COVID-19 Protocol for Anglican Church Twente

COVID Protocol regarding public worship at St. Mary Chapel is suspended

Hygiene practices for individuals attending church.

• Those with symptoms of COVID-19 or other respiratory or flu-like illness, or an elevated temperature, or who are particularly vulnerable to infection should not attend public services, but join worship, as available, through recorded services.
  
  
• A pre booking system will be in place for the coming weeks.
  
  
• A public service will be held every week
  
  
• For individuals attending church: carrying of tissues and using them to catch coughs and sneezes, and binning the tissue continues to be important. In addition to this, it is recommended that each individual or each family carry a small bottle of hand sanitizer.
  
  
• Disinfectants and hand sanitizing facilities will be provided at the church entrance; door handles and other surfaces will be disinfected on a regular basis.
  
  
• Where possible, entrance and exit door will be open from before the time when people gather for the service until after the last worshipper has left.
  
  
• Side persons will note your name on the registration paper at the entrance.
  
  
• A side person will direct you into the right direction and make sure we all stick to the advised 2.0 meter distancing, following the direction signs on the floor.
  
  
• When receiving Holy Communion, please stick to distancing. And again follow the direction on the floor.
  
  
• There will be softly singing during the service, until further notice, the organ or music will be played though.
  
  
• When leaving the church, both exits may be used.
  
  
• Usage of the toilet should be limited, but when you use it, also use the disinfectant and the cleaning clothes provided, before and after usage. Disposable towels will be provided.
  
  
• The collection will take place during the service, in the clearly visible basket.
  
  
• After the service coffee will be served outside, and again: Please Keep your distance.

 Holy Communion.

• Following guidance from the bishop Holy Communion will be distributed in the form of bread/wafer only. Both elements will be consecrated, but the wine will not be distributed. It is a clear principle of Anglican theology that the sacrament of Holy Communion is present and complete in either of the consecrated elements.
  
  
• Only the presiding minister will handle the vessels and administers Holy Communion. Given that it will be in one kind for now, it is much easier to control hygiene if this is one person’s responsibility.
  
  
• Priests presiding at the Eucharist will wash their hands in soap and water, and an alcohol-based sanitizer, just prior to commencing the liturgy of the Sacrament.
  
  
• The bread to be consecrated for the whole assembly should remain covered during the Eucharistic prayer.
  
  
• The words of distribution of the consecrated bread should be pronounced by the priest to the whole assembly corporately, so that the actual distribution of communion happens in silence.
  
  
• At all times, the priest in administering the sacrament must avoid contact with the hands of the communicants.
  
  
• The wafer is safest distributed with communicants approaching in a single line standing with a sensible distance between them. Church wardens will make appropriate and feasible arrangements for this.

• Before and after the services the church will be disinfected and cleaned.