To follow our latest Sunday service go to the "Church at Home" page at

http://www.mpcbelfast.org.uk/church-at-home/ 

to join with many of the congregation on WhatsApp watch at 11.30 on Sunday.

Anyone in need of pastoral care should contact their elder or Rev Johnston Lambe. (Phone number at bottom of page)

Dear Friends.

The Kirk Session have been reviewing the current guidelines and advice for the reopening Church buildings for worship. Following this review we are now in a position to recommence morning worship on Sunday the 6^th September 2020 at 11.30am. D.V., and if the advice from government does not change.

To help us all understand the changes necessary for this to happen, I attach a copy of our guidelines for attending church services. As you can imagine it will be a very different atmosphere and form of service than what we have experienced in the past.

The Kirk Session want to stress that no one should feel under any pressure to return at this time, and indeed several members of Kirk Session have indicated that they will not be joining us physically for some time. So please only return to church if you are well and feel safe to do so. In this regard NHS guidelines indicate that people who are seventy or older or have a pre-existing medical condition are at moderate risk.

There will be no Children’s Church or Bible Class, until possibly the beginning of October but all children are welcome to the morning service.

We will continue to record the morning services midweek along with attendant music and this will be available on the various platforms at the same time of the morning service in the church.

It is hoped as early as possible to have the morning service live streamed from the church, we will keep you up to date on this development.

We trust that the plans we have put in place will enable us to reconnect and enjoy fellowship which is a very distinctive part of the life of Mountpottinger.

To help steward for Sunday the 6^th September we would ask you to indicate if you plan to join us by contacting me either by text or telephone on or before Friday 4^th September.  My number is 07931894553.

I encourage you to please read the guidance for returning, and we look forward to welcoming you back to church.

Every Blessing

Gordon

Session Clerk

Guidance for attending Church services

The Church Building will be open to welcome all who wish to attend from 11am on a Sunday Morning.

Ground Floor – this is designated for those who have reduced mobility

          Entrance to the ground floor will only be via the Calvin Street door. Please observe the social distancing            markers at all times

          Please bring a mask with you as everyone over the age of 12 will be asked on entry to wear it and to use             the hand sanitiser, before being directed to your seat by a steward.

          All seating has been arranged to meet the socially distancing regulations, and all seats will be                  filled from the back of the church forward, filling the Upper Frank Street sections first.

          We ask you to co-operate fully with the stewards, as many of us will not be sitting in our usual                         positions.

          Please don't move around the church as tempting as it might be.

Gallery – this is designated for families and those with better mobility to climb stairs

          Entrance to the Gallery seating will only be via the two entrance hall side doors on Castlereagh Street.                 Please observe the social distancing markers at all time

          Please bring a mask with you as everyone over the age of 12 will be asked on entry to wear it and to use             the hand sanitiser, before being directed to your seat by a steward.

          All seating has been arranged to meet the socially distancing regulations, and all seats will be                   filled from the front of the church backwards, on both sides of the gallery.

          Please don't move around the church as tempting as it might be.

          We ask you to co-operate fully with the stewards at all times.

Track and Trace

Please complete the track and trace form which is at the end of each pew along with a pen. We require your name and contact number. This method of recording may change but for the present please follow the guidance.

On leaving the church

Directions will be given from the minister or steward from the pulpit, and we will be leaving row by row to maintain social distancing and please do not congregate around the entrance and allow people to leave with ease.

Gallery - will leave via the entrance you came in.

Main Floor

Upper Frank Street Side via the exit on the Minister’s Room side of the building into Calvin Street.

McKee Hall side via the exit on the kitchen side of the building into Calvin Street.

Please take all your belongings and papers with you when you leave.

Toilets

There will be two toilets for use – please follow the guidelines for sanitising after use

Calvin Street Entrance – for ladies

Main Church Entrance – for men

Please Note the following:

Regrettably no handshakes or hugs

Offering baskets will be left at the various exits

There will be no printed announcement sheets

There will be no pew Bibles available.

There will be no singing, but this may change.

MOUNTPOTTINGER PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

CHURCH STAFF

Church Minister :                                Rev Johnston Lambe  

                                                                  Mobile No: 07710186818

Community Outreach Worker :      John McCandless 

                                                                  Mobile No: 07729516576

SERVICES

Sunday Morning Service @ 11.30am - Elders Prayer Meeting @11.10am

Sunday evening Service @   6.30pm - Congregational Prayer Meeting 6.10pm

Midweek Prayer Meetings are held on a Wednesday evening at 7.45pm from October to June