Outside of Covid times, OCC holds regular so-called Church Family Meetings (that is, meetings of the whole church family). In these, the leaders bring reports and updates, we talk and consult over various matters, and we pray together for God's guidance. These are important times in the life of the church, in which we're looking for that Acts 15 sense of "the decision seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us".

Spring 2022 saw two Church Family Meetings close together.

As you will be aware, last week the Covid rules in England changed (again). The most notable change for many of us is that the legal requirement to wear a face covering has been relaxed. The guidelines now say “consider wearing one in crowded, enclosed spaces where you may come into contact with people you do not normally meet.”

Our Covid working group (details here together with more on our approach to managing Covid-19 risks) met today 21 October. As has been our habit for 18 months now, we reviewed national and local data, and our own activities.

For now, we continue to ask for face coverings to be worn in public worship services and especially in sung worship. 

Read on if you want to know more about why have we made that decision. In coming to that decision (unanimous in the team, by the way) we've asked ourselves a bunch of questions, such as:

On Sunday 18 July 2021 I gave a verbal update, on behalf of our Covid working group, about OCC's plans for Sunday services after 'Freedom Day' Monday 19 July.

For more details on what I said, please visit www.occ.org.uk/coronavirus#services

As we all know, there are going to be further easing of lockdown on Monday 19th July and even though we know some of what will be said, we don't know the full extent of what changes there will be for churches. So, before we can respond fully, we are waiting for the government to publish advice and legislation next week.

In the meantime, Steve shares some news and thoughts about refreshments, restrictions and the word of the Lord in this next season!

This week marks the beginning of Step 3 in the English roadmap out of lockdown. There are new freedoms and opportunities. As the elders were praying earlier in the week, we thought about some of the different ways that we will all be feeling and responding as we emerge into relative freedom. 

Maybe you feel like a bear emerging from hibernation with a sore head! For you, the lockdown has left you disorientated, maybe slightly grumpy and uncertain about what the world is like now. You don't want to be awakened, and as you emerge you wonder whether anything has changed!

England is now in national lockdown. While there are difficult constraints on our social lives, schooling and work, places of worship can remain open, and people are allowed to leave home to attend.

What are we to make of this freedom to gather, while other aspects of life are severely constrained, and we are advised to 'stay at home' except for essential reasons? Is OCC right to continue with onsite services, or should we revert to online only? 

From Boxing Day 2020, Oxfordshire has been in 'Tier 4' of the England Covid regulations. Tier 4 (and all other tiers) allow places of worship to 're-open', and people are allowed to leave home to attend a place of worship.

What are we to make of this freedom to gather, while other aspects of life are severely constrained, and we are advised to 'stay at home' except for essential reasons? In other words, is OCC right to continue with in-person services, as we intend to do, or should we revert to online only?

Some of you will be interested in what has been going on behind the scenes, as Christian and other faith leaders have worked with government on the question of whether and how places of worship can re-open while the Covid-19 pandemic continues.

During 'lockdown 1' (from 23 March 2020) places of worship were required to close, until 4 July, when they were allowed to re-open as the first wave waned.