Visting Great St Mary's

Visiting

We are pleased to be reopening our church doors on 15 June and look forward to welcoming you to visit for contemplation and quiet prayer. 

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Great St Mary’s will currently be open Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, from 12 noon to 4pm. Please use the south doors, opposite Ryder & Aimes.

Our neighbours at St Bene’t’s will be open the same hours on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. On Sundays please join us online for worship, at 9.30am on Facebook, Twitter Periscope, and YouTube.

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Please note that all public services and events cannot take place at this time; however, we will still be streaming daily prayers and Sunday worship each week to share on our digital channels, some of which will be pre-recorded in the church outside of opening hours. Please also note that the church bells will remain silent, as it is not possible for these to be rung and to comply with social distancing. The tower, shop, and Michaelhouse will all remain closed at this time. 

Safety

The protection of our visitors, staff, and volunteers is our paramount concern. To uphold all the safety measures required to enable reopening, some significant changes have been introduced, which you can read about below. 
We ask anyone who has symptoms associated with Covid-19 or has been around someone who has symptoms associated with Covid-19 not to visit the church until fully recovered and to have observed the appropriate government-mandeted isolation period.

What to Expect

CURRENT OPENING TIMES

The revised opening times are 12 noon–4pm Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Only the Nave and south aisle will be accessible. Our neighbours at St Bene’t’s will be open the same hours on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. On Sundays please join us online for worship, at 9.30am on Facebook, Twitter Periscope, and YouTube.

ENTRY AND EXIT

Entry and exit from the church will be limited to South doors on St Mary’s Passage (opposite Ryder & Amies and The Senate Bar). All other entrances will remain closed (emergency exits remain available).  

WELCOME STEWARDS

There will be a steward to welcome you upon arrival and provide you with guidance on your visit to Great St Mary’s. Stewards will also be located at key points around the church. All will be observing strict social distancing and may be wearing facemasks.

VISITING NUMBERS

In order to ensure safe distancing is observed only a few people will be allowed in the church at any one time, and we will not be able to accommodate groups. 

ONE-WAY SYSTEM

There will be a marked one-way system around the church. Please be advised that only the nave area will be open – no access to any other area of the church is currently permitted, and the Tower and Shop are presently closed. 

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SOCIAL DISTANCING

Only some pews will be open, and we ask that you keep a space of 2m apart from other visitors when moving around the church at all times.

CLERGY

A member of the clergy will be often available on site during opening hours. Should you wish to speak to the clergy member, please let one of the stewards know and they will provide further instruction. 

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PRICKET STANDS AND PRAYER REQUESTS

Pricket stands will be staffed by a volunteer who will facilitate candle lighting. Prayer requests may also be shared with the steward or, to be passed along to our clergy team. You may also post a prayer on our ‘Share a Prayer’ website

TOILETS

We apologise but due to current advice around the potential risk of transmission of Covid-19, the church toilets will be closed for safety reasons and will not be accessible.

CLEANING

The church will be undertaking a strict cleaning regime.

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LEAFLETS AND INFORMATION

Please note that all literature has currently been moved from the church but relevant information will be available on the notice boards located near the entrance.

DONATIONS

The economic impact of this crisis will be long-lasting for everyone including Great St Mary's.  We are doing everything we can to open the church as safely as possible and continue to support our community.  We are a self-funded organisation and any donations will be gratefully received.  We would recommend that you use the contactless donation station near the entrance.

STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS

Our staff and volunteer welfare are extremely important to us and we are working to detailed policies and guidelines across the church floor and offices to ensure safety for social distance and providing extra support. Staff are working from home where possible and working patterns have been adjusted to ensure the team remains as protected as possible.

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Stay up to Date

You will always find the latest updates and news on the church website and social media channels. You can also sign-up to receive our weekly eMag by email at this link.

For those of you planning to visit us, thank you in advance for helping us to uphold the measures in place and we look forward to once again welcoming you. God be with you and enjoy this sacred space.

Supporting Great St Mary's

Our team is working hard to reopen for prayer and contemplation and to provide pastoral, spiritual and practical support to our communities.We are a self-funded organisation and do not receive government funding. Great St Mary's relies on public donations to continue our life and work. To shield itself as much as possible from the negative financial impact of the crisis, the church team is finding solutions to help protect it in the long-term, such as working with various existing and emergency grant-making bodies. We would be grateful for any donation either during your visit or online via our donation page.  Thank you.