Meet God in Worship, Silence and Service

20th June 2020

Dear Friends,

Re-opening of St. Andrew’s Scots Kirk (SASK)

We trust that you are physically and spiritually well and we do look forward to seeing you back in
church in the near future. We have to make some changes to comply with the new situation.

This letter is to inform you that the Kirk Session of SASK has been monitoring the advice of the
Ministry of Health, the Public Health officials and the Police on when it would be safe to re-open the church and the protocol we should all follow as it is re-opened.

The Kirk Session has decided to reopen the church from Sunday 21^st June at 9.30am.

As you may know numbers worshipping have to be limited to 50 at this stage. SASK is planning to do this on a first come first served basis and to avoid any awkwardness at the door we have asked our  congregation to inform the Church Officer by phone, so call Kumar on 0779978870 in advance of your intention to worship. The Church Officer will let you know if the 50 person limit has been reached for the week. We are keen to see members back in church.

With regard to the protocols to follow, please read the list below which we ask you to follow.

We will introduce temperature checks at the entrance to the church and will not permit anyone
with a higher than normal temperature to enter. Further, we would ask that you and your family to wear masks when on the premises. This is the recommended guidance.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Graham de Kretser on 0774708013

We will get through this together and look forward to your cooperation in following the advice
given below.

Yours sincerely,

Rev Ian Gilmour
Interim Moderator                                                           

Graham de Kretser
Session Clerk

Protocols to be followed by SASK:

 Essential Requirements

• It is vital that the following should NOT attend church:
  •  anyone with symptoms
  • anyone who has recently travelled abroad and should be in self-quarantine
  • anyone who has been in contact with an at-risk person in the last 14 days.
• All members of the congregation will wear masks and are required to bring their own masks and hand sanitizer.
• A foot operated hand wash basin is installed at the entrance to the car park.
• Temperature checks will be completed on all people entering the church any person with a temperature of over 37.3 Celsius will not be permitted to enter the church.
• Please enter the church by the front door, unless you have a disability in which case use the disabled access but please leave by the side doors.
• Offering – The offering bowls with covers will be available as you leave church at one of these exits.
• Social distancing measures will be enforced.
• Cleaning will be scheduled throughout the church in between services.
• Any cases of COVID-19 (or close contact with an infected person) will be promptly reported to the Medical authorities.

General Setup
The church has been deep cleaned. The congregation should sit with no more than 2 persons per pew and 2 metres apart (members of the same household can sit beside each other).

Cleaning
The church will be fully cleaned before each service.

Arrival
All members of congregation to wash hands before entering the church building through the main door. Temperature will be checked and recorded on entry into church.

During the service

• Order of service to be on the screen. No bibles will be handed out.

• Handshakes/Hugs to be replaced by bringing the hands together.

• The offerings to be placed in the regular offering bowls at the end of the service which will be placed on your way out from church at the side exits. We must enter by the main door and leave by one of the side doors.
• Communion our arrangements are currently under review.

End of the service
Please leave by one of the side doors and not the main door through which you entered the church building. We ask you to please leave the church premises reasonably promptly after the service is completed as the building needs to be sanitised before the Korean Church members enter. Sadly, we cannot serve refreshments for the foreseeable future and ask that all conversations are enjoyed while members keep a 2 metre rule between them.