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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask what services your village church is holding over Christmas?

34 replies

Sittinbythetrees · 15/12/2020 13:37

We are allowed to have a socially distanced indoor service with limited numbers of people - but I’m feeling like it’s a bad idea - we should hold it outside instead. Interested to gauge what other places are doing before DH (church warden) speaks to vicar.

OP posts:
HopeAndDriftWood · 15/12/2020 13:39

All outdoors here. They’re hoping to have a local business provide hot chocolate to help keep people warm. Inside is open for silent reflection, I believe.

Justcallmebebes · 15/12/2020 13:40

Our church is closed for all services including over Christmas. They have been holding open days on a Saturday when the church is open for people to go and sit quietly but there will be no services this year. We are Tier 3 in a rural area

backinthebox · 15/12/2020 13:42

Farming community here - we have a vicar on a tractor and trailer being towed around the villages and doing a crib service on various village greens.

LetsAllSpeakScience · 15/12/2020 13:50

Indoor services here at our village CofE. We have been back since the end of lockdown and we are a tier 3 area. There are limited numbers in church and then the large hall is used as overflow with the service shown on a screen.

The popular Christmas services are only available if you book in advance, so they know that they won't be overwhelmed with people.

Everyone seems happy with the procedures. There are thorough cleaning down processes in place, everyone uses the sanitiser on arrival, excellent physical distancing and 100% mask compliance for the over 11s. Many congregation are retired or current heathcare professionals or scientists, so I think that reassures people that the appropriate research has been carried out to make it low risk.

sirfredfredgeorge · 15/12/2020 14:09

so I think that reassures people that the appropriate research has been carried out to make it low risk

Indoor mixing is not low risk, indoor mixing is just about the highest risk, the mitigations don't achieve that much.

For a church service you could trivially do outdoors seems pretty stupid.

MrsMiaWallis · 15/12/2020 14:11

@HopeAndDriftWood

All outdoors here. They’re hoping to have a local business provide hot chocolate to help keep people warm. Inside is open for silent reflection, I believe.
This.
LaurieFairyCake · 15/12/2020 14:14

London Tier 3

We are having socially distanced services (hand sanitizer/temperature taken at check in). No tea/coffee Sad

LetsAllSpeakScience · 15/12/2020 14:28

*Indoor mixing is not low risk, indoor mixing is just about the highest risk, the mitigations don't achieve that much.

For a church service you could trivially do outdoors seems pretty stupid.*

I completely understand and agree that outdoors would be lower risk. I trust that we would be doing this, if it was a feasible option, I don't personally have any role in making such decisions. We have no outside space beyond a tiny car park and maybe there are issues with outdoor PA systems and neighbouring houses?

Consenting adults have to make their own choices, if they wish to come along then they are very welcome. If they would prefer a phone call or for someone to come and have a chat from the end of the drive, then that is available too. Likewise, things like school lessons, gym classes and routine blood tests would all be safer if outside, but that isn't possible. We have to do the best we can, following the guidelines, and people are free to attend or not, as they see fit.

I'm glad to hear that some of you have worked out ways to have outdoor services. The additional hot chocolate is a wonderful idea!

sirfredfredgeorge · 15/12/2020 14:33

Consenting adults have to make their own choices

Why are you so special that you get to choose, when the rest of us aren't given the choice to attend the things that are I'm sure as important to us as your religion is to you.

I am astonished that you show so little feeling of others that you revel in your little opt out from the law that sees everyone unable to meet up indoors as to actually write that as a justification. Maybe think about others less fortunate and unable to access their support networks because indoor mixing for most things is illegal.

Becca19962014 · 15/12/2020 14:35

We've had no services since March.

Probably won't again now as not enough have a reliable enough internet connection to meet the criteria for numbers "attending" (they're counting those watching online) for next year; numbers were declining anyway due to the system whereby services were in different churches each week and people couldn't keep track - the calendar was never updated and they relied on people reading notices where services weren't and attending - when some churches are almost 45 minutes away that just doesn't work.

AlexaPlayWhiteNoise · 15/12/2020 14:37

Nativity walk through (which has to be prebooked so we can stagger and distance people).

Standard mid week communion, again had to be prebooked, minimal numbers, everyone is masks, temp checked on arrival and sanitizer. Doors kept open throughout to keep air moving. No singing or physical contact.

And then everything else is on zoom.

drspouse · 15/12/2020 14:50

Not a village church but a small urban church. We've had services inside since whenever it was allowed (July?) because we have too many elderly members with no streaming access but a very small congregation. DS and I went last week and there were 15 in the congregation including us.

I believe we have our regular Sunday morning services this Sunday coming and I'm assuming Communion on Christmas morning at the usual time. We would typically have Christingle but we have a new vicar so she won't know the church well enough to put together a RA in time!

Big Church has 9 lessons and carols (they can seat up to 500+ normally and will take 100/service) twice, and Midnight Mass or Christmas Morning eucharist, ditto. With my DS having SEN and hating loud noises and crowds, we're going to take this opportunity to take him to 9 lessons and carols without the crowd, for once.

drspouse · 15/12/2020 14:54

By the way we don't book at our tiny church for normal services and Christmas morning is usually not full either but we may have booking for that day.
We can't do any streamed services because we have no internet (or phone line) in the church. Some numpty on FB asked BUT WHY NOT and wouldn't take no for an answer (we just about have electricity) and eventually asked "but couldn't you get a satellite phone?". Yeah, because a congregation of 30 on a good day where the church is in the middle of a field which is then in the middle of a North of England housing estate where nobody has broadband has EXACTLY THAT as its priority. Not, you know, who needs food at the foodbank or which children at the primary school or in the Boys' Brigade need uniform.

Lindy2 · 15/12/2020 14:55

Ours is having one socially distanced service - I don't think this is a particularly good idea but it will only be a very small attendance.

There is also an outside Carol service in a car park. Places are also limited and need to be pre booked.

A children's service will be done by Zoom and also simultaneously on Facebook live.

Cases are rising very fast here and I think we are close to being tier 3. We'll just watch the children's service on Facebook. We are avoiding any mixing and as soon as the kids finish school we are looking forward to just keeping ourselves to ourselves.

drspouse · 15/12/2020 14:55

Indoor mixing is not low risk, indoor mixing is just about the highest risk
If it was actual mixing, i.e. standing next to each other and talking, that might be the case.
Over 2m apart and little talking, no, it's not the highest risk.

StrawScarecrow · 15/12/2020 15:00

Carol service, crib service, Christmas Day. All pre book for limited socially distanced seating in our draughty church which is like being outside but without the rain and risk of losing small children.

All have options for Zoom attendance too.

autumngold6 · 15/12/2020 15:04

All Christmas services will be online in my village.

Scarby9 · 15/12/2020 15:07

We have a mix this Christmas.
2 x outdoor carol singing - socially distant and all facing the same way. We've had one already and it went well.
Recorded 9 lessons and carols using readings by members of the congregation and singing by our choir and music groups recorded in previous years.
Ticketed nativity this weekend rather than once Christmas mixing is allowed. Children come ready dressed.
Other services, including Christmas day, as we have been doing them in church - one service only on a Sunday (used to be three), socially distanced, contact details, sanitiser, no singing, no mingling - and simultaneously broadcast on Facebook then later available on Youtube.
Nightly Facebook or Zoom short service (started during lockdown).
Our church building is massive and is currently locked up between Sundays so as Covid safe as anywhere.We have had broadband installed to be able to livestream.

nosswith · 15/12/2020 15:08

Very limited numbers, more services than usual. Booking began a couple of days ago and all bar one service is fully booked (or was last night).

shufflestep · 15/12/2020 15:39

Another small urban church here, I've just said I won't sing in the Carol service although it's allowed for the choir; I'm younger than 90% of the choir and work in schools. Too worried about giving it to those more vulnerable.

scissy · 15/12/2020 15:52

Ventilation also matters indoors I believe - have any of the complainers on this thread been in any older CofE churches?! Xmas Grin
Our church is relatively small and urban but not opening for Christmas (all services online with recordings being delivered to those without internet access). They were considering it but when they had to decide services etc the covid guidance hadn't been published so they took the cautious approach. Also, we don't have the well-ventillated building excuse as ours is new (and usually toasty!!)

joystir59 · 15/12/2020 15:56

Had both, carols around the outdoors Christmas tree, indoor reflective service with readings and music, indoor family nativity (high demand for this so it is ticketed), outdoor Christmas Eve carols in the nearby field. All events socially distanced, indoor events with masks.

joystir59 · 15/12/2020 15:58

Our church is very old, well ventilated, and very beautiful

joystir59 · 15/12/2020 15:58

The indoor services are candlelit.

FuzzyPuffling · 15/12/2020 16:00

The local Methodist church is having a carol service for 50 people.
They must be bonkers. No one I know is going and everyone is aghast at the idea.

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