Dear Sisters and Brothers,
Following on from yesterday’s news that Brentwood and most of Essex will be placed into Tier 3 in order to help combat the Coronavirus, I have some important updates that affect our planned events from this coming weekend and the run-up to Christmas.
The first thing to say is that both churches will remain open for regular planned worship. This means that the following services are unaffected by any of the new restrictions:
Wednesday 16th December - 9.30 am Holy Communion at All Saints.
Sunday 20th December - 9.30 am Holy Communion at St Peter’s
11.15 am Holy Communion at All Saints.
Wednesday 23rd December - 9.30 am Holy Communion at All Saints.
Christmas Eve - 11.30 pm Midnight Mass at All Saints.
11.30 pm Midnight Mass at St Peter’s.
If you are coming to these services you will need to wear a face-covering and will only be able to sit with members of your immediate household or bubble. We will also ask you to sign in as you arrive. Please note that both Midnight Mass services are ticketed events and you won’t be able to attend without a prior booking. There are still some spaces remaining at the midnight service at St Peter’s. You can reserve your seat at www.huttonparish.com/book-online
If you have a booked for either of the Midnight Mass services and no longer want to attend, please call the office on 01277 262864 and let us know. We understand why some of you may not want to come along but we would like to be able to offer others the opportunity to attend if space becomes available.
The services on Christmas Day and Sunday 27th December will be streamed on our Facebook page only as previously planned.
Unfortunately, we have had to take the difficult decision to cancel both of the "Carols in the Cafe" events as well as the four planned "Christingles in the Cafe” sessions. This is because cafes cannot open under Tier 3 restrictions and we feel that attempting to reorganise them as “regular worship” services would be unethical given the current situation regarding infection rates in Brentwood.
Everyone who booked for these events will be contacted separately from this email and be offered a refund (if applicable). Please wait for those emails if that affects you.
As alternatives to these events, we will be producing a recorded Carol Service which will be streamed at 7 pm on Sunday 20th December on our Facebook page - www.facebook.com/huttonparish
We will also be offering all those who booked to come to the Christingle events a “Make Your Own Christingle Kit”. This can be collected from St Peter’s Church on Monday 21st December from 10 am. This will give families and households time together making Christingles at home with the option of joining me and the rest of the Smiths at 3 pm on Christmas Eve for a live-streamed Family Service where we can all make our Christingles together!
Those who booked in for any of the 4 Christingle services will be contacted about this separately.
In the meanwhile, please do check in with us at Morning Prayer on Facebook (Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays) and Evening Prayer on Thursday.
Thank you for your support and understanding during this difficult time. Please stay safe and look out for each other.
With every blessing,
