Worship: Return to the Building

Dear Brougham Place Community, 

May the grace and peace of God be with you all.

It has been an extraordinary year requiring flexibility, adaptability and grace from us all. This community has continued to share the love of God with one another and remained the Body of Christ, even though we have been connected in new and different ways.

As discussed at the Congregational Meeting June 21st, now that South Australia is entering into Phase 3 of the restrictions related to Covid-19, we will be returning to worship in the building this Sunday, July 19.

While this is certainly an exciting development for many in the community, it is also important to know that it is not a return to the way things were. There are several guidelines and procedures we will all need to be aware of before coming back to the building. This is additionally important as SA protects against coronavirus outbreaks, as has occurred interstate. 

The Church will be adhering to all Covid-Safe Guidelines as set out by the Government of South Australia. The most important guidelines for all people who enter the building are: 

• Practice Physical Distancing at all times. This means that we need to maintain 1.5 metres distance where possible from others. Avoid close contact with others including hugs and handshakes.
• Stay home if you are unwell. If you have flu or cold-like symptoms, seek testing and stay home.
• Maintain good hand hygiene. Wash your hands often, cover coughs and sneezes with your elbow. Regularly touched surfaces in the church building are frequently cleaned.

Room Capacity (as of 29 June)

Sanctuary	204 people
Parkin Hall	70 people
Leaver Lounge	25 people
Kindy Room	26 people
Total Building	377 max

Another important factor regarding the number of people in any room is that we should all be practicing Physical Distancing and maintaining a 1.5 metre distance from others where possible. This may mean that the actual number people is less than the capacity listed in order to maintain the 1.5 metre rule.

Arriving
When arriving at church you will be greeted at a welcome desk either at the top of the front stairs or in the sanctuary at the Stanley Street entrance. 

• Please arrive from 9:45 to enable time for these new procedures to be more easily followed.
• There is hand sanitiser available. Please make use of it as you enter.
• A record of attendance is required by law. The person staffing the welcome table will be able to register those who are on the fellowship list. All other people will need to sign in.

Order of Service
To reduce the number of items which must be handled, please bring a device (phone or tablet) to download the Order of Service. It is available online at www.bpuc.org/os. There will also be wifi available if needed to download at the church. A limited number of paper copies will be available.

Children’s Time and Sunday School
During worship, school-aged children are encouraged to take an activity pack and sit with their parents. This will enable adequate space for the younger children to use the area at the back of the sanctuary.

At the Children’s Time, the children will be encouraged to sit on markers to help maintain physical distancing.

The downstairs area will be used exclusively for Children’s Ministry. At the conclusion of worship, parents and caregivers need to collect the children from Sunday School.

Passing of the Peace
During passing of the peace, we will need to stand still and not move through the aisles. There are a number of Covid-Safe ways we will share peace with one another.

Offering
Please continue to give electronically where possible. Information about ways you can do this are available at www.bpuc.org/give  There will also be a receptacle in the Northeastern corner of the Sanctuary (near the Stanley Street entrance).

Thanksgiving Offering
This Sunday you are invited to make a special Thanksgiving Offering in gratitude for the way God has sustained this community through this time and in celebration of returning to physical community together.

Leaving
During the postlude, a steward will dismiss the congregation by rows to avoid bottlenecks in the aisles or exit. All people will need to exit through the Stanley Street entrance. Only parents and caregivers should be going to the basement to collect their children.

Due to capacity constraints and the limitations placed on places of worship with regard to food and drink, the Church Council has decided to postpone having Morning Tea at the Brougham Place building. 

Instead, for July and August, we will be sharing Morning Tea in smaller groups at cafes in the North Adelaide area. This will enable deeper friendship and reconnection with people. 

Please sign up for morning tea online – click here

Sign up sheets will also be available at the Welcome Desks on Sundays.

The BP Community has received a grant from Uniting Foundation that will facilitate us to livestream the service. This will enable us to remain connected even when we are not physically present at worship. Some of us are not able to be present in the building due to physical or geographical limitations. Some in our community are also tentative or hesitant to return to large gatherings due to individual circumstances. Still we remain the Body of Christ connected together, each important and loved. 

To livestream the service, visit the Brougham Place homepage (bpuc.org) on a Sunday morning before 10 AM and follow the links.

What if there are Covid-19 cases in SA?
The Church Council will continue to review and monitor our practices in line with the guidelines as set by the Government of South Australia.

Can I wear a mask to worship?
Yes. Masks are welcome for those who would like to wear one.

What if I’m feeling unsure about a ministry role I’ve done before?
Please don’t feel pressured. We will all need to be flexible and recognise that things may well change for people over time.

What about singing and the return of choir?
With low rates of infection in South Australia, and the importance of music, congregational singing will be included in worship. If there are cases of community transmission in SA, this decision will be reviewed. In the current circumstances, it is intended that the choir will return to singing in worship on August 9th.

What about communion?
There will be changes to communion practices. These changes will be outlined before our first communion Sunday on August 2nd.

It will be wonderful to be together on Sunday, online and in person. As we adjust to this new normal, may we be a place of grace, accepting each other and our different experiences of this time. May we patient with new processes and act out of love for one another. 

In Christ,
Jenni and John