Welcome to St.Mary the Virgin Lewisham

Spring 2022

As we pass the two-year mark since the initial Covid lockdown, St Mary’s church continues to return to earlier patterns of worship and celebrating our life together.   We also know that Covid is still with us and we continue to encourage sanitising, masks and social distancing to protect those who are most vulnerable.

From Easter 2022 we will restore various parts of our worship and community life; 

• The shared chalice will be offered at mass for those who wish to partake. Everyone is free to decide for themselves and communion in bread only is full communion and has always been acceptable. St Mary’s also always offers gluten-free bread to those who need it.

• Communion itself will continue to be in silence and we ask everyone to return to their seats via the side aisles.

• Sharing the Peace will be more relaxed for those who are happy with this. We must be sensitive to others who will not feel ready to touch or shake hands.

• Music and singing will continue to return to earlier patterns. Masks are no longer required, including for singing, but many will want to keep masks on at least some of the time while in an enclosed space.

• We will offer simple refreshments after mass for those who wish to partake – tea, coffee, biscuits. This will not yet be the full ‘parish breakfast’ as in the past. People will decide for themselves how far they are comfortable in sharing this.

We will continue to keep all this under review in the coming months and will move gradually and cautiously in relaxing our worship and activities further.

Every blessing for Easter and the year ahead.

Fr Steve, Churchwardens and St Mary’s Church Council                     March 2022  

Tel:  020 8690 3298