ST GILES FARNBOROUGH - EVENTS, NEWS AND NOTICES
Services During LockdownSt. Giles will be open for public worship whenever government and Diocesan directives allow, see Services PageA booking system has been set-up to manage the numbers able to attend each service, as well as meet the Government's track & trace requirements. Please click https.stgilesfarnborough.setmore.com/ and select the service you wish to attend. I hope you will appreciate that with limited numbers able to attend each service this will be done on a 'first come, first served basis'. Please only contact the Parish Office as a last resort if you do not have internet access and, therefore, cannot use the on-line booking system. Click Here for a step-by-step guide to booking on-line. See also Covid Safe Services In the event of more people wanting to attend the Holy Communion services than we can accommodate on a particular Sunday then we will ask people to make their Communion on the following Sunday.. Please bear with us as we continue along this new learning curve. If we are to maintain our Church as a safe place for the resumption of public worship, communication will be crucial. So do expect regular notices and updates from the Parish Office and remember you must book in for services as detailed above.  CommentsThe following comments are to be read in conjunction with the guidelines:* Holy Communion will be in one kind, bread only. * The wafers will be consecrated in a sealed container so no words are spoken over exposed elements. * People will be asked to remain in their pews and come out into the aisle after previous communicants have returned to their seats. * Holy Communion can be brought to people in the pew. * There will be is no laying on of hands for healing. * Unfortunately we will not be able to have the use of our wonderful servers and chalice assistants. * There is no permission for the singing of hymns. Organ and piano music will be available · * People are welcome to bring their own prayer books if they have one. * The peace is not allowed to be shared. * Please place your offering in bowl on entering the Church. Thank you. * You are invited to light a candle, please bring your own matches or lighter. Single matched will also be available. * People are welcome to attend the service without receiving Communion if they would prefer. * At the Open Air service Communion will be administrated in a line so that social distancing can be maintained. * Sadly, we will not be able to have our wonderful choir or our bells rung and we look forward very much to the return of these important aspects of our Church’s life. * Sidespeople/Verger/Churchwardens will be on hand to guide and assist people in safe conduct. * Refreshments will not be served. Can I emphasise that this is something of an experimental opening to help us understand the practicalities and challenges involved in the re-opening of St .Giles.  Can I also emphasise that the safety of all of us is of paramount importance. I look forward very much to seeing you again. Matthew |
Public Worship SuspendedUpdated 9th January 2021It is with sadness that I have to announce that all 'in person' worship at St Giles will be suspended throughout the month of January. This is in response to a directive from the Bishop of Rochester who has offered his support to the Mayor's request that all places of worship in London be closed during the height of this current virus surge. In the meantime we will move our services online and continue to send out services for you to use at home, via the Royal Mail or email. If you are not receiving these at present do let our parish secretary know. I am very sorry about this latest development and I look forward to a time when normal services will be resumed. In the meantime, I will continue to do all I can to sustain the worshiping life of our parish and parishioners. Matthew Hughes
Thank you to everyone who helped us to celebrate Christmas
under the most challenging of circumstances. I was
particularly grateful to Andrew and Paul Bailey who worked
so hard to facilitate our outdoor Midnight Mass. I was
delighted that over 40 people felt able to brave the
elements for what was a very atmospheric and special
service. I was relieved that despite everything we were
once again able to celebrate our Saviour's birth, both at
the midnight service and on Christmas morning itself. |
ABOUT ST. GILES CHURCH
Charity in Focus:
Film Evenings
Charity Film Evenings are suspended until further notice.Events Calendar:.
Important Note:
All Social Events are cancelled until further notice.
Carol Fryer01689 855468 / 07951 725069
carolafryer@icloud.com
Toilet Consultation
Over the past 6 months the St.Giles Churchyard and Fabric Committee have investigated extensively and exhaustively the viability of various solutions that the PCC have identified for the locating of toilets at St.Giles, the provision of meeting facilities and the future of the Centre.They have now produced a report that can be found in the AGM papers for 2020, available on the Downloads Page. A key finding in terms of a toilet being located at the Church is that there is no mains sewage south of the centre in Church Road and very low water pressure available at St.Giles. Any provision of toilets in or near St.Giles would have to involve an emptiable septic tank’ in the lower car park near the road and Garden of Remembrance.
Added to this the Covid pandemic has underlined the importance for spacious meeting rooms and the need for parish churches to develop ways of maximising their income streams to face what will undoubtedly be a more unpredictable and difficult future.
Having carefully read and considered the Churchyard and Fabric Teams report, the PCC, at its meeting on 21st September 2020, voted unanimously to focus on the re-development or rebuilding of the St.Giles Centre as the best way forward. The Centre would then be the location for the Church’s toilets, which would be accessible from the outside, even if the hall was in use.
As the Rector I am now of the firm conviction that this is the right way forward and I will focus my energies in advancing this. I appreciate that this will come as a great disappointment to many of you, but I believe that after almost a decade of debating, exploration and discussion the time has come for us to make a clear decision and take action.
No one could ever accuse successive PCCs of not having thoroughly looked at every option or discounting the various shades of opinion andinitiative.
I am grateful to the Friends and many others who have helped me and a number of PCCs to think this matter through.
Matthew Hughes, October 2020