Coronavirus (COVID-19) Limiting the Spread:

With regard to the Coronavirus Pandemic and the need for everyone to take care of, not only oneself, but our neighbours too, it has been decided that as from THIS Sunday, the following changes will take place:

1.       Communion – wafers only will be used and these will be passed to each person by the officiating Minister. There will be no juice. The Minister will reference the sacraments of bread and wine during the service.

2.       Offering – to save handing the wooden collection plates from one to another, as you enter, the plates will be just inside the church door. Please place your offering in them prior to sitting down. During the service one person will bring them forward to be blessed. For information about joining the automatic payment system, see Joan

STAY HOME IF YOU ARE SICK. It is vital that people who feel even slightly unwell do not attend worship and put others at risk. 

Do not panic, stay informed and take all reasonable steps to keep yourself and others safe by following good personal hygiene practices (especially washing hands regularly, not sneezing or coughing in public and into a tissue or crook of arm if you are in public).

Wash hands thoroughly before coming to worship, and utilize hand sanitizer when you arrive. People on duty to welcome worshippers should ensure door handles are regularly cleaned.

Social distance guidelines: 1-2metres apart.

Hand shaking should be discouraged and other forms of greeting used. It can be a fun thing to experiment with foot touching, elbow touching, or some other form of non touching greeting.

Cups of tea/coffee after worship are an important time to encourage interaction. While there is no confirmed community transmission we believe this practice should continue, but with extra care to limit physical contact and common contact with any surface. Servers should have washed hands before undertaking their duty. 

It is appropriate that protocols for cleaning of church plant be reviewed e.g. all surfaces that are touched or potentially sneezed/coughed on will require wiping after each gathering of people.

NOTICES:

A very warm welcome to you all this morning. Please come through to the Lounge after the service for a cuppa and a time to talk. Many thanks to Rev Lyndsey McKay for leading today’s worship.

St Martins Presbyterian Twilight Food Fair which was to have been held on Friday 3^rd April has been postponed.  We will continue to review the situation and perhaps later in the year there will be an opportunity for it to take place.

Thank you for your valued support and concerns.

Irene Gray, Parish Clerk

Easter Eggs for Waltham Cottage – all donations gratefully received.

Singing Group next meets on 5^th April at 9.15am.

The ceilidh scheduled for Saturday 25^th April has been postponed until November.

Easter cards – $3  and icing Easter eggs – $5  for sale in the foyer. All proceeds to St Martins Church.

Meditation Group: meets in the lounge every Tuesday from 7pm –

7.45pm. We are learners who are following an ancient Christian practice of being still with God. 

Wednesday Walkers 25^th March: Meet 9.30am for walk around the Avon Loop Walkway and coffee at Little Poms. Park in the stony area next to Little Pomson Fitzgerald Ave, or in Kilmore St.  Meet opposite Little Poms by the start of the Walkway.  Janette 021 075 6780

Crafty Crafters Thursdays 10am-12noon in the Lounge. $3 per session. New faces always welcome. Lyndsey 388 1264.

Beckenham Methodist Church fundraiser: Daffodil bulbs grown by David Bell Bulbs. $10 for a bag of 12 or $20 for a bag of 25. To order, please contact Graham McHarg 332 5856 or talk to Sonya.