Welcome back to St Peter and St Paul, Shoreham
We are going to begin to return to worship together in the church building again at 6pm on Sunday 23rd August, then weekly from the 13th September.
To prepare the church and make things as safe as possible for everyone, people will be asked to notify (a designated person) ahead of their attendance at a service held in the church building. For services in August and September, please contact Bryan on 077 3322 8408 or at
In line with the guidance from the Church of England, the PCC and I have agreed that we will keep the following protocols. Apologies that these seem rather prescriptive and could detract from what we are at church to do, which is to worship God. However, they are there to help us come to church and worship together safely, bearing in mind those who are more vulnerable, for whatever reason.
* If you or anyone in your household is unwell with any of the symptoms of Covid-19, please follow NHS guidelines by isolating as instructed. Please do not come to any worship services or church activities if you have anything like a cold or flu bug or anything else that might be contagious.
* Masks will be mandatory for all public services from 9th August onwards. Children under 11 years do not have to wear a mask.
* As you enter the main door of the church, please observe the social distancing of 2 metres.
* On arriving and when leaving the church building, we request you sanitise your hands with the hand gel provided.
* As you enter the church, someone will check you in. If you haven’t already done so, someone will record your name and contact telephone if you are coming as a family group or social bubble, one person’s details will be sufficient. These records will be retained for 21 days to comply with the government’s track and trace scheme, and will then be destroyed.
* Please wait to be shown to a seat by a warden or steward. People from the same household or “bubble” can sit together. Everyone else will need to observe appropriate social distancing at all times.
* The first time you attend you will be given a service book. Please take this home and bring it back when you attend other services. You could also write your name in pencil in the front. There will be a supply of service books for visitors to use, which can be returned to a designated table at the end of the service, for cleaning.
* Sadly, at present there will be no singing.
* The toilets will be open.
* We will not be serving refreshments until further restrictions are lifted.
* When we celebrate Holy Communion, this will be administered in bread only (communion wafer). In order to avoid having to take masks off before receiving the bread and then putting them on again afterwards, we are going to administer communion at the end of the service as you leave church after the blessing. This will be the safest and the simplest method to administer communion and will avoid many of the difficulties of administering during the service itself. At the end of the service, after the blessing, the priest will take the communion bread to the porch. Please leave church from the rear pews first and the minister will then give the bread to each person by dropping it into their hands.
* There will be no passing of collection bags at any of our services. The collection plate will be available for cash, but our preferred (and safer) method of giving is via either bank transfer or regular standing order, or a cheque sent direct to the PCC Treasurer. See the church website shorehamchurchkent.org
* Please do not shake hands or hug people before, during or after the service. There will be no Peace shared during the service. You may wish to go for an appropriately socially distanced walk in the churchyard after the service to talk to friends!
* The church will not be used again after the Sunday service until Private Prayer at 10.00am on Wednesday. If you have any questions or concerns, please talk to me or one of the wardens.
We look forward to being together, in the church building again for worship
Revd Diane August 2020