Coronavirus (COVID-19) - St Mary's Response
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Thank you for coming to the website for your local parish Church St Mary Magdalene with St Martin We are in very unusual and disorienting times at the moment. Our communities are understandably anxious and many are fearful. At St Mary Magdalene with St Martin (StMMM) we are closely monitoring and following advice around precautions for Covid-19 (Coronavirus). Below is a list of key advice and current adjustments (including links to health advice from official health organisations) already in place at St MMM and information on how this affects us practically. The information below also includes suggestions of ways in which we can help support and care for one another. As the situation is ever-changing, we will endeavour to keep the information on this page as up to date as possible. So please do check back on a regular basis – updated 6pm Friday 30th October 2020 Key Advice & Adjustments We are now open on Sundays for You WE ARE A SAFE PLACE TO MEET Our website contains details of how to join others online for prayer, worship, study, and help with community life. See: www.stmmm.org.uk Current Situation for Public Worship remains unchanged Services and Worship If you are coming to the church building for a service - please read these guidance notes Sunday 1st November Services in church and live streamed and available to watch on our You Tube Channel 4pm Service of Lights – Annual Memorial service Covid-19 & Church Information. NHS Covid-19 App The NHS COVID-19 track and trace app is available to download on smartphones. We strongly encourage you download this and upon arrival at STMMM scan the displayed QR codes to help us keep safe and open as a church. A video is in the email with a guide as to how to download the app. If unsure how to download the app you can watch this video for a guide. If you don’t have the app yet you will need to sign in as before. We cannot lead services in the way we have been used to but we can worship our loving heavenly father.
The church will be cleaned where necessary between the services. We have enough distanced seating for 60+ people, although a family can sit together. There will be no Children’s groups just yet but there will be a children’s focus at the 11am. This is really important: Coming on site It remains the case that anyone coming on site for whatever reason, they must clear the day and time and purpose with Amanda first, let Amanda know on the day that they have arrived and when they leave. Thank you very much. Food banks There is a basket in church for you to donate foods and toiletries via Purley Foodbank Help for those experiencing Domestic Abuse Lockdown has raised many needs in our community. Not least those who suffer domestic abuse. Domestic abuse may affect anyone at any time, but the isolation resulting from COVID-19 is particularly affecting victims/survivors of domestic abuse. The National Domestic Abuse helpline has seen a 25% increase in calls and online requests for help since the lockdown, according to the charity Refuge. Victims/survivors of domestic abuse may be self-isolating with someone who is harming them, and they may feel they have no way out. Previous places of safety or respite, such as friends, family or local churches, may no longer appear accessible. It is vital that victims/survivors of domestic abuse know that they are not alone and there is still help available in these challenging times. Please follow this link for information that will help you. In addition we want to inspire and energise church members to join with others in our wider community to offer practical support and care for those who will feel most vulnerable in our society at this time. eg those who are older and those who have underlying health conditions or who have had to self-isolate. Be aware you are only allowed to be outside for reasonable exercise and to do essential shopping. As a church family we want to do our part to offer both prayerful and practical support for those who are being affected by these adjustments or any other effects around Covid-19. As such many of you have offered help in shopping and picking up prescriptions for those who are unable to leave their home. If you can offer help and haven’t already been contacted by Jen or Val would you please contact the church office if you can help. This help must be given with due consideration of the seriousness of our situation. In other words it must be incorporated into the ‘essential shopping’ trip that you will take for yourself. If you are not in the parish Check your local residents association to see if you can join in to help there.
Please let me know if you would like to suggest other ways of sharing in prayer and worship and learning and helping during this extraordinary time. The Vicar, that’s Amanda Johnson, and churchwardens of this church Ms Isabella Lisk can be contacted in an emergency by telephoning 0206 656 3457 or emailing stmmmoffice@btinternet.com or amanda@stmmm.org.uk 0208 654 3459 With love and grace Amanda “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength . . . Love your neighbour as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.” To protect the vulnerable amongst us, please do not leave your home except for essential trips. |