We are very pleased to be able to open the parish churches in Eccleston and Charnock Richard for private prayer during the week.

From Monday 22 June, following changes in government regulations for places of worship, we are opening the church buildings in a controlled and safe manner for private prayer.  We know this will be a great help and comfort to many people who have not been in to a church building since early March and it reflects the comments we have received asking for these holy places to be open for private and personal prayer.

In order to protect your health and minimise the transmission of infection the church buildings will be open for a limited time each week.  We are offering four days of coverage across the benefice:

Monday 09:30 - 12:30  Eccleston, St Mary the Virgin

Tuesday 09:30 - 12:30 Charnock Richard, Christ Church

Thursday 09:30 - 12 :30 Eccleston, St Mary the Virgin

Friday 09:30 - 12:30 Charnock Richard, Christ Church

On entering the building, please avoid touching surfaces unnecessarily and use the gloves and hand gel provided, maintaining the 2m social distancing guidance outside your 'bubble'.

The church wardens and Fr Andrew will make decisions about how and when the church should be further opened as guidance is received from government and the Bishops.  At the moment public, congregational worship must not take place so the online services through our social media outlets will continue for the foreseeable future.

Churches can now accommodate funeral service inside the building but there should be not singing and numbers limited to the capacity determined  when social distancing is in place.  We expect further information on weddings with limited numbers being allowed to attend in the near future.

For the moment, please continue to watch us online for the Midweek and Parish Eucharist.  Our telephone offering of Dial a Sermon is continuing for those with no internet access on 01257 447380 and is updated weekly.

Please let us have any comments you wish to make and please do continue to keep safe as we pray for an end to coronavirus.