Our approach during the pandemic
Our 'COVID working group' meets periodically to consider our response. It includes a Trustee and staff with responsibility for events, communication, risk management and safeguarding, from OCC and Lifehouse churches. It considers:
- Guidance and legal requirements including for places of worship, out-of-school-settings (children) and National Youth Agency
- Other advice, including Evangelical Alliance and John Stevens (both representing evangelical churches with government) and a Public Health Consultant in our church
- Local COVID-19 data: gov.uk (city/county), oxfordshire.gov.uk, hospitals, universities
- Safeguarding requirements, where applicable
We have followed government advice closely. With the removal of many COVID-19 guidelines and laws, much more is being left to our judgement as an organisation, so please do pray for wisdom and grace as we navigate this moment together.
There are 3 key principles guiding our approach:
- Love your neighbour. As Steve Jones said, there are a whole range of feelings around! Some are eager to get back to life as usual. Some are extremely nervous. Some have become comfortable watching church from home. Let's love and show kindness to each other, as we listen to one another, and show care and concern for the pressures that others are feeling. Let's love our neighbour, and look not only to our own interests!
- Church is good for people. The impact of loneliness, anxiety and damage to mental health people face in this pandemic is significant, and the government has seen that churches are good for people's wellbeing, as well as providers of charitable service to the wider community. For more on this, see our blog here.
- Everyone is facing different challenges. Of course, even if we decide to run an activity, every person is in a different situation and should consider the needs of their household when deciding how to participate.
More specifically, in judging risk and our response, we are seeking to consider:
- Who: number of people? a known group or public event? are they at risk? do they present a risk to others? what concerns do they have?
- What: what are we doing together? singing? physical activities in confined space?
- Where: what size is the room, compared the number of people expected? how well ventilated?
- Moment: what us going on with COVID-19 in the nation, our region or city? what government guidelines are in place?
Vaccines
We are encouraged by the progress of the UK vaccination programme, and also are aware of some concerns about safety and ethics as well as much disinformation being spread through social media. For more understanding of the various issues, try reading:
- Short summary from Dr Rick Thomas (Pastor and medical doctor, now working for Christian Medical Fellowship as policy researcher) - attached below
- Video interview with Dr Rick Thomas (as above) and Mike Beaumont (author and theologian)
- Blog exploring the different concerns, including the pro-life issues (John Stevens, Affinity)