The NET Ministries Scotland Team will be joining us for ‘Strength in Numbers’ retreat on Sunday 27th February 2022 in St Andrew's Church, Bearsden.

• The retreat will begin with Mass at 10am followed by group discussions and activities.
• This retreat is aimed at young people from P6 – S6 and lunch will be provided.
• All Covid restrictions will be met and a booking system will be in place for track and trace purposes.
• Please see social media for a link to book or email standrewsbearsdenyouth@gmail.com.

As you will be aware the Government has lifted all the additional omicron measures.

Churches can now return to the standard covid measures, and things should therefore be easier.

You can read the Government guidance at https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-places-of-worship/

The key points are:

• Avoid crowding and encourage distancing. There is no fixed measurement of distancing, but we should use all the space we have in church to make sure people can spread out and limit access if it is becoming too busy. Keep an eye too on the use of smaller spaces, such as cry chapels, meeting rooms, etc., to make sure that these are not crowded.
• Ventilation is really important – keep a good airflow in the church and in any other meeting rooms, halls, etc.
• Surfaces are not thought to be a major source of infection as airborne infections are the key issue, hence the emphasis on ventilation and face coverings, and so cleaning need not be as intensive as before. 
• Face coverings must be worn by everyone in church, unless exempt, apart from the celebrant, deacon whist reading/preaching, reader(s) whilst reading, or cantor(s) whilst singing. Priests, deacons, readers, and cantors should maintain a 1m distance from everyone else whilst not wearing a mask. Priests, deacons, and extraordinary ministers should wear masks when distributing Communion.
• Everyone, including the clergy, is encouraged to take regular lateral flow tests, and isolate if they test positive or experience symptoms.
• Keeping track and trace details is now optional. The Government says “Places of worship may wish to continue to collect visitor details for the purposes of supporting NHS Scotland’s Test and Protect system” and each parish priest can judge whether or not to do so. If you do stop collecting the details make sure to destroy the data you hold in accordance with the privacy policy. You can’t keep people’s phone numbers from track and trace because it would be useful to have them for other parish purposes unless the people have expressly consented to that. 
• We should still avoid having people kiss communal devotional objects, statutes, crucifixes, etc.
• Hand sanitising is still very much encouraged. 
• Communion under both kinds is still prohibited.
• Hymn books, bulletins, etc. are all now allowed, as are offertory processions and collections.

Remember that other activities may require stricter conditions, e.g. if your hall is a hospitality venue then collecting track & trace information is still legally required and some social activities (e.g. very late night discos) may require vaccine certification. Follow the links on https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-staying-safe-and-protecting-others/ for all the details.  

Dear Parent,

I hope this finds you and your family well.

As a parish, we are looking forward to the Primary Seven pupils' celebration of the Sacrament of Confirmation in June - a wonderful Sacrament of the further outpouring of the gift of the Holy Spirit, who is for us a helper and a guide.

Just a reminder that, as part of the preparation for your child's Confirmation, there will be a meeting for all St Andrew's parish's parents on Thursday 3rd February at 7pm in St Andrew's Church.

I look forward to seeing you then.

If anyone has any questions in the meantime, please do not hesitate to get in touch.

With all good wishes,

Fr Mackle 

Our Parish's Pastoral Council will be meeting this Thursday evening. Among the items for discussion on the agenda is Synod 2023 and our preparing for it. As I'm sure you've heard by now, Pope Francis has invited every parishioner in every parish across the world to take part in a process of discussion and listening about how we are journeying together in the church. We will be contributing to the views of the Archdiocese, and the whole church, leading to the Synod of Bishops in Oct ‘23. 

 "The purpose of the synod..... is intended to inspire people to dream about the church we are called to be, to make hope flourish, to stimulate trust, to bind up wounds, to weave new and deeper relationships, to learn from one another, to build bridges, to enlighten minds, warm hearts, and restore strength to our hands for our common mission.”

Keep your eye on our social media and the bulletin for details about our parish's arrangements for you to be involved in the process of discussion and listening, which will be posted very soon.

​Listen ~ Accompany ~ Heal. 
​For those who find themselves suffering from bereavement through divorce, separation or widowhood, there is The Beginning Experience ~ a much appreciated ministry within the Church, which is holding a weekend at St Mary’s, Kinnoull, Perth 25th – 27th March.

For more details contact Catherine on 0131 665 3383 or email beginningexpereincescotland@hotmail.com before 12th March.