The beating heart of parish life is the daily cycle of worship

Public and Online Worship as we emerge from the Coronavirus Pandemic

We recognize that the Government has defined communal worship as an essential service, which provides people with the “reasonable excuse” to leave their homes during the National Lockdown. We also recognize that this comes with a certain degree of risk for the participants, from which those with underlying vulnerabilities are required to shield, and to which others may be reluctant to expose themselves.

Therefore, realising the need to balance what is possible, what is prudent, and what is pastoral for the congregations of Chingford Parish, our public and online worship will gradually respond to the government’s “roadmap” for returning to normal life:

Sundays

from Sunday 28 March, Palm Sunday

There will be THREE main act of communal worship offered in the churches of the parish each Sunday:

• 10.00 am Holy Eucharist in the Parish Church;
• 10.00 am Holy Eucharist in All Saints’ Church;
• 11.15 am Holy Eucharist in All Saints’ Church.

Social distancing will be required, and we will continue to adhere to the risk assessments imposed upon churches by the government regulations.

Furthermore, because of the size of All Saints’ Church, and the restrictions caused by physical distancing, it is necessary to pre-book your attendance at All Saints’ using the parish’s Eventbrite account:

http://parishofchingford.eventbrite.com

This will continue until at least 21 June, with the anticipated ending of physical distancing requirements. If you are unable to use Eventbrite, then please telephone the parish office, and the administrator will be pleased to help you.

Until Easter Day, online worship will be offered by the parish, and is published to the Parish Youtube Channel. Online worship for Sundays and Feast days will cease at Easter, as we are able to return to in-person worship.

You may find the order of service for the Holy Eucharist for Easter Day and Eastertide here:

Holy-Eucharist-Easter

Witnesses to the Passover: Music and Meditations for Holy Week

There are meditations published for each day of Holy Week, which are also hosted on the parish’s Youtube channel:

Daily Office

Morning Prayer and Evening Prayer will be streamed by the clergy team via Facebook Live, each morning of the week (Monday-Friday).

The Daily Office continues to be prayed every week day, morning and evening. The pattern, from Monday 12 April, will be

• Morning Prayer: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: 8.30 am in the Parish Church
• Morning Prayer: Wednesday: 9.00 am in All Saints
• Evening Prayer: Monday-Friday: 5.30 pm in the Parish Church.

The churches are open at these times for those who wish to join in physically.

Midweek Eucharists

Midweek Eucharists begin again from the week beginning 12 April:

• Wednesdays: 10.00 am Holy Eucharist in All Saints’
• Thursdays: 10.00 am Holy Eucharist in the Parish Church

Pastoral Offices

We are looking to be able to reintroduce baptisms as soon as possible. For more information, please contact the Rector.

It is possible for weddings to be solemnised in the parish under certain restrictions. For more information, please contact the Rector.

Funerals continue to be conducted in the two churches. Numbers for the congregations are limited to 30 people (amongst whose number those “working” do not count – ie, officiant, verger(s), organist.

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This is an extremely fluid situation, and the easing of the National Lockdown restrictions are not hard and fast or guaranteed. We may need to change some of these arrangements with short notice according to regulation or guidance, from the government or from the national church.

We continue in our prayers for each other, for the poor, the anxious, and the vulnerable, for those in positions of responsibility in the Health Service and the government. Even so, as we trust in God to be with us in all the changes and chances of this life, we trust in Him to be with us now.