NWN-18062020

Thursday, June 18, 2020 5

NEWBURY NEWS Private prayer only as churches open again Places of worship welcome back visitors –with strict social distancing rules Newbury Weekly News

reopening gradually – with private prayer available from 10am to noon every Wednesday. Hand sanitiser is available, while visitors are also asked to take a Dettol wipe to wipe down the area where they want to sit and clean the area again when they leave. Signs are also in place to remind visitors to maintain social distanc- ing. The church’s vicar, the Rev Dr Marion Wood, said it hadn ’t yet had the demand from the commu- nity to reopen five days a week, but that it was good to be able to open for private prayer again. She said: “I think it’s a really good sign that we’re able to reopen. It should create hope that things can get back to normal again. “It’s for people who have missed the building or have a special need – maybe something happened in their life and now they can come for private prayer. “There will always be a minister or a member of our pastor team present, so if there are any reasons that somebody would like some- body to pray for them, they can share that and keep them in their thoughts and prayers. “It’s our first step towards face- to-face pastoral support.”

Report by JONATHAN ASHBY email jonathan.ashby@newbuynrews. co. uk twitter @jonathana_nwn

CHURCHES acrossWest Berk- shire are opening their doors again after the Government relaxed lockdown rules. Places of worship have been shut since March 23 to prevent the spread of coronavirus, however since Monday they have been allowed to open for private prayer with appropriate social distancing. Weddings and full services remain prohibited asthe Govern- ment continues to limit gather- ings. In Newbury, St Nicolas Church is reopening Monday to Friday from 10am to 4pm for private prayer. A one-way system has been introduced inside the church to maintain social distancing, as well as spreading pews out so people can sit two metres apart. The Rev Will Hunter Smart of St Nicolas Church said: “We opened on Monday morning at 10am, having been shut for three long months, which was very painful. “It’s wonderful to reopen and we’ve had a steady stream of

The Rev Dr MarioonoWd, left, and members of the congregation at St Mary’s Chucrh,Shaw Ref: 25-2920A

The RevWillHuntgeSrmartatStNicolasChucrh,Newbuyr

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months and learning all sorts of new tricks, and it’s been wonderful with some goodness coming out of it. “We do look forward to the day we can gather for a corporate worship together, but I think that’s still some way off.” In Shaw, St Mary’s Church is

people right through the day. “We’re trying to both keep it safe and ensure it ’s welcoming. “We’re only allowed to be open for individual prayer, so we’ve got no communal worship happen- ing. “All of that is still online, which we’ve been doing for three

PrivateprayerinStNicolasChucrh

Ref: 25-3020I