We are delighted that all our churches are now fully open, with these risk mitigations in place:We ask you to wear a mask for all our services unless you are medically exempt. We have monitored ventilation in the building with a carbon dioxide monitor and found that it is extremely well ventilated. We do ask you to wrap up warm as the heating struggles to compete with a door being left open for ventilation.We continue to livestream our services on facebook for those members of our community who do not feel able to attend yet.We provide coloured lanyards for you to indicate how much you wish people to remain distant from you, and ask you to respect the choices and personal risk profiles of others as indicated by their lanyards (green= feel free to approach, orange = please maintain some space, red = please maintain a full 2m distance).Communion will continue to be celebrated with appropriate precautions (hand sanitiser will be used, and only the bread will be distributed, to avoid shared use of the chalice while the infection risk remains so high).Refreshments continue to be monitored. Where weather allows these have been served outside, but as we enter the colder weather we are trialling having them inside (seated at tables to avoid congestion around the cafe bar area).
Described by the Liverpool Echo as a 'magical Christmas forest' last year, this year the Christmas Tree Festival is back and bigger and blingier than ever! 40 Christmas Trees have been decorated around the church grounds by various local organisations, schools, charities and businesses.The trees will remain up in the grounds for the whole of December for the enjoyment of the local community. Which is your favourite?At the launch event on Sunday 28th November, Advent Sunday, two choirs which meet to rehearse in St Bride's (ichoir and Socialist Singers) delighted us with a selection of seasonal music, and the Rector blessed the trees and declared the festival open. Several trees were awarded rosettes as the Best Decorated Trees, among others:Most Innovative Tree - The Studio SchoolMost Eco-Friendly Decorations - Abercrombie NurseryBest Embodiment of the Organisation - Triangle of Hope & Open TableMost Beautiful Tree - Chinese WellbeingBlingiest Tree - Anglican Chaplaincy to the UniversitiesThe trees are available for viewing daily whenver the gates are open, usually at least 10am-6pm daily.
Sunday services have been taking place safely at St Michael's since Easter, and all our Covid security measures seem to be working well. In the lovely weather we've been having recently we're delighted to have been able to start serving refreshments outside, in the lovely interior garden area.There is a Tuesday morning gardening group run by Faiths4Change in the community garden, and in August we plan to re-start A Taste of God, a short lunchtime service and discussion, on Tuesdays 12.15-12.45, in the community room.A new noticeboard has now gone up so that we can keep the local community, including everyone not online, up to date with re-opening plans.
