Notices & Information
The following is published in the 'Notices & Information' section of our Web Site for those Church goers and others who may not have the opportunity to read the posters on the Church Notice Board. 

Pagham United Reformed Church

A MESSAGE FROM ‘REVEREND HELEN’

You are invited to visit the ‘Our Minister’ section of our Church Web Site to read a timely and meaningful message from Helen that sums up the current situation relative to her time with us. She has very thoughtfully articulated the effects that the Covid 19 pandemic has had on her ministry here at Pagham before she has had a proper opportunity to meet and get to know all the members of her congregation. Her reflective and visionary piece will resonate with us all as we continue to deal with  the lockdown restrictions which hopefully will be relaxed later this year as predicted in the Government's roadmap.      

Church activities suspended at present owing to the
​Coronavirus Pandemic

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IMPORTANT NOTICE

         How coronavirus is spread:
Because it's a new illness, we do not know exactly how coronavirus spreads from person to person. Similar viruses are spread in cough droplets. 
Do: 
wash your hands with soap and water often;
do this for at least 20 seconds;
always wash your hands when you get home or into work; 
use hand sanitiser gel if soap and water are not available;
cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when you cough or sneeze;
put used tissues in the bin immediately and wash your hands afterwards;
try to avoid close contact with people who are unwell;
Don't:
do not touch your eyes, nose or mouth if your hands are not clean.

STAY SAFE

Watch the news and updates from our Government and NHS on how to avoid catching or spreading coronavirus

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Pagham United Reformed Church

NOT VERY

Owing to the Coronavirus, and the Government’s new ‘LOCKDOWN’ rules, Sunday morning worship at this Church has been suspended until further notice. You can of course join our ‘on line’ worship at Christ Church, our sister Church, with whom we share our Minister, the Reverend Helen Higgin-Botham.
Our Church Secretary sends the Christ Church and Pagham news and the link to the ‘on line’ service in advance to those of you who are on her ‘on line’ distribution list, and hopefully you will be able to take part. 
​
We will of course resume normal ​Sunday Morning Worship at Pagham as soon as restrictions are relaxed.
The following rules will then once again apply when we reopen and they will be updated to suit any new requirements imposed by the government

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1  Observe the one way system which goes into Church through the main door and exits via the fire exit.
 
2   Ensure that you have been recorded as present on the Church register by the duty door steward.
 
3   Do not linger to chat in the vestibule or at the back of the Church.
 
4   Use the hand sanitizers at the entrance and exit doors.
 
5   Place your offertory (cash or envelopes) in the cloth bag at the Church door.
 
6   Try to sit in the same place each week. Pairs of chairs have been placed where couples usually sit.
 
7   If you may require a drink of water during the service please bring it with you.
 
8   Where we can, doors have been wedged open to avoid too many people touching them. Do not remove the wedges.
 
9   Outer doors of toilets will be open and hand sanitizers, soap and paper towels will be provided. Please use all of these and dispose of the towels in the bin provided. Try to have only one person in the toilets at a time. The toilets will have signs to show when they are occupied or free.

10     We will not be using the kitchens or supplying any refreshments at present.
 
11     Entrance to the vestry will be strictly limited to the Minister, Treasurer and serving Elder for that day.
 
12     We cannot sing in Church at present but we hope to have some music in worship using our Hymnal 400 machine.
 
13     If you are asked to read a lesson please bring your own Bible.
 
14     On Communion Sundays (4th Sundays) please bring your own bread and wine/juice. We can then have a general blessing of these items and all partake together as usual.
 
15     The Church Cleaner will thoroughly clean the premises and wipe down all the chairs each week.

These rules will be regularly reviewed
in line with Government guidance

GOD BLESS YOU ALL

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Please let anyone you know, and who may be intending to come to our Sunday services, of the situation        

Our thoughts and prayers are with you all at this difficult time.

UK Coronavirus 'Lockdown'

​       Coronavirus (COVID-19) 
                what you need to do:
​First of all:- Enjoy your home comforts and adust to a new way of life. And remember  to:  

as often as possible.

There is no need for articulated speech or vocal sounds to pray. Silent prayer is often the most appropriate way of communicating with God.

REMEMBER

If you go out, stay 2 metres (6ft plus) away from other people at all times.
This guidance relaxed to '1 Metre - plus' on 4th July 2020 in certain circumstances but the ideal distance remains 2 meters (6 feet plus). 
The prime minister hopes to be able to lift the majority of rules by 21 June, but this is dependent on cases, deaths and hospital admissions continuing to fall so the dates are the earliest any of the stated rules could be lifted. There will be no regional tier systems - England will be treated as one in the easing of lockdown

​Wash your hands as soon as you get home 
You can spread the virus even if you don’t have symptoms.  

The advice for everyone is to follow Government and NHS.UK guidance

The most common symptoms of COVID-19 are recent onset of a new continuous cough or a high temperature or a loss of, or change in, normal sense of taste or smell (anosmia).

1. If you develop these symptoms, however mild, or you have received a positive coronavirus (COVID-19) test result, then you should immediately self-isolate stay at home for at least 10 days from when your symptoms started. If you live with others, all other household members who remain well must stay at home and not leave the house for 14 days. See the Government 'stay at home 'guidance' for further information.
2. You do not need to call NHS 111 to go into self-isolation. If you feel you cannot cope with your symptoms at home, or your condition gets worse, or your symptoms do not get better after 10 days, then use the NHS 111 online service. If you have do not have internet access, you should call NHS 111. For a medical emergency dial 999
3. If you have any symptoms of COVID-19, you should arrange a test by visiting NHS.UK, or contact 119 via telephone if you do not have internet access.
4. Wash your hands more often than usual, for 20 seconds using soap and water or hand sanitiser, particularly after coughing, sneezing and blowing your nose, before you eat or handle food, or when you get to work or arrive home
5. Cover your mouth and nose with disposable tissues when you cough or sneeze. If you do not have a tissue, sneeze into the crook of your elbow, not into your hand. Dispose of tissues into a disposable rubbish bag and immediately wash your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds or use hand sanitiser.
6. You must wear a face covering by law in shops and other places when you visit them to make purchases unless you have a face covering exemption because of your age, health or another condition. You are also strongly encouraged to wear a face covering in other enclosed public spaces where social distancing may be difficult and where you come into contact with people you do not normally meet. Social distancing, hand washing and covering coughs and sneezes, remain the most important measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Face coverings do not replace these.  
7. Clean and disinfect regularly touched objects and surfaces using your regular cleaning products to reduce the risk of passing the infection on to other people.

At the current time and based on our understanding of what is known so far, COVID-19 can make anyone seriously ill, but for some people the risk is higher. You can find more information on higher risk groups on NHS.UK. As more information emerges, recommendations may change so keep up to date with all government and NHS announcements.
    LATEST LOCKDOWN RESTRICTIONS
The government roadmap says “decisions on easing restrictions will be led by data rather than dates”, with at least five weeks between each of the four steps.
Before each step, the Government will review data assessing the impact of the previous step against four tests.
These tests are:

1. The vaccine deployment programme continues successfully
2. Evidence shows vaccines are sufficiently effective in reducing hospitalisations and deaths in those vaccinated
3. Infection rates do not risk a surge in hospitalisations which would put unsustainable pressure on the NHS
4. Government assessment of the risks is not fundamentally changed by new variants of concern

        Here is how the roadmap              will work, step by step.

Step one – beginning 8 March
Schools and colleges will reopen for all pupils on Monday 8 March.
The “stay at home” message will remain in place, but you will be allowed to meet one person from another household outdoors, maintaining social distancing.
Rules for funerals will not change – they will still be limited to 30 people, with a maximum of six at wakes. Weddings can resume, also with a maximum of six guests, and will no longer be limited to people in “exceptional circumstances”.
Schools will welcome back all pupils from 8 March (Photo: PA)
From 29 March, the Rule of Six will return outdoors. Groups of larger than six from a maximum of two households will also be allowed to meet.
Outdoor sport and leisure facilities, such as golf courses and tennis courts, will be allowed to reopen, and organised outdoor sport can resume for children and adults.
Outdoor parent and child groups will be allowed, with up to 15 parents.
However people will still be told to minimise travel, and there will be no holidays permitted.

Step two – beginning no earlier than 12 April
Step two of the roadmap will see the return of:

• All retail
• Pubs, restaurants and cafes – with outdoor seating only
• Gyms and other indoor leisure (limited to household groups)
• Hairdressers and other personal care businesses
• Domestic holidays (limited to household groups)
• Outdoor attractions like zoos and theme parks
• Weddings and wakes with up to 15 people
• Libraries and community centres
• All children’s activities, including indoor parent and children groups with up to 15 parents
• Tests for larger events

The Rule of Six will remain in place outdoors, with mixing still banned indoors.
People will still be told to minimise travel, and international holidays will still be off limits.
Step three – beginning no earlier than 17 May
Under step three, groups of up to 30 will be allowed outdoors, and the Rule of Six will be in place indoors, subject to review.

Step three will also see the return of:

• Indoor seating in pubs and restaurants
• Indoor entertainment venues like cinemas and theatres
• Domestic overnight stays
• Organised indoor adult sport
• Weddings and other “significant life events” with 30 people
• Remaining outdoor entertainment, such as performances
• Remaining accommodation

Pubs could be allowed to start serving outdoors from mid-April (Photo: Getty)
Some large events will also be allowed to resume. Indoor events will have a capacity of 1,000, or 50 per cent, whichever is smaller.
Outdoor events will be capped at 4,000, and outdoor seated events – such as football matches – at 10,000.
International travel will also be allowed again, subject to review.

Step four – beginning no earlier than 21 June
Step four will see the final restrictions lifted, meaning no legal limits on social contact.
Larger events will be allowed to return in full, and nightclubs can reopen.
However, the roadmap states: “Some measures may be required even after all adults have been offered a vaccine, because neither coverage nor effectiveness of the vaccine will be 100 per cent.”

​COVID-19 updates and information in British Sign Language can be accessed on SignHealth’s website.

BUT WE MUST ABIDE BY THE RULES OF SOCIAL DISTANCING and the 'lockdown' restrictions so please keep up to date with the rules as they change, often at short notice