Addendum to Return to Masses, please click here
Please watch our new video which explains the guidelines in place for your health and safety on returning to mass and receiving the Eucharist at St James The Great Church in Petts Wood.
YOU CAN NOW ATTEND MASS AT ST JAMES AT THE WEEKEND COMMENCING 25-26TH JULY.
This is in addition to the weekday Masses held on Tuesdays/Wednesdays/Thursdays and in order to be able to attend one of the weekend masses, you must contact the Parish Office by email BEFORE Thursday lunchtime to register, as places are very limited.
With the introduction of the additional weekend masses, the timings of the masses are now as follows:-
Tuesdays 10AM
Wednesdays 10AM
Thursdays 10AM
Saturdays 6PM
Sundays 11AM
All our masses will continue to be live streamed.
Please watch our new video which explains the guidelines in place for your health and safety on returning to Mass and receiving the Eucharist at St James the Great Church in Petts Wood.
Below you will also find a transcript of the guidelines in written form
Hello. After many months of lockdown, we are very excited to be welcoming parishioners back for masses at St James. As you will appreciate, in order to keep everyone safe and healthy, mass will be a little different during this second period of re-gathering, so please abide by the following procedures.
Parishioners can now attend mass on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays at 10AM. You will need to reserve your place in advance through our Parish office.
All our masses will continue to be live streamed, but parishioners will not be shown on camera. Sunday masses remain suspended at this time.
It is very important that you do not come to church if you or anyone in your family are sick. If you have a fever or cough please stay at home. If you are elderly or vulnerable to Covid19, or live with someone who is, please stay at home.
Before leaving home please make sure that you wash your hands for at least 20 seconds. We also ask you to bring along your own face mask or covering and wear it at all times while in church or on church property.
Parishioners will be entering St James the Great church through the main Lakeswood Road entrance door. Please observe 2 metre social distancing at all times.
The church doors will open 15 minutes before the service begins and we ask that you arrive early to allow time to be seated. Please use the hand sanitiser provided.
Our toilets will remain locked during masses and will only be opened by an usher under exceptional circumstances. Offerings can be placed in the offertory baskets near the entrance and exit doors, or please use our standing order facility.
One of our ushers will greet you and take you to your seat. If you would like a candle to be lit, they will happily light one for you.
All our Pews have been set out in accordance with social distancing. Please do not swap seats or move the pews during the service. Families of 5 or more may be asked to sit in separate rows.
There will be no hymns in church, but taped music will be played to enhance your prayers.
Please refrain from shaking hands when you participate in the sign of peace and do not hold hands during the Lord’s Prayer.
RECEIVING COMMUNION
For those parishioners wishing to receive communion, this will be given in the usual way but with a few important differences…
After Father David says ‘ The Body of Christ’ and you reply ‘Amen’ , please wait for an usher to invite you up, one section at a time, to receive the eucharist.
As you approach, please hold out your hands to receive the host.
Once Father David or the Eucharistic Minister has passed you the host , step to one side, pull down your mask and place the host in your mouth.
After replacing your mask, please return directly to your seat for private prayer.
After the final blessing, parishioners are asked to remain in their seats where you will be dismissed by an usher one section at a time, unless you wish to remain for the Adoration on Wednesdays at 11AM.
On leaving the church, we ask you to proceed directly home or to your vehicle and continue to respect social distancing.
Father David will not be able to shake hands or chat with you, but he will be happy to see you and will wave hello. Thank you, in advance, for following these recommended guidelines which are there to keep you all safe and well. We are so very excited to welcome you back at St James for Mass now. So peace be with you and I look forward to seeing you all in church very soon at one of our upcoming masses. God bless you all!