO KEEP HANDY***.