St Columba’s Scottish Episcopal Church, Largs, will reopen for a 11.00am weekly Sunday service of the Eucharist from 23 August.

Our final zoom Service of the Word will take place at 10.00am on Sunday, 16 August.  Please contact the rector if you require the invitation link.

From 23 August a broadcast of the gospel of the day, together with a sermon will be made available on out YouTube channel.  The link for this will be found on this website and via our Facebook page.

If you intend attending our 11.00am Sunday services in church, please read the following information in advance in order to know just what to expect:

To all members and friends of St Columba’s Scottish Episcopal Church, Largs. 

The last few months have been a particularly difficult time for many.  Part of the lockdown process has, as you know, involved the closure of our church building.  However, we now have permission from our diocese to re-open for public worship.  St Columba’s will reopen from 23 August 2020.   There will be one service per week at present and this will be a said celebration of the Eucharist each Sunday at 11.00am. We look forward to those who want, coming and joining us. 

Having said that, we are still in the middle of the crisis, and there are strict guidelines, and many changes to the nature of our worship.  Please read through the details below to get an idea of what will happen if you join us and what is required.  While these guidelines are strict, I do feel joining together will be good, and with a level of awareness, responsibility and care, our worship will be both meaningful and safe. 

We would, however, want to say a couple of general things: 

• Please do not feel any pressure to come if you do not feel comfortable. No-one should feel any pressure to come to worship. 
• If you are unwell, still in a shielding group, or self-isolating, then we strongly recommend that you do not come to church. 
• If you choose not to join us, then the service will be complimented by a weekly broadcast of the gospel of the day and sermon via our YouTube channel.  This can be accessed each Sunday via our Church Facebook Page and Website.
• If you choose to join us, then again we encourage you to read through this information.   Be assured that if you choose not to join us we completely understand, and hope to see you at worship in the not too distant future. 

Best wishes,   Gordon

Revd Canon Gordon Fyfe – Rector.

Before the service: 

The front door will be opened 30 minutes before the service.  Please do not arrive for worship more than 10 minutes before the beginning of the service.  We ask that at church you try not to touch door handles and other surfaces.  On entry it is mandatory that you put on a facemask (there are disposable ones available if you have forgotten yours, which we ask you to take away with you).   We ask you to read the instructions in the porch.  We ask that you clean your hands with gel either using your own gel or the gel available just inside the door from the handsfree sanitising dispenser. 

You will be asked to offer your name and a contact number in accordance with the government’s track and trace initiative.  Your details will be kept for 21 days and then destroyed.

We ask that you sit in the pews available: TWO people at each end of one pew, and Family Groups in the centre.  Every alternate pew will remain unoccupied.  We need to sit well apart (unless of the same household).  No matter where you ‘normally’ sit, we ask you to fill up FROM THE FRONT in the available places. 

We ask you to maintain social distancing (safe relating) throughout your time at St. Columba’s, from arrival in the car park to leaving through the gate.  Safe Relating is key to not allowing the Corona Virus to spread. 

During the Service 

The service will feel, initially, very different than it has in the past: 

The liturgy will be found in the usual booklets, but you should take the one you use back home after the service and bring it with you from now on as your own individual copy.  Please do not share this with anyone else.

We will not share The Peace, except by smiling and waving! 

We will have organ music through the service, but there will not be the opportunity to sing hymns. 

Please only move around when directed.
The service will be Eucharistic and Holy Communion will be offered standing, rather than up at the altar rail.  You will be asked to sanitise your hands before and after reception.

After the Service 

The church will be vacated as directed by the stewards – beginning from the back and gradually inviting those nearer the front to exit.

There will be no refreshments.  We ask that people leave maintaining social distancing, and as you do to “gel” hands on the way out. 

Sadly the Rector will be unable to shake hands with people on the way out. 

Some General Things 

Please try not to touch surfaces such as door handles and tables. 

The toilets are located in the church hall and the service should be shorter than it used to be.  If you need to make use of the toilet please ask the steward on duty to open the hall for you.  Please maintain social distancing if you find yourselves queuing. 

We cannot say enough: social distancing is key to everything.  Even if the distance has been lowered (which it has not yet) please try to maintain two metres distance at all times. 

And Finally the government says: 

F – use face coverings
A – Avoid crowded places
C – Clean hands and surfaces
T – Two metre social distancing 

S – Self isolate and get tested if you think you may have Covid 19 symptoms.