The Sunday Bulletin for the 9th Sunday after Trinity and the Hymn Words for our Sunday Worship Podcast will shortly both be available on the website. They can be found by following this link to the Sunday Bulletin page.

As well as the Sunday Worship Podcast we will also be holding our weekly communal worship service in the church at 9.30am. If you are considering coming, please note the code of conduct for worship.

Please also remember the updated guidance from the Government which now makes it mandatory that everyone should, unless exempt, wear face coverings when attending worship.

However you worship this Sunday, we wish you God’s rich blessing.

The Sunday Bulletin for the 8th Sunday after Trinity and the Hymn Words for our Sunday Worship Podcast are now available on the website. They can be found by following this link to the Sunday Bulletin page.

As well as the Sunday Worship Podcast we will also be holding our weekly communal worship service in the church at 9.30am. If you are considering coming, please note the code of conduct for worship.

Please also remember the updated guidance from the Church of England this week strongly advising that everyone should, unless exempt, wear face coverings when attending worship.

However you worship this Sunday, we wish you God’s rich blessing.

The August Beacon is now available to download. We hope you enjoy reading it.

It’s available under the Digital Resources section of the website, by visiting the Fakenham Beacon page, or by clicking the image in this post.

The Sunday Bulletin for the 7th Sunday after Trinity and the Hymn Words for our Sunday Worship Podcast are now available on the website. They can be found by following this link to the Sunday Bulletin page.

As well as the Sunday Worship Podcast we will also be holding our weekly communal worship service in the church at 9.30am. If you are considering coming, please note the code of conduct for worship.

Please also remember the updated guidance from the Church of England this week strongly advising that everyone should, unless exempt, wear face coverings when attending worship.

However you worship this Sunday, we wish you God’s rich blessing.

The Church of England has provided updated guidance to churches as to the wearing of face coverings. Published this week, the guidance reads:

“Face coverings are currently mandatory on public transport and will be mandatory in shops and in supermarkets from 24 July 2020. People are also encouraged to wear face coverings in enclosed public spaces where there are people they do not normally meet, such as a place of worship. We strongly advise that face coverings should be worn by all those attending a place of worship, including ministers, worshippers, staff, volunteers, contractors and visitors, where there may be other people present; remembering that they are mainly intended to protect other people, not the wearer, from coronavirus COVID-19 and that they are not a replacement for physical distancing and regular hand washing.”

We would therefore request please that, unless you are exempt (exemptions include children under 11 and those who have reasonable cause, such as a
health condition, disability, physical or mental impairment), face coverings be worn at all communal worship events until further notice.

Thank you.

Francis, Roger and Keith

The Sunday Bulletin for the 6th Sunday after Trinity and the Hymn Words for our Sunday Worship Podcast are now available on the website. They can be found by following this link to the Sunday Bulletin page.

As well as the Sunday Worship Podcast we will also be holding our third service after lockdown in the church at 9.30am. If you are considering coming, please note the code of conduct for worship.

However you worship this Sunday, we wish you God’s rich blessing.

The Sunday Bulletin and the Hymn Words for the 5th Sunday after Trinity are now available on the website. They can be found by following this link to the Sunday Bulletin page.

As well as the podcast of Morning Worship we will also be holding our second service after lockdown in the church at 9.30am. If you are considering coming, please note the code of conduct for worship.

However you worship on this Sea Sunday where we remember the Mission to Seafarers, we wish you God’s rich blessing.

Prayer for the Mission to Seafarers
Bless the Mission to Seafarers and all who work for seafarers. Keep their welcome warm, and their love and care unstinting. May their ministry to seafarers express the love of Christ for all people. Amen

A message from Francis regarding the Code of Conduct we will now be using during worship:

I have now spent many hours reading guidelines, listening to colleagues and thinking about our context both in terms of the building and our age profile. I have also listened to people in the media whose scientific opinion I respect. In particular Sir Jeremy Farrar of the Welcome Foundation in the recent Andrew Marr interview.  As he made clear and the recent situation in Leicester demonstrates the virus is not beaten yet. Whilst many in society seem to be throwing caution to the wind I believe as part of the Body of Christ we need to respect the wishes of the most cautious who come to worship. I have therefore draw up a simple code of behaviour which I attach for you to read ahead of Sunday. There will also be a copy in the place where you sit. It is as short as I can make it. (The government paper was 16 pages). I hope that this will reassure those of you who are concerned, that we are going to do this safely. The guidelines do however suggest that we do not encourage attendance especially if people are vulnerable. The Sunday podcast will still be made for those at home. The guidelines do not insist on the wearing of masks but you wish to wear one please do so.

If you are still attending on Sunday please aim to arrive in good time (but not more than 20 minutes early), use the provided sanitiser at the door and go immediately to a seating position. Do not mill* about at the back. (*Definition : To move or circulate in a confused or disorderly manner within a limited area.)

I know all this may take the edge of our return to worship ‘in person’ but I do hope that after such long period of abstinence for the sacrament that it will be a very special and holy occasion for you.

Code of Conduct during worship

1. Please maintain social distance: two (2) metres where possible and when less than this only for the shortest possible time. There are some seating stations for couples in the red chairs you may sit together in a pew providing no one else comes and sits in that pew with you. Up to five people in one ‘household’ may occupy a pew. You are unlikely to be able to sit where you used to sit! Only every other pew is used – note the ticks and crosses.
2. Please do not use a raised voice to speak to each other or during the liturgy. Sadly there is no singing for the time being. We will sit for most of the time, standing only for the Gospel and to receive the sacrament.
3. The celebrant will administer the sacrament to the people in the red chairs first and will do this by going to them. Next the people in the nave starting at the front will come forward one side at a time and returning via the South Aisle. Do make a mental note of where you were sitting before embarking on this journey around the church.
4. If you would find this journey difficult please do try to sit in a red chair and leave the pews to the more nimble of foot.
5. To receive the bread (wafer) please hold you hands horizontally and flat, one hand over the other with your arms extended. Administration will be done in silence without the usual wording. Wine will not be distributed.
6. Contactless giving is now preferred to cash and you will find the contactless machine on the wooden shelf near the door on the LHS as you go out. It is pre-set to a minimum amount of £5 and you can alter the figure very easily if wished and it will automatically default to £5 afterwards. If you usually bring purple envelopes please place them in the collection plate in the same place. If you prefer to donate cash this should also be placed in the plate. We are not using yellow gift aid envelopes at present. Cash donations and contactless ones can be gift aided by the church under the Gift Aid Small Donations Scheme. I would also like to remind you of the possibility of setting up a regular standing order for your giving which avoids the need for donating physically each week. Please contact me if you need a form.
7. The service will be much shorter than usual as it is recommended that we stay within enclosed spaces together only for short periods. If you wish to speak to friends you have not seen for some time after worship, please arrange to do this outside in the fresh air.
8. To prevent a bottleneck on leaving please leave in the same order as for receiving the sacrament ie red chairs then pews row by row from the front using the South Aisle.

I am sorry if all this seems rather ‘sterile’ and not the usual fellowship we enjoy but I believe we need to take the situation very seriously and reduce the risks as far as possible.

Francis Mason. Rector. July 2020

The Beacon – July 2020

The July Beacon is now available to download. We hope you enjoy reading it.

It’s available under the Digital Resources section of the website, by visiting the Fakenham Beacon page, or by clicking the image in this post.

As you are no doubt aware, we have now received the welcome news that public worship, small weddings and small funerals will be permitted in church from 4th July. Our first service will be on Sunday 5th July and for the time being there will be one service at 9.30am which will last approximately 30-35 minutes.

Both the opening for personal prayer and worship has to be done in line with both Government and Church of England guidelines which are updated frequently. Please be assured that we will do our best to provide a safe environment for everyone who comes into church.