St Nicholas Buccleuch Parish Church
St Nicholas Buccleuch Parish Church will reopen for worship on
Sunday 20th September.
Doors will open at 10.30 a.m.
and the service will begin at 11.00 a.m.
Read on for further information
Introduction
The Kirk Session has decided that services in St Nicholas Buccleuch Parish Church will resume on Sunday 20th September.
We are excited to get back to church and to sharing in worship again in person.
A lot of work has been done to prepare for reopening and there will, for the time being, be some significant differences and new ways of doing things that everyone coming to worship needs to know about. Please read this document carefully and, if you have any questions, ask either Sandy Horsburgh or Margaret Hood.
The Kirk Session has an absolute duty to do all that is possible to keep everyone who comes into any of our buildings safe. This is a responsibility we take very seriously at all times. The Covid-19 pandemic means that we have to take additional precautions.
Although the risk is small, there is a direct threat to anyone who enters a church building that they may be exposed to Covid-19.
People can catch the virus from others who are infected in the following ways:
Not all people infected with Covid-19 show symptoms. Therefore, it is vitally important that reasonable precautions are in place and followed at all times.
At St Nicholas Buccleuch, we will comply with our statutory duty to provide a safe environment, with particular reference to the Covid-19 pandemic, in the following ways.
Getting to Church
Most member make their own arrangements to get to church, but those who normally give or receive lifts with people from other households in private cars should note that this is not allowed under current regulations and should not happen. The use of taxis is, however, allowed. Our normal practice of arranging a taxi to pick up several people will have to be modified. We will be able to provide individual taxis for anyone who has no alternative means of getting to church. Margaret Hood will co-ordinate this but will need to hear from anyone wanting a taxi by Friday each week.
Arriving at Church
The service will be at 11.00 a.m. on Sundays, as usual. The doors will open at 10.30 a.m. When you arrive at church, make sure you stay at least two metres from anyone who is not in your household. You will see markings in yellow tape in the vestibule at the West Door. Please stay behind each mark until the person ahead of you has moved on.
Since we haven’t seen each other for a long time, it will be tempting to shake hands, or even to hug. But we mustn’t! Please, for everyone’s sake keep at least two metres apart at all times (unless you live together).
Like many public places where people gather, churches are being required to note the names and telephone numbers of everyone who attends events, so the first thing that will happen is that you will be asked for your name and phone number in case this is needed by the NHS Test and Protect system. A member of the welcome team will write this information down as you arrive and the sheet will be kept securely for 28 days, then destroyed. The information on it will be used for no other purpose than Test and Protect. A detailed privacy statement can be found at the end of this document. Please give either your landline or mobile number, whichever you prefer.
Taking names and phone numbers may take a little while at first, so please be patient. We may well be able to streamline the process as time goes on.
In the vestibule, there is a table with a hand sanitizer dispenser. Please make use of this before proceeding into the sanctuary. You do not need to touch the dispenser and we ask that you don’t. Hold your hand under the nozzle and it will automatically dispense a squirt of sanitizer. Keep your hand there until the dispenser stops. Then rub the sanitizer all over your hands. Please read the notices on the table as they contain important guidance to help ensure your safety and the safety of other worshippers.
We will be able to accommodate about thirty people at each service and we hope that this will be enough for everyone who wishes to come. The church chairs will be set out quite differently from normal to ensure physical distancing. Their positions have been carefully measured and chairs should not be moved. To minimise circulation, a member of the welcome team will direct you to a particular seat. Please sit where you are directed, even if it is not in your usual spot, and don’t wander around to chat to people.
Try to avoid touching surfaces unnecessarily. At least during the warmer weather, we’ll be able to keep doors open so there will be less need to touch door handles, and that will also help to keep the church well ventilated. All surfaces which are likely to have been touched will be cleaned each week. In line with Scottish Government guidance, chairs will be vacuumed each week and treated with a steamer from time to time.
Everyone attending a service is required to wear a face covering at all times when in the church. The only exceptions are anyone who has a valid medical reason not to wear one and the minister while speaking, though Sandy will wear a face covering before and after the service. Although these can be uncomfortable and feel unnatural, they are a visible and effective sign of our care for one another. Any of us could be infectious and not know it, so wearing a face covering could really help to reduce transmission of Covid-19. Please bring your own face covering but, should you forget, we have a limited supply of disposable masks.
If, for medical reasons, a face covering is not used, remember to cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or sleeve (not your hands) when coughing or sneezing. (Catch it — Bin it — Kill it.)
We will not be able to take up the offering in the usual way so there will be a plate near the door for you to make your offering as you arrive. It is great that many people have taken the opportunity to move to giving by Standing Order. Giving online is now also possible through the congregation’s website. But giving by FWO envelope is still possible. The counting teams will be using special procedures for handling cash safely.
Toilets
The toilets in the Hall and the Church will only be available for use in cases of genuine emergency. If at all possible, it would be better if you tried to avoid the need to use the toilets.
The service
The form of service will be different from usual and shorter than normal. Because we will be working out things as we go along, don’t expect the order of service necessarily to stay the same week by week. Singing is currently specifically banned by law, so there will be no hymns. Rather, the service will focus on prayer and reflection, using readings, prayers, music and silence. We are able to recite the Lord’s Prayer. At least initially, the service may seem quite familiar to those who have been watching the online Sunday Prayers. To minimise the chance of transmitting the virus, hymnbooks and pew bibles will not be made available. You may wish to bring your own bible with you.
At the end of the service, a member of the welcoming team will ask people to leave in turn through the south door. Please remember to keep at least two metres apart from anyone who is not in your own household.
If someone falls ill at church, they will be given appropriate help. People will have been appointed to assist, and will have access to appropriate PPE, so, if you are not one of the appointed helpers, please stay in your seat to avoid unnecessary close contact.
We know how important corporate worship is and have complete confidence that everyone who comes to services in St Nicholas Buccleuch will do everything they can to make sure that we can worship together in safety.
Online Worship
Once services in church resume, the way online worship is delivered will change. We intend to livestream the service from the church on Facebook.
To access this, you do not need to have a Facebook account. Facebook will encourage you to sign up, but you do not have to.
If you do not have a Facebook account, go to https://www.facebook.com/stnicholasbuccleuch/live/ and you will see the livestream. If you do have a Facebook account, just ‘like’ the St Nicholas Buccleuch page and the livestream should appear in your own timeline. The livestream will begin just before 11.00 a.m.
An audio only recording will be made and this will be uploaded as soon as possible to the phone broadcast service, which can be heard by dialling 0131 546 4082 from any phone.
Communion and Baptisms
For the foreseeable future, there will be no baptisms and no celebration of Holy Communion.
Teas, Coffees and Lunches
We are not allowed to serve food or drink under the current rules from the Scottish Government.
Should you come to church?
Of course! It is your church. But, anyone who is unwell or who shows symptoms of Covid-19 (high temperature/fever, new persistent cough, or loss of sense of taste or smell), who is in the extremely vulnerable group, who is shielding, who is in quarantine following travel, who is isolating, or who is living with someone who is isolating or is unwell should not attend church.
In conclusion
We’ve been away from church for a long time, longer than many of us have ever been away from church, and it will be good to be back. However, in the current circumstances, this is a privilege and must be treated as such. In Scotland, the rule on gathering indoors is as follows: no more than six people from no more than two different households. As lockdown restrictions are eased, and lockdown is by no means over, special exemptions from that rule are being granted in order to allow life to regain some normality. These exemptions always come with measures to hinder the spread of the virus. For places of worship, including churches, these are the strict requirement for physical distancing, the mandatory wearing of face coverings, the provision and use of hand sanitiser, the ban on singing to reduce the creation and spread of potentially virus carrying droplets and aerosols, the limit on numbers who can attend dependent on the capacity of the building and the requirement to clean thoroughly between services. If places of worship do not follow these rules, leading to instances of the virus spreading, the exemption from the rule on gathering indoors we currently have could be withdrawn.
At St Nicholas Buccleuch, we’re not going to look for ways round any of the rules. Instead, we’re going to follow all the rules because doing so is the right thing to do and helps us come together safely and to care for one another.
Appendix 1
5.3 Privacy Notice (Paper Process)
Privacy Notice: You are giving your personal data to The Trustees of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland as the Data Controller.
Your Personal Data: You are being asked to supply your: Full name and contact telephone number.
Purpose: The purpose of processing the personal data we ask for is to assist with the NHS Scotland Test & Protect Strategy. Under the Data Protection Act 2018 and GDPR, the legal basis for this processing is: 1) Article 6/1d – Processing is necessary in order to protect the vital interests of the data subject. 2) Article 9/2i – Processing is necessary for reasons of public interest in the area of public health. Your personal data will not be used for any other purpose without your permission, except in the context of fulfilling a legal obligation to which The Church of Scotland is subject. If you do not provide the personal data requested, we cannot register your attendance at the Church and will be unable to share your name with NHS Scotland if a relevant case of infection occurs.
Data Retention: Your personal data will be retained for up to 28 days and will then be disposed of securely.
Data Subjects: Personal data processing is carried out for Church of Scotland congregation members, visitors, ministers and employees.
Sharing Your Personal Data: The purpose of the sharing is to assist with the NHS Scotland Test & Test Strategy. Your personal data will not be used for any other purpose or shared with a third party unless doing so is necessary in order to comply with a legal obligation or in order to protect your vital interests or those of another data subject.
Data Transfers: Your personal data will not be transferred outside the EEA.
Your Rights: Under the Data Protection Act 2018 you have the following rights:
Website: www.ICO.org.uk, Address: Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF
The Kirk Session has decided that services in St Nicholas Buccleuch Parish Church will resume on Sunday 20th September.
We are excited to get back to church and to sharing in worship again in person.
A lot of work has been done to prepare for reopening and there will, for the time being, be some significant differences and new ways of doing things that everyone coming to worship needs to know about. Please read this document carefully and, if you have any questions, ask either Sandy Horsburgh or Margaret Hood.
The Kirk Session has an absolute duty to do all that is possible to keep everyone who comes into any of our buildings safe. This is a responsibility we take very seriously at all times. The Covid-19 pandemic means that we have to take additional precautions.
Although the risk is small, there is a direct threat to anyone who enters a church building that they may be exposed to Covid-19.
People can catch the virus from others who are infected in the following ways:
- virus moves from person-to-person in droplets from the nose or mouth spread when a person with the virus coughs or exhales
- the virus can survive for 72 hours or longer on surfaces which people have touched or coughed on, etc.
- people can pick up the virus by breathing in the droplets or by touching contaminated surfaces and then touching their eyes or mouth
Not all people infected with Covid-19 show symptoms. Therefore, it is vitally important that reasonable precautions are in place and followed at all times.
At St Nicholas Buccleuch, we will comply with our statutory duty to provide a safe environment, with particular reference to the Covid-19 pandemic, in the following ways.
Getting to Church
Most member make their own arrangements to get to church, but those who normally give or receive lifts with people from other households in private cars should note that this is not allowed under current regulations and should not happen. The use of taxis is, however, allowed. Our normal practice of arranging a taxi to pick up several people will have to be modified. We will be able to provide individual taxis for anyone who has no alternative means of getting to church. Margaret Hood will co-ordinate this but will need to hear from anyone wanting a taxi by Friday each week.
Arriving at Church
The service will be at 11.00 a.m. on Sundays, as usual. The doors will open at 10.30 a.m. When you arrive at church, make sure you stay at least two metres from anyone who is not in your household. You will see markings in yellow tape in the vestibule at the West Door. Please stay behind each mark until the person ahead of you has moved on.
Since we haven’t seen each other for a long time, it will be tempting to shake hands, or even to hug. But we mustn’t! Please, for everyone’s sake keep at least two metres apart at all times (unless you live together).
Like many public places where people gather, churches are being required to note the names and telephone numbers of everyone who attends events, so the first thing that will happen is that you will be asked for your name and phone number in case this is needed by the NHS Test and Protect system. A member of the welcome team will write this information down as you arrive and the sheet will be kept securely for 28 days, then destroyed. The information on it will be used for no other purpose than Test and Protect. A detailed privacy statement can be found at the end of this document. Please give either your landline or mobile number, whichever you prefer.
Taking names and phone numbers may take a little while at first, so please be patient. We may well be able to streamline the process as time goes on.
In the vestibule, there is a table with a hand sanitizer dispenser. Please make use of this before proceeding into the sanctuary. You do not need to touch the dispenser and we ask that you don’t. Hold your hand under the nozzle and it will automatically dispense a squirt of sanitizer. Keep your hand there until the dispenser stops. Then rub the sanitizer all over your hands. Please read the notices on the table as they contain important guidance to help ensure your safety and the safety of other worshippers.
We will be able to accommodate about thirty people at each service and we hope that this will be enough for everyone who wishes to come. The church chairs will be set out quite differently from normal to ensure physical distancing. Their positions have been carefully measured and chairs should not be moved. To minimise circulation, a member of the welcome team will direct you to a particular seat. Please sit where you are directed, even if it is not in your usual spot, and don’t wander around to chat to people.
Try to avoid touching surfaces unnecessarily. At least during the warmer weather, we’ll be able to keep doors open so there will be less need to touch door handles, and that will also help to keep the church well ventilated. All surfaces which are likely to have been touched will be cleaned each week. In line with Scottish Government guidance, chairs will be vacuumed each week and treated with a steamer from time to time.
Everyone attending a service is required to wear a face covering at all times when in the church. The only exceptions are anyone who has a valid medical reason not to wear one and the minister while speaking, though Sandy will wear a face covering before and after the service. Although these can be uncomfortable and feel unnatural, they are a visible and effective sign of our care for one another. Any of us could be infectious and not know it, so wearing a face covering could really help to reduce transmission of Covid-19. Please bring your own face covering but, should you forget, we have a limited supply of disposable masks.
If, for medical reasons, a face covering is not used, remember to cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or sleeve (not your hands) when coughing or sneezing. (Catch it — Bin it — Kill it.)
We will not be able to take up the offering in the usual way so there will be a plate near the door for you to make your offering as you arrive. It is great that many people have taken the opportunity to move to giving by Standing Order. Giving online is now also possible through the congregation’s website. But giving by FWO envelope is still possible. The counting teams will be using special procedures for handling cash safely.
Toilets
The toilets in the Hall and the Church will only be available for use in cases of genuine emergency. If at all possible, it would be better if you tried to avoid the need to use the toilets.
The service
The form of service will be different from usual and shorter than normal. Because we will be working out things as we go along, don’t expect the order of service necessarily to stay the same week by week. Singing is currently specifically banned by law, so there will be no hymns. Rather, the service will focus on prayer and reflection, using readings, prayers, music and silence. We are able to recite the Lord’s Prayer. At least initially, the service may seem quite familiar to those who have been watching the online Sunday Prayers. To minimise the chance of transmitting the virus, hymnbooks and pew bibles will not be made available. You may wish to bring your own bible with you.
At the end of the service, a member of the welcoming team will ask people to leave in turn through the south door. Please remember to keep at least two metres apart from anyone who is not in your own household.
If someone falls ill at church, they will be given appropriate help. People will have been appointed to assist, and will have access to appropriate PPE, so, if you are not one of the appointed helpers, please stay in your seat to avoid unnecessary close contact.
We know how important corporate worship is and have complete confidence that everyone who comes to services in St Nicholas Buccleuch will do everything they can to make sure that we can worship together in safety.
Online Worship
Once services in church resume, the way online worship is delivered will change. We intend to livestream the service from the church on Facebook.
To access this, you do not need to have a Facebook account. Facebook will encourage you to sign up, but you do not have to.
If you do not have a Facebook account, go to https://www.facebook.com/stnicholasbuccleuch/live/ and you will see the livestream. If you do have a Facebook account, just ‘like’ the St Nicholas Buccleuch page and the livestream should appear in your own timeline. The livestream will begin just before 11.00 a.m.
An audio only recording will be made and this will be uploaded as soon as possible to the phone broadcast service, which can be heard by dialling 0131 546 4082 from any phone.
Communion and Baptisms
For the foreseeable future, there will be no baptisms and no celebration of Holy Communion.
Teas, Coffees and Lunches
We are not allowed to serve food or drink under the current rules from the Scottish Government.
Should you come to church?
Of course! It is your church. But, anyone who is unwell or who shows symptoms of Covid-19 (high temperature/fever, new persistent cough, or loss of sense of taste or smell), who is in the extremely vulnerable group, who is shielding, who is in quarantine following travel, who is isolating, or who is living with someone who is isolating or is unwell should not attend church.
In conclusion
We’ve been away from church for a long time, longer than many of us have ever been away from church, and it will be good to be back. However, in the current circumstances, this is a privilege and must be treated as such. In Scotland, the rule on gathering indoors is as follows: no more than six people from no more than two different households. As lockdown restrictions are eased, and lockdown is by no means over, special exemptions from that rule are being granted in order to allow life to regain some normality. These exemptions always come with measures to hinder the spread of the virus. For places of worship, including churches, these are the strict requirement for physical distancing, the mandatory wearing of face coverings, the provision and use of hand sanitiser, the ban on singing to reduce the creation and spread of potentially virus carrying droplets and aerosols, the limit on numbers who can attend dependent on the capacity of the building and the requirement to clean thoroughly between services. If places of worship do not follow these rules, leading to instances of the virus spreading, the exemption from the rule on gathering indoors we currently have could be withdrawn.
At St Nicholas Buccleuch, we’re not going to look for ways round any of the rules. Instead, we’re going to follow all the rules because doing so is the right thing to do and helps us come together safely and to care for one another.
Appendix 1
5.3 Privacy Notice (Paper Process)
Privacy Notice: You are giving your personal data to The Trustees of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland as the Data Controller.
Your Personal Data: You are being asked to supply your: Full name and contact telephone number.
Purpose: The purpose of processing the personal data we ask for is to assist with the NHS Scotland Test & Protect Strategy. Under the Data Protection Act 2018 and GDPR, the legal basis for this processing is: 1) Article 6/1d – Processing is necessary in order to protect the vital interests of the data subject. 2) Article 9/2i – Processing is necessary for reasons of public interest in the area of public health. Your personal data will not be used for any other purpose without your permission, except in the context of fulfilling a legal obligation to which The Church of Scotland is subject. If you do not provide the personal data requested, we cannot register your attendance at the Church and will be unable to share your name with NHS Scotland if a relevant case of infection occurs.
Data Retention: Your personal data will be retained for up to 28 days and will then be disposed of securely.
Data Subjects: Personal data processing is carried out for Church of Scotland congregation members, visitors, ministers and employees.
Sharing Your Personal Data: The purpose of the sharing is to assist with the NHS Scotland Test & Test Strategy. Your personal data will not be used for any other purpose or shared with a third party unless doing so is necessary in order to comply with a legal obligation or in order to protect your vital interests or those of another data subject.
Data Transfers: Your personal data will not be transferred outside the EEA.
Your Rights: Under the Data Protection Act 2018 you have the following rights:
- The right to be informed.
- The right to access (your personal data).
- The right to rectification.
- The right to erasure.
- The right to restrict processing
- The right to object to processing.
- The right to data portability.
- Rights in relation to automated decision-making.
Website: www.ICO.org.uk, Address: Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF
St. Nicholas Buccleuch Parish Church is a congregation of the Church of Scotland. It is part of the Presbytery of Lothian. The Church of Scotland traces its history from St Ninian, who came to Scotland in 397 AD, through the Scottish Reformation, led by John Knox among others, to the present. It is Presbyterian in government.
There has been a place of Christian worship on this site since at least the 11th Century. The present building, which has undergone many changes, dates from the early 15th Century. This year, 2020, we celebrate the 600th anniversary of our church.
St. Nicholas Buccleuch Parish Church is an ancient church with a modern purpose. Set in the heart of Dalkeith, the congregation seeks to serve God and this community in ways relevant to the 21st Century.
You don’t need to sign up to a long list of beliefs to come to church. You don’t need to know all the answers to belong. All you need is a sense of the spiritual dimension of life and a desire to experience it more fully.
All are welcome.
You don’t need to sign up to a long list of beliefs to come to church. You don’t need to know all the answers to belong. All you need is a sense of the spiritual dimension of life and a desire to experience it more fully.
All are welcome.
