Update on churches re-opening

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https://www.churchofengland.org/more/media-centre/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-churches

Updated 16:02 on 2 July 2020

LATEST GUIDANCE

The Prime Minister has given a statement to the House of Commons outlining that from Saturday 4 July 2020 there will be further easing of the restrictions relating to public worship and wedding ceremonies.

In response the Bishop of London, Sarah Mullally, who leads the Church of England’s Recovery Group has said:

“We will not be returning to normality overnight - this is the next step on a journey. We’ve been planning carefully, making detailed advice available for parishes to enable them to prepare to hold services when it is safe and practical to do so. It is important to say that the change in Government guidance is permissive, not prescriptive.

Not all church buildings will be ready to hold regular services from 4 July 2020 but we are providing whatever support we can to enable them. There will still be restrictions and we must all still do everything we can to limit the spread of the virus to protect each other, especially the most vulnerable. The online services and dial-in worship offerings we have become used to will continue.

Churches and cathedrals have risen to the recent challenges, finding new ways of meeting for worship, of serving our neighbours, and of reaching new people with the love of God. The challenge before us now is to take the next steps carefully and safely, without forgetting all that we’ve discovered about God and ourselves on the way.”

Read the full statement from Bishop Sarah Mullally here.

https://www.churchofengland.org/more/media-centre/news/reopening-church-buildings-public-worship