Updated guidance for reopening church buildings for public worship

30/06/2020

The Church of England has published new advice to help parish churches and cathedrals prepare to reopen their buildings for public worship after more than three months of lockdown because of the coronavirus.
Person prayer individually in a pew Diocese of Portsmouth

It comes ahead of a change in the law allowing places of worship to reopen for services from July 4, while still observing hygiene and physical distancing requirements.

The advice – available on the Church of England’s dedicated Coronavirus page – applies new Government guidance on safe use of places of worship issued yesterday to the context of church buildings. It deals with questions ranging from the two-metre ‘rule’ and face coverings to service sheets and offering plates.

Separately, existing specific advice on enabling Holy Communion, baptisms, weddings, funerals and confirmations to take place safely will also be updated in the coming days.

The advice is being published to help parishes and cathedrals prepare but all decisions as to when individual churches reopen for services will be taken locally.