St. Mary’s . 30 Huntly Street . Inverness . IV3 5PR .
Telephone Number: 01463 233519
The latest bulletin is available for read in pdf. format below:
A Letter is available for read in pdf. format below:
Parish Opening Letter 11-06-2020
UPDATE 18.06.2020
Dear parishioners and friends of St Mary’s,
Greetings, and some good news, but regrettably circumscribed by necessary restrictions.
The Churches may open for private prayer and devotions with effect from Mon 22 June, provided that all safety measures are in place.
It is clear from the survey undertaken recently (and by the very large number of non-respondents) that there is not a great demand for St Mary’s to be opened, for what might be a small number of people. People are quite genuinely apprehensive about the risk of infection. Also, there has not been a substantial response, so far, in the number of volunteers to be ‘supervising attendants’ with responsibility for hygiene and disinfection, nor for pass-keepers and others in the ministry of welcome.
To that end, and after discussion with colleagues, it has been decided that St Mary’s will be open for private and personal prayer [no exposition] only on Wednesday 24 June from 1730 until 1830, and again on Friday 26 June from 1200 until 1300.
This will allow time for the Church to be deep cleaned and disinfected by the small number of volunteers who will begin this work next Saturday morning [20 June] in a closed church. There is much work to be completed before St Mary’s will be ready to be opened, and our opening times will be restricted by the availability of cleaning teams and other supervisory volunteers.
There is restricted space within the Church. Today several of us allocated seating areas within the nave. Given the restrictions of social distancing there will be SIXTEEN seating spaces. If a small group [THREE]from the same household sit together in these locations this would give a maximum seating capacity of FORTY EIGHT. Strangers may not sit together. A group of THREE is the largest that will allow for social distancing.
Entry and exit will be by the main door, the front porch is divided by a partition, and on entry, by the left, those attending will, keeping social distance, enter the vestibule to the left of the porch. This will be the cleaning and disinfecting station [supervised]. Every visitor will be required to have face cover that prevents exhalation, from the nose or mouth, into the atmosphere. Face masks will be available if required [these will cost FIFTY PENCE]. Everyone entering the Church must have effective face covering- nothing ‘token’ will be acceptable.
There will be NO entrance/exit at the back door. The extension area is excluded from the seating arrangements. Entrance and exit by the front door only, from Huntly Street.
Visitors will be shown to a seating area. When leaving the Church, the route is to the front following the guide-lines. and turning at the font to enter the War Memorial corridor, thence to the rear of the Church, and exit as directed by the left of the main door. There will be a cleansing station at the door.
Visitors should not touch statues or any other aspect of the Church. Seating areas will be cleaned and disinfected between visitors. There is no provision for the lighting of candles. There is no entrance to the sanctuary area which is roped off from the font to the pulpit.
Collections and donations these may be placed in the standing collection box at the back of the church.
The WC/Lavatory is for emergency use. Visitors are requested to take appropriate measures before attending the Church. There is not a sufficiently large cleaning staff available to maintain the WC facilities.
If anyone would like to volunteer for being a ‘cleaner’, ‘supervisory attendant’, pass-keeper, then please let PJ in the Office know as soon as possible, and the registration of ‘volunteers’ can take place.
There will be further up-dates as the situation changes, in respect of the number of ‘volunteers’, and the pattern of attendance.
I hope that everyone will continue to stay safe, protect each other, and continue instantly in prayer for an end to this present pandemic. It is still there, and everyone is vulnerable; but, we can take hope from these initial measures, and make progress slowly and safely. No-one is under any pressure to volunteer and everyone is encouraged to remain patient and understanding, yet persevering in faith and making use of all the means of grace available to us through the internet, television, radio and books. ‘Every day, encourage one another’, a telephone call helps.
aye
Fr James
Parish Register Update Form June 2020
CENSUS: Questionnaire – download
The Finance letter is available for read in pdf. format below:
A message is available for read in pdf. format below:
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