Further Pastoral Guidance from the Bench of Bishops

 

Effective until further notice

 

 

We know that our churches have always been places of sanctuary, peace and wellbeing. However, it is now clear that health and healing are best served by church buildings being closed. All church buildings should therefore be closed until further notice. This means churches should not be open for solitary prayer. Any exception from this action (other than as noted below) should only take place with the diocesan bishop’s express permission.

 

Where worship is to be broadcast or recorded, it is preferable to do so from home. Clergy who live immediately adjacent to churches may do so from the church, but the doors should be locked and others should not be invited to be present.

 

An exception may be made, if necessary, to open church buildings to host existing foodbanks, soup kitchens and homeless shelters. However, these church buildings should be open for this purpose alone, and all appropriate hygiene precautions should be taken.

 

Pastoral visiting

 

Clergy and others duly licensed or commissioned should exercise their pastoral ministry from a distance, by phone and online. Pastoral visits should only be undertaken because of an extreme pastoral emergency when the presence of a priest or deacon is exceptionally required. Bishops are able to give advice on what might constitute an extreme pastoral emergency.

 

Funerals

 

No funeral services can take place in church. Graveside funerals should now be understood to be private funerals with no more than ten immediate family and friends in attendance, and with social distancing practised among mourners not of the same household. Clergy and others duly licensed may preside at funerals in crematoria, at which we expect numbers to be strictly limited by the crematoria authorities, with hygiene precautions specified by the authorities, and with social distancing practised among mourners.

 

Marriage

 

Marriages or marriage blessings can no longer take place in churches. If a couple wish to marry because of an extreme pastoral emergency, it may be possible to obtain an Archbishop of Canterbury’s Special Licence, and clergy should discuss the matter with their diocesan bishop before then contacting the Archbishop of Canterbury’s Faculty Office at [email protected]

 

Baptism

 

Baptisms can no longer take place in churches, and should only take place at home, hospital, hospice or other location in case of an extreme pastoral emergency, where baptism may be administered by a lay person. The order for emergency baptism is appended below.

 

Prayer and witness

 

The duty of the people of God to witness to Christ is not diminished at this time; neither is our obligation to pray without ceasing for our communities and all in need. We commend all that is being done in God’s service to care pastorally for our communities, and to enable worship, prayer and devotion to continue at home.

 

We continue to hold all who are anxious, all who are unwell, and all who are grieving in our prayers, asking that the presence of the risen Christ may be near to us all and give us assurance, peace and strength at this painful and anxious time.