Sunday 5 July saw a trickle of churches reopen for worship services in England whilst the rest of the UK’s Christians remained unable to gather in person.
In England, different church families came to different conclusions about what the guidance* – not law – allowed. Some decided, after speaking with church members, to select an Autumn start date. Older members of the church family, those who had been formally shielding, and others who have been identified as being more at risk, decided to stay home even if their church has opened. Many families used to having crèche or Sunday School available may not have attended as managing children who had been heavily cooped up for three months, might have proved one challenge too many.
Some churches opted for a physical gathering + online streaming combination to allow people to make their own choices about their health. Other churches continued with a ‘dial-in’ service, which has been a gift to many elderly folk and those who otherwise would have been disconnected from consistent Bible teaching.
Bring your Bible
Reopened buildings may see the return of Christians walking to church with a Bible under their arm. This is because communal Bibles cannot be used without being cleaned first and quarantined for 48 hours afterwards. Meanwhile bread and wine can only be distributed by someone wearing gloves. Tea and coffee can only be provided if a church classifies it as a ‘hospitality service’. In that case table service is allowed as long as the ‘hospitality guidance’ is observed. In light of other guidance encouraging groups not to talk inside and to ‘move on promptly’ observing the new one-way systems, many have opted not to bother.
Nevertheless, the guidance helpfully explains that more than 30 people can be present at a service (something that the secular media hasn’t reported with any clarity). The number allowed to attend depends on how many each church building can accommodate while adhering to the guidelines.
The sound of worshipping together
Voices are never to go above a normal speaking volume ‘because of the potential for increased risk of transmission from aerosol and droplets’ (Section 4, Government Guidance). This has also affected the type of instruments which are allowed to be played. Psalm 71:22 is in: I will also praise you with the harp for your faithfulness, O my God; … with the lyre, O Holy One of Israel. However, Psalm 98:6 is out: With trumpets and the sound of the horn make a joyful noise before the King, the Lord!
Churches are still welcome to use their piano or organ, but they must be cleaned after each use. The guidelines on voices may allow for everyone to read a hymn or Psalm together, but corporate singing continues to be a major casualty.
Some Christians have described the partial reuniting of the church family as truly wonderful. Others are mourning the loss of absent members. Many church families across Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are still awaiting the opportunity for a reunion that may be many months away.
New normal?
The majority of people in the UK, however, won’t be missing a church family because they’ve never been part of one. After an initial flurry of concern for where they would spend eternity, the nation has seemingly adjusted to living with the virus, embracing a new normal and broadly settling back into a more cautious version of the life they previously lived.
The fear of death made the public take steps to battle an invisible virus. How the church will continue to prompt the public to take seriously the need to battle the invisible virus of sin, is as pressing a question as ever.
