Legal restrictions brought in during the pandemic have come to an end across England on Monday 19th July 2021; however, both the Church of England and HM Government have issued advice to churches on how to manage future months.

After considering the guidance received, the Parish of All Saints’ Houghton Regis has implemented (or retained) the following measures.

Face coverings and social distancing
Although legal obligations to wear face coverings have been lifted, people will be “expected” to wear them indoors (unless medically exempt). This policy is in line with both the Government’s and the Church of England’s advice.
Seating arrangements implemented during the lockdowns at both All Saints’ and St Thomas’ to facilitate social distancing remain unchanged. However, the requirements about social bubbles and households seating together are no longer in force.
At All Saints’ the maximum number of people allowed in the building is capped at 60, excluding individuals leading worship and performing key roles during pastoral offices.

Hand Sanitising
Hand gel stations are still available in both churches. Please, sanitise your hands on entering and exiting the buildings.

Test and Trace and Checking-In
The QR codes used at All Saints’ and St Thomas’ to check-in using the NHS app remain in place. Please make use of these during your visits.

Ventilation
With fewer restrictions in place ventilation of our buildings during worship becomes all the more important. Main doors and certain windows will be open during services, save in extreme circumstances.

Singing
Singing is back! This is a great joy, but it should be approached according to the Government’ Suggested Principles.
Evidence shows that aerosol particles are emitted by singers in greater quantities than if they were speaking. Therefore, masks should be worn by anyone in the congregation intending to sing (with an exception we can make for choir members), while social distancing will enable us to minimise the risk of transmitting the virus.

Mass and Distribution of Holy Communion
We are now allowed by Church of England authorities to share the Precious Blood of Christ at Mass using the “common cup”. However, this will not be implemented given the high number of COVID-19 cases across the country. Holy Communion will continue to be distributed in one kind only.
A few individuals have voiced their desire to approach the altar rail to receive the Holy Communion (as it is good and proper), but this would require a two-way flow of people in the chancel which is not practical at present. The Sacrament will continue be distributed to the faithful in the nave, and to choir members and servers from their places.

Sign of Peace
Social contact is now permitted. However, the liturgical exchange of peace which takes place at Mass will remain in the form of a hand wave to safeguard those who need to (or prefer to) keep at a safe distance from others.

Refreshments after Mass
Refreshments after services can be served again.

Bellringing
Ringing with a full number of ringers can resume, as can ringing practice. Ringers are expected to wear face masks whilst indoors.

Pastoral Offices (Baptism, Weddings, Funerals)
The social distancing and face covering regulations listed above will apply. At All Saints’ the maximum number of people allowed in the building remains capped at 60, excluding individuals leading worship or performing key roles during pastoral offices.
In the case of Baptisms, only candidates from the same family, social group, or households will be baptised at the same service.

Updated 1 September 2021
Created 18 March 2020

The Solemnity of Corpus Christi (literally meaning “The Body of Christ”) was celebrated in Houghton Regis on Saturday 22 June. Our Parish and the Parish of the Holy Cross, Marsh Farm, came together to mark this great celebration.

This feast calls the whole Church to give special thanks to God for the inestimable gift of the Holy Eucharist, the Sacrament of Jesus' Body and Blood. For this reason the Blessed Sacrament is traditionally taken in procession at the end of the main Mass. One of the hymns sung at Corpus Christi describe the Blessed Sacrament in this way,
O Bread of Heaven, beneath this veil
Thou dost my very God conceal:
My Jesus, dearest treasure, hail!
I love Thee and, adoring, kneel;
Each loving soul by Thee is fed
With Thine own Self in form of Bread.

The Celebrant and Preacher was Father Norman Banks, Bishop of Richborough, and a number of other priests attended the celebrations in choir; including Father Richard Brown SSC, parish priest of Marsh Farm.
The Pontifical Mass was followed by a procession of the Blessed Sacrament through the churchyard and Bedford Road, and by Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. BBQ and refreshments were also available after Mass. Photos below by Myles Pluss.

The Easter Vigil, which is the greatest and most noble of all solemnities, marks the end of the emptiness of Holy Saturday, and leads into the celebration of Christ’s victory over Death and Hell. The word ‘Alleluia’ (meaning “God be praised”) which has been silent throughout Lent, returns.
Alleluia! sing to Jesus!
His the sceptre, his the throne.
Alleluia! His the triumph,
his the victory alone! (William Chatterton Dix)
 
By most ancient tradition, this is the night of keeping vigil for the Lord (Ex 12:42), in which, following the Gospel admonition (Lk 12:35-37), the faithful, carrying lighted candles in their hands, should be like those looking for the Lord when he returns, so that at his coming he may find them awake and have them sit at his table.
 
The Vigil is arranged in such a way that after the Lucernarium (or lighting of the Paschal Candle) and the Exultet (or Easter Proclamation), we will meditate on the wonders the Lord God has done for his people from the beginning., focusing on the theme of “Renewal”. After this, we will be invited to renew our Baptismal commitments to the life the Christian life before being called to celebrate the Eucharist, the living memorial of his Death and Resurrection.

Main Service - Celebration of the Passion
Today’s liturgy centres on Jesus’ Passion (his sufferings) and death on the Cross for our salvation. In order for us to   enter more deeply into this great mystery, the “Celebration” is marked by deep silence. Please use these quiet moments to recollect yourself in the presence of Our Crucified Lord, accompanying him in spirit through the pain he endured - like the Mary and John did at Calvary.
Here might I stay and sing, no story so divine:
never was love, dear King, never was grief like thine.
This is my friend, in whose sweet praise
I all my days could gladly spend! (Samuel Crossman, 1664)
 
On this and the following day, by a most ancient tradition, the Church does not celebrate the Sacraments at all, except for Confession and the Anointing of the Sick. Holy Communion is distributed from the Sacrament reserved last night at the Altar of Repose. The church remains stripped of all decoration. It continues bare and empty through the following day, which is a day without a liturgy: there can be no adequate way of recalling the being dead of the Son of God, other than silence and desolation. But within the silence there grows a sense of peace and completion, and then rising excitement as the Easter Vigil draws near.

Maundy Thursday marks the end of Lent and the beginning of the sacred "Triduum” of Holy Week. These three days are the holiest days of the Christian year. The name "Maundy" comes from the Latin mandatum, ‘commandment’, because of the use of John 13.34 as the Entrance Antiphon;
‘I give you a new commandment; that you love one another.
Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.’

At this Mass, the Priest washes the feet of twelve members of the congregation to symbolise Christ’s washing of his twelve Apostles. This Mass stresses the importance Jesus puts on humility and service within the Church. Also emphasised are the fundamental importance of the Eucharist and the sacrifice of Christ’s Body, which we now find present in the Blessed Sacrament.
O Bread of Heaven, beneath this veil
Thou dost my very God conceal:
My Jesus, dearest treasure, hail! (St Alphonsus)
 
At the conclusion of the Mass, the Blessed Sacrament is transported to the Altar of Repose and we are invited to continue adoring the Lord Jesus present there until midnight, just as the disciples were invited to watch with the Lord during his agony in the garden of Gethsemane.

After tonight, no Mass will be celebrated again in the entire Church until the Easter Vigil celebrates and proclaims the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Palm Sunday is the first day of Holy Week and the Sunday before Easter. On this day Christians everywhere remember the glorious entry into Jerusalem of Jesus riding on a donkey, while a great multitude of people welcomed Him and waved Him on. The Gospels of Matthew, Mark and John tell us how the crowds took leafy branches from the trees that lined the road (traditionally identified as palm and olive trees) and waved them in the air shouting “Hosanna”, and threw their clothes and palms on the path in front of Him with great  jubilance. They did this just days before His crucifixion.
Sometimes they strew his way,
and his strong praises sing,
resounding all the day
hosannas to their King.
Then "Crucify!" is all their breath,
and for his death they thirst and cry.
 
Each year, right before the Palm Sunday Mass, palm crosses are blessed and distributed and we carry them in procession into the church. Our procession with palms is a sign of our joy and gratitude to Jesus Christ, Our King. At this service we enter also in the mystery of the Lord’s Passion (sufferings) as we read together the account of His crucifixion from Luke’s gospel.

The Solemnity of Corpus Christi (literally meaning “The Body of Christ”) was celebrated in Houghton Regis on Sunday 3 June.
This feast calls the whole Church to give special thanks to God for the inestimable gift of the Holy Eucharist, the Sacrament of Jesus' Body and Blood. For this reason the Blessed Sacrament is traditionally taken in procession at the end of the main Mass. One of the hymns sung at Corpus Christi describe the Blessed Sacrament in this way,
O Bread of Heaven, beneath this veil
Thou dost my very God conceal:
My Jesus, dearest treasure, hail!
I love Thee and, adoring, kneel;
Each loving soul by Thee is fed
With Thine own Self in form of Bread.

The 10:00 Parish Mass was followed by a procession of the Blessed Sacrament through the churchyard and Benediction.
The Preacher on this occasion was Father Michael Bowie SMMS, from All Saints' Margaret Street, London, and a number of other priests attended the celebrations in choir; the Venerable Paul Hughes (Archdeacon of Bedford), Canon Liz Hughes (Chaplain of Luton Airport), and Mother Janet Yabsley of All Saints'.