GOV guidance on reopening of churches

I think we are all excited at the prospect of being able to meet together at church.  So far the government has made it clear that this will only be possible when we enter step 3 of its plan to lift restrictions, which will be on 4th July at the earliest.  In the meantime, we have been waiting for government guidance to help us prepare.

On 12th June, the government published the guidance, which includes a new activity that churches can offer now, and provides practical advice to help church leaders prepare for the additional activities that will be permitted on or after 4th July.

To help make sense of the guidance, we have produced a short overview of the main aspects that are relevant for churches.


What can I do right now in my church building?

Until 13th June, there were only four permitted activities that could take place in a church building:

  1. Funerals - in line with restrictions on those who can attend

  2. Broadcasting worship.

  3. Providing essential voluntary services - such as food banks and support for the homeless.

  4. Early years child care - provided by a person registered on the Early Years Register.

On Saturday, the government permitted places of worship to open for individual prayer, with the following guidance in place: 

  • Individual prayer refers to those entering the church to pray on their own and not part of a group or an organised activity led by another.

  • Social distancing should be maintained.

  • Steps taken to prevent people gathering as groups inside or outside the building.

  • No refreshments should be made available.

  • Singing and playing instruments should be avoided.

  • Prevent cash donations from being made.

  • If a church opens for individual prayer, it should consider designating time slots for those who are more vulnerable to COVID-19, such as the ederly.

Preparing for the reopening of churches

In the guidance document, the government has set out a range of steps that can be taken now to help churches to prepare for reopening, which we have summarised below. 

However, it is important to view the guidance in reference to your own circumstances.  For example, if your church building is also a place of work/employment, you should also follow health and safety law.  Or, if it is shared with another user, allow time to collaborate.

  1. Appoint a venue manager
    With guidance likely to develop and change, we recommend appointing a person whose primary task is to manage the building in accordance with the latest government announcements.  The venue manager can help to minimise the spread of COVID-19 by completing the steps below, to make the building safe for staff and worshippers.

  2. Complete a COVID-19 risk assessment
    Once a venue manager is appointed, we encourage them to complete a COVID-19 risk assessment of the building and the surrounding area, such as car parks.  The risk assessment should be completed with the involvement of staff, volunteers and worshippers, which will improve the plans to reopen. Guidance from HSE about a COVID-19 risk assessment can be found here.

  3. Social distancing
    Whether it remains set at 2 metres, or changed to 1 metre, or anything in between, churches will have to ensure that social distancing measures are in place.  This will have to be considered for seating, arrival, departure and for the use of bathrooms.  Before rushing out to B&Q to purchase a tape measure and hazard tape, we recommend that it's best to wait until nearer the 4th July, when we can be more certain about the actual distance.  Remember, the distance will help to determine the number of congregants you can safely admit to the building.  However, in the meantime, you can start to consider the following in relation to social distancing:

    1. Restricting access to non-essential areas of the building

    2. Producing signs with clear instructions

    3. Creating one-way systems

    4. Consider staggering arrival and exit times, or hosting multiple services to prevent queuing.

  4. Adapting the building
    The good news is that staff, volunteers and contractors can now enter buildings to help prepare for reopening.  Activities permitted under the guidance include:

    1. Essential maintenance

    2. Essential repair

    3. Cleaning

    4. Reconfiguring for social distancing

    5. Hand sanitiser stations, 

    6. Removing objects that can be touched - books, prayer cushions etc.

    7. Creating hand washing stations

Children and the elderly - a deciding factor?

Clearly, there are a number of challenges that need to be addressed before churches can meet again for worship services.  However, according to government guidelines, we are not sure that services will immediately be accessible to all members.  

This is particularly true for children and those aged over 70.  Children will need to adhere to strict social distancing and, consequently, will require parental supervision at all times.  Also, any equipment for children will have to be removed.  At the other end of the spectrum, the government is recommending that those aged over 70 should remain at home as much as possible and not come into contact with people of other households, due to their increased susceptibility to COVID-19.  Without extensive thinking and management, gathered services may remain unsuitable for children and inaccessible for the elderly for the near future.  

When we take this into account, along with the assumption that singing will not be possible when churches initially reopen, it is likely that many churches will choose to continue meeting online for worship services and pursue other options for meeting together, such as social activities in outdoor spaces - all in accordance with government guidance.  

As we get nearer to July 4th, the situation will become more clear and we look forward to updating you on the very latest developments.

CiC has been invited by the charity FaithAction, to participate in a discussion with the Places of Worship Taskforce, which is advising the government on the reopening of churches.  There will be an opportunity for our church leaders to share their thoughts at the next online meeting of ministers on 30th June.  

We hope you find the above helpful.

Remember, we recommend that you take time to read the government guidelines here.

If you require any further help or information, please do not hesitate to contact us.

We are here to serve!

Yours in Christ,

Paul
International Co-ordinator
CiC International

CiC International