The churches of All Saints and St Thomas, the worship we offer in these places, and our ministry in Houghton Regis are signs of God’s presence – they witness of his enduring love in our town and the communities we serve.
 
Following directives from HM Government and national Church authorities about Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, we are able to reopen our church buildings for worship from Saturday 4 July. However, we will still offer a reduced schedule for worship; public celebration of Mass will be offered three times a week until further notice.

Mass (Public Celebration)
Mass will be celebrated publicly on

• Sundays, at All Saints' Parish Church, at 10:00am
• Wednesdays, at St Thomas' Church, at 9:30am
• Saturdays (vigil Mass), at All Saints' Parish Church at 6:00pm

Please note that there hygiene, social distancing, safety measures in place for these celebrations. Wearing a mask is not compulsory, but it is warmly advised - and disposable face masks will be available at the door.
Holy Communion will be distributed in one kind only, under the form of Bread. The Precious Blood (the chalice) will not be distributed among the faithful.
There will not be singing at these celebrations.

Mass (online), Worship, and Teaching
During lockdown we have taken Mass, other forms of worship, and Christian teaching online - on Facebook Live and YouTube. Mass will continue to be live streamed from St Thomas' Church at the following times:

• Sundays and Holy Days at 6:00pm
• Weekdays at 9:00am

Opening of church buildings
According to Government advice churches across England can reopen for private prayer from 15 June.

• All Saints' Parish Church will be open to the public on certain days and with a few safety requirements put in place by the Church of England. Check our Facebook page for opening times.
• St Thomas' Church on Lowry Drive remains closed to the public.

Baptisms
Baptisms can take place in church. The same hygiene and social distancing regulations used for Mass (above) still apply, and we have to limit the numbers of people attending to 30.

Weddings
Weddings can take place in church. The same hygiene and social distancing regulations used for Mass (above) still apply.
From 4 July the government strongly advises that numbers are restricted to 30 for public health reasons. This maximum number includes all those at the ceremony, including the couple, witnesses, officiant and guests. It also includes any workers who are not employed by the church such as photographers. It does not include staff or volunteers employed by the church such as vergers or churchwardens.
Theservice should be kept concise while still consistent with the nature of theoccasion, focusing on those parts of the marriage that are required in order to be legally binding under the law of England and Wales.

Funerals

• Funerals in church can take place in church again (from 15 June), with a restricted number of mourners.
• Funerals can also take place at Crematoria or at the graveside. 
• Only immediate family members can participate to the funeral service to facilitate social distancing - up to a maximum of 30.

 
Worship in Care Homes and Hospital Visits

• Worship in care homes is suspended as this would usually see a group of up to 10 church volunteers entering places of care and increasing the risk of spreading the virus.
• Hospital visits are suspended. Please, contact the Hospital Chaplaincy Team or hospital staff to arrange Pastoral Care on-site.

 
Home Visits by the Parish Priest

• Home visits by the Parish Priest (or a designated lay minister) are suspended to enable social distancing.

 
Ministry to the dying

• Visits to those who are dying will continue wherever possible and allowed. Please, contact the Parish Office without delay if you wish to request or discuss a visit.

 
As time progresses, these directives may be altered in accordance with advice from the Diocese of St Albans, HM Government, and Church of England guidelines.
Thank you for your co-operation.

Updated 2 July 2020
Created 18 March 2020

The Parish Barn Dance was held at the Peter Newton Pavilion in Dunstable on Saturday 9 June.
The evening featured a live band, lots of dancing, shared food, fun for the whole family, and a raffle. The yearly fundraising and social event was attended by many people, and it continues to grow in popularity thanks to a number of committed volunteers who organise this and various other activities through the year.
Photos below by Father Diego and Dr Matthew Hurley.