Church is open – but let us know you’re coming!

Bishop John is encouraging people to get involved with their local church during the Christmas season and to let the church know if they’re planning to visit.

Throughout Advent and Christmas, churches are holding a range of in person and online events, but to keep people safe and ensure social distancing can be maintained, it is important that they know who will be attending.

Bishop John said: “I’m delighted that churches have been able to reopen for worship ahead of the Christmas season and I know that many are going to great lengths to ensure as many people as possible can attend a service. 2020 has been such a difficult year for many and churches, especially at Christmas, are a place of comfort and hope. We want to welcome everyone, but it’s still important that we can keep people as safe as possible, whether services are being held inside or outside. Churches have all produced risk assessments detailing the maximum numbers allowed in their buildings, so please let your local church know if you’re planning to attend to enable them to manage numbers and not need to turn people away.”

Many churches are planning outdoor services over the next couple of weeks for example with nativity trails around villages or in churchyards and the opportunity to sing carols outside. One church is planning to take a nativity scene around to a number of villages on the back of a tractor! There are also carol services being planned via YouTube as well as Messy Church and Christingle services being held via Zoom, with craft and other materials being distributed ahead of time. Churches have even moved their Christmas tree festivals onto Facebook!

Bishop John continued: “It has been amazing to hear about the many innovative ways in which churches have been reaching out to their communities share comfort and joy at this time. When God entered our world as the baby Jesus, he did so to bring us all eternal hope. This hope that God gives us through Jesus has been referred to as ‘the greatest story ever told’ – it is a true story and it’s important that we can continue to share it with people this Christmas.”

Find contact details for your local church at: www.achurchnearyou.com.