As you know, on Monday we moved to step 4 of the Government’s ‘Roadmap out of lockdown’ which changes the emphasis of how we protect others and ourselves from legislation to personal responsibility. We do this against a background of rising case numbers (including in Dacorum) and knowledge that the third wave of the virus has yet to peak. People will be greeting these changes with a range of emotions: some of us will be excited and relieved, others more cautious or anxious. As Christians, we have not only a responsibility but a commandment to love one another which includes seeking to care for the vulnerable and respecting those who are different from us. 

With all this in mind, we are going to make the following changes to how we do things at Sunnyside (starting tomorrow Sunday 25th July):

1. singing – we are reintroducing singing at both our Sunday services but this will be fewer hymns and songs than usual to reduce the risk. Congregational singing will be at the beginning and end of services so those who are concerned can avoid the singing but still join the rest of the service. We will ask people to wear masks while singing. There will not be singing on Wednesdays at present. 
2. hands – we will continue to encourage people coming into Sunnyside Church to use hand sanitiser as they enter and exit.
3. face – we will encourage people to wear masks when we are moving around the building and singing but if you wish you can remove your mask at other times. The area around the sound desk with be reserved for those who wish to keep wearing a mask all the time.
4. space – we will continue to have our chairs arranged for social distancing and encourage people to remember to leave space between them and others when chatting. We will no longer have blue and yellow chairs and can sit with another household if they are happy for this. We will clean the chairs between services on Sunday. We are changing the one way system to help with social distancing and protect those who are sitting in the area around the sound desk. Entrance to church will be through the lobby. Exit from church will be through the south door.

We will review the situation at the end of the summer unless circumstances change radically. For now we will continue not to have Bibles in the chairs, the common cup at communion or coffee. 

If you have any comments or questions, please do contact Rebecca.