Hawkhurst Baptist Church
Coronavirus Response Strategy
The coronavirus has brought with it many challenges and this has meant that all recent services at HBC have had to take place online. On Sunday 6th September 2020 we will be meeting for our first service in our Church building for nearly 6 months. Whilst we celebrate the opportunity to meet together again, we must remember that there will be a number of safety measures to observe.
Below is an explanation of what we are doing at HBC to ensure that our time together is as safe as possible and what will be required of all those who attend the service.
Please ensure that you read through this document before coming to the service.
Although restricted, we pray that you will be blessed by the time you spend with us.
What we are doing to keep you safe
Services will be shorter than usual to minimise time spent in the building together.
We will have a one-way system in operation for those entering and exiting the Church.
Ventilation will be maintained at all times by keeping windows and doors open.
Door handles, rails and chairs will be wiped with antibacterial wipes before the meeting. After the meeting the chairs, door handles and any surfaces used will also be wiped with antibacterial wipes.
In the foyer between the side door and the hall, door handles and surfaces will be washed with soapy water and then sprayed with disinfectant.
The floor of the hall and toilet will be washed with disinfectant.
The toilet and surfaces, including wash basins will be washed with soapy water and disinfectant.
We will be using separate colour coded mops for each area to be cleaned, with disposable mop heads.
All cleaning equipment will be safely disposed of after use.
What we ask you to do on the day
Arriving at the Church
PLEASE DO NOT COME TO THE SERVICE IF YOU ARE CURRENTLY EXPERIENCING CORONAVIRUS SYMPTOMS.
Please turn up in good time to be seated by 10:30am.
The service will take place in the Church Hall.
Please wear a mask throughout your time in the building. We cannot admit you into the building without a mask unless you have a Doctor’s note to prove that you are exempt from wearing one.
Entrance will be via the side door and once the service is over, we will ask you to leave by the fire doors in the hall. This will enable a one-way system.
If mobility difficulties mean that entrance through the side door is difficult for you, then you will be allowed to enter through the fire doors at the back of the hall.
On entrance, your contact details will be taken down in order to notify the Government’s Track and Trace system should it prove necessary. Your contact details will be kept for 21 days after the service.
On entrance you will also be asked to confirm that you have not recently suffered from any coronavirus symptoms.
Hand sanitiser stations will be just inside the entrance door, with a poster which gives instructions on use. There will be another hand sanitiser station which we will ask you to use as you exit the building.
We ask you to please bring your own Bibles and bottles of water as neither will be available from the Church.
The kitchen should not be used.
Social Distancing
We ask you to maintain social distancing of 2-metres with all those outside of your household, both inside and outside the building.
We also ask that you do not gather in close groups with those from outside of your household, either inside or outside the building.
Chairs will be set out in household groups where possible with a 2-metre distance between households.
Please do not move any of the chairs from where you find them on arrival.
If possible, please let us know of your intention to attend the service before the day. This will help us to set out the chairs most effectively. You can do this by using our contact form on the website.
Toilet Facilities
We encourage you not to use the toilet at the Church but if toilet use was necessary, only the disabled toilet will be available for use, with antibacterial wipes for the user to wipe any surfaces they have touched.
Other
You will be given further instructions by the service leader on the day. In particular, you will be asked not to sing, as this increases the transmission risk of the virus.
Monday August 31st 2020