Information on how to attend worship

Some practicalities about attending worship is found below. Pre-registration is encouraged or register on arrival. We are required to keep a register of those attending. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Please contact Dean Katherine 0407 201 693 if you have any questions or concerns.

Those attending worship are strongly encouraged to wear a face mask.

In the Cathedral, the maximum size of a congregation at this time is capped at 100, which also includes adherence to the rule of four-square metres of space for every person present. At St Peter’s Hamilton, the maximum congregational size is 50.

Worship Times:

At the Cathedral:

Sunday – 8.00am and 11.00am. (8am and 10.30am from 18th October)
To attend please contact the Parish Office
(02) 4929 2052 or email cathedral@newcastlecathedral.org.au (Monday – Friday) or contact Dean Katherine 0407 201 693

Monday – Friday: Morning Prayer at 8.00am and Mass at 8.30am
in the St Christopher Chapel. Please enter through the transept door and register on arrival.

At St Peter’s Hamilton:

Tuesday and Thursday at 11.00am.
To register please call Jenny on 0499 983 336 by 6.00pm
on the day before the service/s you wish to attend.
For more information about our safe return-to-church
practices please visit: https://www.newcastleanglican.org.au/corona-virus-response/covid19-safe-return- to-church/

Arriving:

• Please arrive 15 minutes before the service. The Cathedral doors will be opened at this time.

• You will be greeted by a sidesperson, who will assist with registration.

• Please identify yourself to the sidesperson, who will invite you to be seated in a pew

• Before moving to a pew, please use the hand sanitiser that will be prominently located at the church door

Seating in the Cathedral:

• As you move into the Cathedral, you will find that some pews have designated seating areas, with an order of service sitting on the pew. These will be arranged to follow social distancing guidelines (not that Anglicans have ever had a problem social distancing in Church!)

• The order of service will be a previously unused service sheet, which will provide the text and directions for the liturgy.

Holy Communion:

• At the appropriate time, the sidesperson will direct you to receive Holy Communion.

• Hand sanitiser is available at the top of the aisle.

• Communion will be distributed in such a way that communicants are not required to be close together. There will be a visual guide available as well as verbal directions.

• Holy Communion will be distributed in one kind only (bread, but no chalice).

• If you would prefer not to receive Holy Communion at this time, please simply indicate this to the sidesperson.

Departing:

• At the conclusion of Mass, please take your printed order of service with you

• There will be an opportunity to make an offering in a collection plate near the door of the Cathedral, although the wardens and I are aware that a significant number of parishioners have changed their giving to direct debiting, for which we are very thankful.

• Please make use of the hand sanitiser lotion before leaving the Cathedral

• Please maintain social distancing when leaving the church (although distanced smiling is strongly encouraged).

• Please refrain from gathering in the carpark.

• The Cathedral will be closed 15 minutes following the conclusion of worship to allow for cleaning.

Even if you have booked a place at a Mass, please do not attend if you are feeling even slightly unwell, or if you have been in close contact with another person displaying cold or flu-like symptoms. Please be assured that the clergy are making frequent use of hand sanitiser, and that we will also absent ourselves if we are not feeling completely well.

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