Sundays

Due to the restrictions outlined by the Government, our Sunday services will be broadcast live on YouTube and Facebook, every Sunday at 11am.

We will continue to make plans to welcome a congregation back to The Oakwood Centre as soon as we are able to safely do so.

Our Plans

We are working on 4 phases of developing our Sunday gatherings, and are committed to making it safe and secure for as many people as possible to attend each week. Once each phase is successful we will continue to the next phase.

August

Planning

Understanding government guidance, creating risk assessments and a safe environment for Sunday gatherings

August

September

Pilot

Initial Sunday gatherings, limited to the Auditorium, with a steady increase in the number of people attending

September

October/November

Adding Elements

Developing provision for Children and Youth. Considering safe practice for baptism and communion

October/November

Late Autumn

Multiple Services

Consideration and development of multiple services to increase weekly attendance

Late Autumn

What to expect

Our services will have many of the familiar elements – worship, prayer and preaching etc – but they will look quite different to our services pre-lockdown.

Arrival

Those attending will need to arrive between 10:05-10:20 in order to get everyone safely into their seats before 10:30am. Face masks must be worn at all times.

Everyone arriving will go through the following process:

Show Ticket

Everyone attending will need to have pre-booked via our Churchsuite database.

Check Temperature

Using infrared thermometers we will check to ensure that no-one has a high temperature.

Sanitize Hands

Hand sanitizer will be available in the foyer and throughout all accessible areas of the building.

Find a Seat

Stewards will help direct you to seats so that households can sit together, socially distanced from others.

During the service

During the service, you need to remain seated or standing by your chair, unless you need to use the toilets. Services will be approximately one hour long.

Government guidance means that we are not allowed to sing together, but the band will lead worship from the stage.

Children’s groups will be running from October 18th with capacity for every child to attend a group once each month. Full information about these groups is available here.

After the service

After the service, please leave the building promptly and do not hang around for a chat, even in the car park! We will not be able to serve any refreshments.

Book your seat!

We are sorry but we are not able to offer tickets to attend our congregation at this time.

Note: If you are on a service team (eg in the worship band, tech team, stewarding, leading or preaching) a ticket will be reserved for you as part of our rota management.

Illuminate – Provision for our children

We continue to be able to provide resources for use both at home and for when we are once again meeting at the Oakwood Centre. You can find these resources here or by joining our Illuminate Facebook group where we will be encouraging parents to connect their families with the rest of our TVC Church young families while we are all at home.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will I be safe attending services?

We have taken time to study the government guidelines, as well as learning best practice from the Evangelical Alliance and other churches. With the involvement of healthcare professionals, we have developed comprehensive procedures to ensure our services at the Oakwood Centre will be as safe as possible.

I am considered vulnerable. Should I attend?

In line with government guidance, we advise anyone who is vulnerable to Covid-19 to consider staying away from our services. You can still join us online.

What if I have symptoms?

Anyone showing symptoms of COVID-19 (a new continuous cough, a high temperature or a loss of, or change in, their normal sense of taste or smell) or who has be asked to self-isolate (due to being a contact of a case, because of their recent travel history, or at the request of a medical professional for any other reason) should not attend the Oakwood Centre due to the risk that they pose to others; they should self-isolate at home immediately with other members of their household.

Can we sing?

Unfortunately there will be no congregational singing for now, because of the high risk of ‘aerosol transmission’. Apparently, masks don’t help with that either. We are only allowed a small group of singers on the stage, leading everyone else.

What about Children and Youth?

Children’s groups are back twice each month. They are welcome to other attend services, however they will need to be able to remain in their seats during the whole service. If this presents a challenge, we recommend them remaining at home with a parent.
Children under 12 will not be required to wear a face mask.

Can I choose where I sit?

Everyone will be seated in household/’support bubble’ groups, with spacing between each group. You will be able to choose where you sit within the auditorium. Stewards will be be available to assist you in finding seats.

If a service is not fully booked, can I attend more than one?

If a service is not fully booked by the Friday before we will open booking to everyone. This will be done through the Newsline email.

Will there be refreshments?

Government guidance does not permit us to serve refreshments before or after the service.

Will services still be online?

Yes. Services will continue to be broadcast via our Facebook page and our YouTube channel.

What about the toilets?

The toilets will be open and available! They will be thoroughly cleaned before and after each service.

What if I need to cancel my ticket?

We understand that there are many reasons why you may need to cancel your ticket at short notice. Please email bookings@tvcchurch.org.uk as soon as you know that you will not be able to attend the service. We will then be able to make your space available for somebody else to attend. Ticketing closes at 8am each Sunday.