Dear Congregation and Friends of St Mary Longcot,

Please find attached the Benefice Newsletter and associated documents for tomorrow.

St Mary, Longcot. We are holding a Benefice Holy Communion at St Mary on Sunday.  The Revd Norma will lead the service and we will be joined by the choir.  Please note the slightly later start time of 10am.  There will be refreshments afterwards.  Several members of the St Mary home team are unavailable this week, so please do come along if you are free, and help Chris Gotch with the meeting and greeting of the congregation.

COVID Arrangements. A couple of people have asked me what the COVID arrangements are in St Mary, now that England has ended many of the restrictions.  I would draw your attention to what Norma has written in the Newsletter. Perhaps some more explanation for those who wish it.  This is a period of transition as we move towards a full easing of restrictions.  Whilst wearing a face covering indoors is no longer mandatory, we would still encourage you to exercise discretion, and give others space. There is plenty of room to do this. The pews will remain as they are so they offer a degree of social distancing.  The chairs on the mezzanine will also be spaced out.  Please do not come into church if you think you may have symptoms of Covid 19. For now please continue to sign in or use the NHS QR code.  Hand sanitizer will also continue to be available.  Holy Communion will be offered in one kind only ie just the wafer.  Norma will be masked at the start and finish of the service and for the distribution of the communion wafers.  She will bring these to members of the congregation wherever they are seated, either in their pews or in the chairs on the mezzanine. And, finally, please respect the concerns of others in the congregation.

Local Villages Newsletter.  Please also find attached the February Edition of the local Villages Newsletter.

Best Wishes,

Dennis

Longcot with Fernham PCC