Opening for Public Worship

St. Paul’s will be be open for public worship on Sundays from Sunday 5th July. Strict hygiene and social distancing rules (based on 2 metres) are in place.

The Bishop of Chester has emphasised that the government’s lifting of lockdown restrictions for churches is permissive rather than prescriptive and that there should be no pressure on anyone to attend worship, nor indeed on churches themselves to open if they do not have the capacity to do so safely. We have taken the view that procedures can be in place in time for us to open safely. This will be under constant review and we will not hesitate to adjust to any new situation or threat to safety.

The salient points of the opening plan are as follows:

Maximum capacity is 38
Entrance is via the main door and NOT via the Parish Centre (key holders please note)
The door will open at 10.15 am. Please do not arrive any earlier than this
Everyone must use the hand sanitiser provided on entry and exit
Households (including ‘bubbles’) must sit together but you must otherwise sit separately as directed by a warden
Do not gather in the central aisle but go directly to the pew to which you are assigned on entry
If you are asked to go to the north or south aisle, use the side door to enter the church rather than the central door
Service sheets are provided. After the service these must be taken away for disposal at home or placed in the bins available in the porch
An offertory plate will be available before and after the service for donations. Online donations can now be made
Face coverings are now mandatory unless you are exempt under the government’s legislation. The priest will wear a mask when distributing the Eucharist
Communion will be in one kind only
Distribution will be at the front of the chancel steps
Leave straightaway at the end of the service, maintaining 2m distance
If you have coronavirus symptoms YOU MUST NOT ATTEND

St Paul's Public Worship Risk Assessment

Risk Assessment and Plan for Opening of church for Public Worship from 5th July 2020. 14th October 2020. Revisions shown in red text.

The risk of opening church for Public Worship has been classed as high risk due to the transmission of coronavirus and also the age profile and vulnerability of the members of the congregation. Actions taken in this risk assessment can help reduce the risk to a medium or low level.

Plan Notes By whom?

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Who should attend?	Those who should attend should be fit and healthy and not shielding in anyway as advised by their GP. Anyone who has been given notice to shield by their GP should not attend public worship until shielding restrictions are over at the end of July 2020. This will be made known in guidance sent out to parishioners and also by notices on social media and at the church entrance. 03/08/2020 – Shielding has now finished in accordance with Government instruction. Those who were previously shielding are now able to attend services should they wish. Those over 70 who attend will be advised to ensure that they maintain social distancing and follow hygiene procedures in place. Children are permitted to attend with an adult but the adult must ensure that the child/ren follow social distancing rules. Any children’s areas such as crèche or book area will be out of bounds. There will be no junior church in the Parish Centre. Anyone who has symptoms of coronavirus or feels unwell must not come to church or must not enter the building. Posters will be displayed to remind this. Anyone attending will be discouraged from sharing lifts unless they are in the same household or have formed a bubble. Anyone who feels unwell or develops Coronavirus symptoms must leave the building immediately if they can or be escorted to the Parish Centre to await someone to collect them. The Churchwardens or Deputy Churchwarden’s will oversee this ensuring that they maintain appropriate distance and hygiene practices. See ‘Other Safety Aspects’ section as to how this will work.	Churchwardens Attendees.
When will worship take place?	Sunday Worship will take place in the church each Sunday between 10:30am and Noon. Services times to be kept a slick as possible.	Churchwardens Vicar
Who will oversee the opening for worship?	The Churchwardens will be responsible for access to the building for Sunday Services.	Churchwardens.

How are we going to make it safe for everyone?

General:

14/10/20 – Cheshire East Local Authority has been placed in Tier 2 local lockdown restrictions meaning transmission is classed as high. Places of worship are not required to close at this time and can continue to operate in the current covid secure manner.
Physical contact will be discouraged at all times, such as hugging, kissing and handshakes.

General gathering for chat will be discouraged as far as is reasonable inside the building, but where these take place they should be encouraged to be done outside in the church grounds keeping social distance at all times and in no more than groups of 6 unless from the same household or support bubble. It should be noted that people should be encouraged to leave as soon as possible once a service is over.
14/10/20 – In light of Cheshire East being placed into Tier 2 of local restriction, meaning high transmission rates, the rule of 6 now does not apply indoors. (This does not affect the choir singing as they are socially distanced and are part of the service). People attending the service MUST socially distance at 2 metres apart at all times with people from outside their household or support bubble and must not meet together to socialise or chat inside. Markers on the pew seats are clear to support social distancing. Household or support bubbles may continue to sit together. If people wish to talk after the service outside then they can, but they must ensure that they are in groups of no more than 6 and must social distance at all times.

Service sheets only will be printed for each service and discarded at the end of each service and taken away for disposal by churchwardens or deputy churchwardens. Bibles and hymn books will not be available at this time in the pews. There will be no need for sidespeople as the wardens will oversee the running and practices.

For the current moment, singing of hymns by the congregation will not take place during worship. Hymns maybe played on the organ or over the sound system, but no words will be available for singing along and people should be encouraged to sing along in their heads silently.

The bell will be rung on a Sunday morning by a nominated person, namely Nicholas Mottershead. No refreshments to be served after Sunday morning service.

Collection plates will not be passed round from person to person. A plate will be made available before and after the service for any donations or envelopes to be left. These will then be given to the treasurer for counting to avoid several people touching envelopes and money.

Churchwardens. People attending.

Readers will read from a free standing microphone which will be placed at the bottom of the chancel steps. The eagle will not be used because of its elevated position. Readers will have their own printed sheet or bible. Printed readings will not be provided.

It will not be mandatory for anyone attending to wear face coverings, but they may do so if they wish.

03/08/20 – from 8th August 2020 it will be mandatory for anyone entering the building to wear a face covering. This may be in the form of a mask, scarf around the face or a visor. Church Officials (Vicar and Churchwardens) will wear a face mask of visor. If people come to church without a face covering there will be a supply available as back up. If anyone refuses to wear a face covering then church officials will ask the person to either put one on or they will be asked to leave. Notes of exemption will apply in the wearing of face coverings for those who have medical reasons (such as physical or mental illness or disability, or if it will cause stress or the person is under 11). Further information on mandatory wearing of face coverings is taken from official Government Guidance entitled: Face Coverings: when to wear one and how to make your own 31/07/2020.

Toilet facilities will be available should they be required. Toilets will operate on a strict 1 in 1 out basis. The outer doors will be propped open to avoid touch points but the inner doors will remain closed for privacy. If people have used the toilet they will be requested to wipe the toilet down and areas they have touched such as toilet handles, door locks, door handles, light switches. Gloves and wipes will be provided.

Parishioners and any visitors will be asked for contact details of someone who could come and collect them in the event of them becoming unwell during the service. The Churchwardens or Deputy Wardens will collect this information at the point of entry into the church as people come in. A list of where people were seated will also be kept using the church layout diagram and initials entered in the seats. This will be filed with the track and trace document for the service. The Track and Trace folder list will be held by the wardens and locked away at the end of the service.

A register of who has attended the service will kept in the event of ‘track and trace’ being required in the event of a Covid outbreak or someone in the congregation testing positive. This will be held in the Covid-19 Folder and stored away in a drawer for GDPR purposes. This data will be held for approximately 3 weeks from the date of the service.

24/09/20 – In line with Government Guidance, the church will display a computer generated QR code which can be scanned by visitors upon their arrival for use with the NHS Track and Trace App.

People will be advised to come to church no more than 15 minutes prior to the service starting. The main church doors will not be opened until approximately 10:15am.

Sunday Worship in the church:

People will enter by the main west door of the church only. This will be signposted for everyone. There will be no access through the Parish Centre unless agreed for those who require ramp access. These people may ring the doorbell to alert their arrival. A note will be on the door advising of this, but should visitors come requiring access they can ring the doorbell.

Upon entering the church, everyone will be expected to sanitize their hands using the hand gel provided at the main entrance. Signs will be shown to remind this. Social distancing posters will be displayed to remind to respect the 2 metre rule at all times. Due to the vulnerability of the congregation, it is felt that despite the 2 metre rules being relaxed, we should stick to 2 metres to make it as safe as possible.

The porch size will be reduced by roping or barriering some areas off to discourage people from standing and talking prior to and after the service.

Service sheets only will be placed in the open pews ready by churchwardens before the start of the service so to avoid congestion point in the porch of the church. People will simply come straight in and sit down.

Markers will be placed on the carpets around the building and in the porch entrance to remind of social distancing.

Main west door, porch door and internal church door will be propped open to avoid people having to touch handles and to aid ventilation. Even if the weather is cool, the doors MUST be open. Parish Centre door to remain closed and locked for security reasons. Churchwardens will monitor the security of this throughout the service.

24/09/20 – As the weather begins to cool down, the Churchwardens will monitor the ventilation in the building. St Paul’s is naturally drafty in the autumn and winter therefore it may not be necessary for the outer and inner doors to be fully open all of the time. The Churchwardens will assess this on a Sunday by Sunday basis and make decisions in accordance to the weather conditions. The outer and inner doors will be open fully prior to the start of the service to prevent touch points.

Pews will be made available at 2 metre distances in all directions. 2 people from different households may sit socially distanced which will be marked on the pew cushions. Members of the same household or people who have ‘bubbled up’ can all sit together in one pew and are not restricted to 2 people. This will be clearly indicated on each open pew through signage. Pews will be made available in the central aisles and both the north and south aisles to give maximum distance between the congregation and other areas of the church will be available for seating as indicated on the layout diagram. Pews that are not in use will be roped off.

Readers must sit at the end of a pew so they can get out to read. Readers will read from a free standing microphone at the base of the chancel steps. The Eagle will not be used because of its elevation which could encourage the projection of the voice and therefore spread the virus.

It is feasible to accommodate up to be 38 people (bubble/household numbers dependent) at a socially distanced set up. Parishioners should indicate whether they intend to come to the service to give ideas of numbers by replying to an email or from contact from their Core Group leaders. Covid contact group leaders could ascertain this during their weekly calls and inform the wardens by the Friday prior to the service. If it becomes clear that more than 38 people are to be present, then the Churchwardens will not be able to admit any more than this number and people will be asked to return home or not to attend.

Due to household bubbles sitting together, it may give flexibility to admit more than 38 people to fill the available spaces marked out as long as social distancing is fully maintained. The Churchwardens will oversee the safe implementation of this and they reserve the right to not further admit people so that safety is not compromised.

17.09.20 – The government guideline of ‘The Rule of 6’.
There is an exemption that covers places of worship making it possible for more than 6 people to gather for acts of worship. However, it is not a blanket exemption. People must not be part of a group of more than 6 unless they are from the same household or support bubble.
14/10/20 – In light of Cheshire East being placed into Tier 2 of local restriction, meaning high transmission rates, the rule of 6 now does not apply indoors. (This does not affect the choir singing as they are socially distanced and are part of the service). People attending the service MUST socially distance at 2 metres apart at all times with people from outside their household or support bubble and must not meet together to socialise or chat inside. Markers on the pew seats are clear to support social distancing. Household or support bubbles may continue to sit together. If people wish to talk after the service outside then they can, but they must ensure that they are in groups of no more than 6 and must social distance at all times.

Communion arrangements on a Sunday where/if applicable:

Only the host will be shared during communion services. The Priest in charge will follow guidelines set out by The Church of England in relation to the distribution of Holy Communion. This can be found in the Covid- 19 folder in the Parish Office.

When people leave the service they will be reminded to ensure that they sanitize their hands upon leaving and should exit the building promptly following instructions from the Churchwardens.

23/09/20 – The PCC has given approval, in line with Government Guidance, for the choir to resume some singing during the service. This will be in the form of one group of 6 at each service. The areas for the Choir to sing will be discussed and agreed between the Vicar, Choir and Churchwardens.

	Updated Church of England guidance states that ‘amateur choirs can meet to rehearse and perform provided that there is no mingling between groups of up to 6 that arrive and leave together and provided that individual members (not in same household) can remain physically distanced from one another. At all times, safety of the choir and congregation is at the forefront of any decision made. Cleaning after the service is detailed in the ‘What happens after the service over?’ section.
What happens after the service is over?	The Churchwardens will ensure that everyone leaves as soon as the service is over. The door will be locked to prevent re-entry. All handles on doors will be sanitized as a precaution and good hygiene. Carpets in the aisle and chancel will be hoovered if necessary. Any surfaces that may have been touched such as rails at the chancel steps or the pew ends will be wiped with warm water and weak soap solution to prevent damage to the wood. Pew ledges and backs will be also be wiped over although it is scientifically understood that the coronavirus bug will only live on any surface for less than 72 hours so this may not be necessary. There will be 7 days between each Sunday worship service. Supplies of sanitizer and wipes will be checked to ensure enough supply for next time of worship. Any used anti-bacterial wipes will be disposed of in a rubbish bag and taken away by the churchwardens. The church will be left ready for the next Sunday worship.	Churchwardens
Other safety aspects	If a Parishioner becomes unwell during the service, they are to leave their pew immediately and signal help from the wardens. The Parishioner will be taken to the Parish Centre hall which will be set with a chair and table in the middle for the person to sit down. The wardens will have in their pew a box of supplies in the event of this occurring. In the box there will be facemasks, gloves, aprons and face shield (PPE) for the accompanying warden to put on to protect themselves. Windows will be ready open in the Parish Centre for ventilation. The parishioner’s emergency contact will be called to come and collect them. Following this, the chair and table will be wiped down with antibacterial wipes or spray. Masks, Gloves, Aprons, wipes etc will be disposed of in a black bag and removed at the end of the service. Face shield can be disinfected and reused. The church is not open any other time other than for Sunday Worship. No one who has access to the church with keys must go into the church for private/individual prayer at any other time. This is by order of the	Churchwarden Vicar

	Vicar and Churchwardens. The nominated person (Matthew Cooper) or those agreed by the Vicar or Nominated Person such as for access in an emergency or for contractor work, has access at all other times. A note will be affixed to the internal door between the church and parish centre to remind of this. If anyone is found to have to entered the church with their set of keys for private or individual prayer other than those stated, this will be passed to the Vicar immediately for action. In the event of someone attending church testing positive for Coronavirus following being in church, the section on ‘cleaning the church after a known outbreak’ in the towards reopening risk assessment will apply. This is held in the Covid-19 folder in the Parish Office. Parishioners will receive an information leaflet or email prior to the church re-opening to communicate what will be different and expectations around keeping everyone safe and healthy.
What supplies are needed?	Hand sanitizer Anti-bacterial wipes. Face coverings Disposable gloves Disposable aprons Face shield Cloths Anti-bacterial sprays Buckets Wood cleaner Hazard tape to mark any areas. Floor markings for outside social distancing marking.
Guidance references	Face Coverings: when to wear one and how to make your own. (government guidance) Covid-19: guidance for the safe use of places of worship during the pandemic. (government guidance) Covid-19 NHS test and trace data. (C of E Guidance) Covid -19 Advice on the administration of Holy Communion (C of E Guidance) Covid -19 Safe churches, Helping public places to reopen safely. (C of E Guidance) Covid -19 Advice on Face Coverings (C of E Guidance) Covid -19 Advice on the conduct of public worship (C of E Guidance) Covid -19 opening cathedral and church buildings to the public (C of E Guidance) Keeping Church buildings clean (C of E Guidance) Guidelines for a Parish Continuity Plan during Covid-19 (C of E Guidance) Covid 19 early outbreak management (Public Health England) Covid-19 – Local Covid Level alerts:what you need to know. ( government guidance)