Coronavirus: Advice and Information for Churches

The Regional Team are seeking to support churches and ministers in webnet in practical ways and through prayer as we face these challenging times together.

We strongly urge everyone to monitor the advice from the Government regarding coronavirus. 

From Thursday 5 November until Wednesday 2 December, the Government is taking the following action to help control the spread of the Coronavirus:

1. Requiring people to stay at home, except for specific purposes
2. Preventing gathering with people you do not live with, except for specific purposes
3. Closing certain businesses and venues

You can find the information available on the Gov.uk website.

WEDDINGS, CIVIL PARTNERSHIPS, RELIGIOUS SERVICES AND FUNERALS

Funerals can be attended by a maximum of 30 people, and it is advised that only close friends and family attend. Linked ceremonial events such as stone settings and ash scatterings can also continue with up to 15 people in attendance. Anyone working is not included. Social distancing should be maintained between people who do not live together or share a support bubble.

Weddings, civil partnership ceremonies will not be permitted to take place except in exceptional circumstances.

Places of Worship will be closed, unless they are being used for:

• Funerals
• To broadcast acts of worship
• Individual prayer
• Formal childcare or where part of a school
• Essential voluntary and public services, such as blood donation or food banks
• Other exempted activities such as some support groups

You’ll find lots of information and guidance about the implications of this on the Baptists Together Essential Guidance page in the coming days.

We will continue to provide updates as more specific information is given.

REGIONAL TEAM SUPPORT 

We want to support ministers and churches as well as possible during these uncertain times. We intend to keep in regular contact directly, through electronic communications and social media. Please get in touch if we can be of help.

Contact Information 

webnet office:  0117 9658828 office@webnetwork.org.uk 

Regional Ministers: 

Nigel Coles  nigel.coles@webnetwork.org.uk

Alisdair Longwill  alisdair.longwill@webnetwork.org.uk

Lindsay Caplen  lindsay.caplen@webnetwork.org.uk

Gary Woodall  gary.woodall@webnetwork.org.uk

WEBNET EVENTS AND MEETINGS

WEBNET meetings and events will take place via Zoom, Skype etc. If you’ve booked into an event, we will let you know what’s happening.

If you have a pastoral meeting scheduled with a member of our regional team, we will endeavour to hold this via phone or Zoom, Skype etc.

RESOURCES FOR CHURCHES 

Please head over to our dedicated page GATHERED.SCATTERED.DEVOTED for ideas and resources at this time.

SHARING IDEAS AND RESOURCES

It would be great to continue to share resources and stories during this time. We have a page for this which you can see here. If there is a way you are responding that might inform and inspire others, please let us know so that we can share it. We encourage you to use our Facebook page for this purpose too.

Please do contact any member of the regional team if you feel we could be of support in any way and be assured that we will be praying for you and for your communities. 

Updated 02/11/2020