A letter from Peter Higson, Middle Esk Moor Services,
December 2020
Dear friends
We want to share with you are plans for worship during December 2020. We have taken account of the guidance issued by the Government, the Church of England and the Diocese of York, as well as consulting clergy throughout Whitby deanery.
Our priority remains one of caution ensuring that everything we do protects our communities as much as practically possible. We need to consider the risk profile within our parishes along with the practicalities of using the church buildings in the benefice.
We are extremely grateful to Paul Wood for the considerable work he has been doing in producing on line services broadcast on our YouTube channel. These on line services will continue throughout December with a Christmas day service available from 9:00am on Christmas morning.
In addition to the service broadcast on YouTube, each Sunday in Advent we are planning to hold one service in the Benefice at 10:30am. 6th December – St Mary’s, Goathland; 13th December – St Thomas’, Glaisdale; 20th December – St Hilda’s, Egton.
Christmas celebrations will be different this year, we will not be singing carols in Church and we would strongly encourage people to celebrate Christmas in the safety of their own home. We are planning to arrange the services detailed below for those who wish to attend Church, although they remain subject to change. Social distancing will need to be maintained and mingling out of your “Christmas Bubble” will strongly discouraged. As a result, the capacity of our Church buildings will be significantly reduced. We have considered booking systems but have decided that it is not practical to implement and therefore it will be a case of closing the doors if the safe capacity is reached. St Mary’s, in particular has a very limited Covid secure capacity. As part of our risk reduction procedures we would discourage people from arriving too early, in order to limit the time inside, this may involve opening the doors possibly no more than 15 minutes before the service is due to start. This creates theological difficulties and we hope that most people will find that they can worship at home keeping us all as safe as possible.
Thursday 24th December: 8:00pm – St Mary’s, Goathland & 10:00pm – St Hilda’s, Egton. Friday 25th December: 9:00am St Matthew’s, Grosmont & 10:30am St Thomas’, Glaisdale.
St James’ Lealholm remains closed as we are unable to arrange Covid secure worship in the small building.
Sunday 27th December - we will join with national worship from the Church of England and possibly a carol service being produced for on line delivery elsewhere in the deanery.
Please keep safe and continue to consider your own and your neighbours safety.
Revd Paul Jackson Revd Peter J Higson
Vicar Deacon
We want to share with you are plans for worship during December 2020. We have taken account of the guidance issued by the Government, the Church of England and the Diocese of York, as well as consulting clergy throughout Whitby deanery.
Our priority remains one of caution ensuring that everything we do protects our communities as much as practically possible. We need to consider the risk profile within our parishes along with the practicalities of using the church buildings in the benefice.
We are extremely grateful to Paul Wood for the considerable work he has been doing in producing on line services broadcast on our YouTube channel. These on line services will continue throughout December with a Christmas day service available from 9:00am on Christmas morning.
In addition to the service broadcast on YouTube, each Sunday in Advent we are planning to hold one service in the Benefice at 10:30am. 6th December – St Mary’s, Goathland; 13th December – St Thomas’, Glaisdale; 20th December – St Hilda’s, Egton.
Christmas celebrations will be different this year, we will not be singing carols in Church and we would strongly encourage people to celebrate Christmas in the safety of their own home. We are planning to arrange the services detailed below for those who wish to attend Church, although they remain subject to change. Social distancing will need to be maintained and mingling out of your “Christmas Bubble” will strongly discouraged. As a result, the capacity of our Church buildings will be significantly reduced. We have considered booking systems but have decided that it is not practical to implement and therefore it will be a case of closing the doors if the safe capacity is reached. St Mary’s, in particular has a very limited Covid secure capacity. As part of our risk reduction procedures we would discourage people from arriving too early, in order to limit the time inside, this may involve opening the doors possibly no more than 15 minutes before the service is due to start. This creates theological difficulties and we hope that most people will find that they can worship at home keeping us all as safe as possible.
Thursday 24th December: 8:00pm – St Mary’s, Goathland & 10:00pm – St Hilda’s, Egton. Friday 25th December: 9:00am St Matthew’s, Grosmont & 10:30am St Thomas’, Glaisdale.
St James’ Lealholm remains closed as we are unable to arrange Covid secure worship in the small building.
Sunday 27th December - we will join with national worship from the Church of England and possibly a carol service being produced for on line delivery elsewhere in the deanery.
Please keep safe and continue to consider your own and your neighbours safety.
Revd Paul Jackson Revd Peter J Higson
Vicar Deacon
