Methodist Church Shield Insurance Policy - Your Questions Answered (Monday 06 April)

If you have questions about your church insurance policy, you may wish to have a read of this information released by Methodist Insurance. It covers information on the cover that applies to church insurance policy including liability and employees working from home. Read the full information here.

Guidance from the Methodist Church (updated Thursday 02 April)

Guidance on funerals has now been updated and can be found here.

Volunteer opportunities with MHA (Methodist Homes Association)

MHA are seeking volunteers for a range of positions within their care homes and within their live at home communities. If you would like to find out more, please visit the MHA website.

CAF Bank coronavirus emergency fund (Tuesday 31 March)

Churches and circuits may wish to consider applying to CAF bank for emergency funds to allow them to continue to deliver much needed support to their communities across the UK. Grants of up to £10,000 are available. There are strict criteria about what can and cannot be funded. All the information can be found on the CAF website.

Safeguarding Information (updated on Thursday 26 March)

The following documents offer advice and information on current COVID-19 scams, DBS information and an update on safeguarding training.

• National Trading Standards: Beware of COVID-19 scams targeting older and vulnerable members of our communities

• DDC Response to COVID-19

• Visiting guidance from the Methodist Church

• Update on safeguarding training from the Connexional Safeguarding Team

Employment related guidance:

• Lay Employment Advisory Information from the Methodist Church: (updated Wednesday 25 March)

An information pack on lay employment issues has been created for churches and circuits within the Methodist Church. To access the full pack please visit the website.  

• Information on the job retention scheme (furlough scheme) can be found here

• To access the employment FAQs, please click here

• ACAS (​Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service) have provided guidance and advice for both employers and employees. This information is being continually updated and provides information in relation to statutory sick pay, if an employer needs to close the workplace (including the use of annual leave, short-time working and working from home).

• In order to fully support staff in regards to the negative financial impact of ​the current situation, and to also provide employers with guidance as to their position on statutory sick play; jaluch.co.uk provides a useful question and answer page offering clarity on matters such as statutory sick pay.

• Guidance can also be found on XpertHR in relation to Statutory Sick Pay.

• XpertHR provides guidance on what measures employers must take to ensure the health and wellbeing of their staff.

​Guidance from the Methodist Church (last updated on Wednesday 25 March):

Guidance from the Methodist Church is being continuously updated.

• Lay Employment Advisory Information from the Methodist Church: (updated Wednesday 25 March)

An information pack on lay employment issues has been created for churches and circuits within the Methodist Church. To access the full pack please visit the website.  

• Information on the job retention scheme (furlough scheme) can be found here

• To access the employment FAQs, please click here

• The Methodist Church has now issued guidance that all Methodist Churches are to close, including those currently open for quiet prayer and reflection. This does not include churches which provide essential services, such as food banks. There are however, guidelines about how these should be run. Closure also covers the live streaming of church services in church buildings.

• As churches will be closed, service sheets and resources for home worship are now available to download, You can access these resources here.

• An FAQ page is now in operation, and covers a great many questions that you may wish to ask. There is information various items including:

  • holding baptisms, weddings and funerals

  • what to do if you are due to go on sabbatical

  • if support groups can continue to use church buildings

  • how supervision will work whilst we are in self-isolation

• Information is also provided on how congregants can worship at home, how night shelters can be supported, how to help food banks and guidance on pastoral visits. 

• ​Safeguarding guidance has also been updated, and includes information on why a coronavirus lockdown is a dangerous time for victims of domestic abuse - what you need to know.

 

Please view the website for the full guidance information on all the above and more. 

A message from All We Can

Methodist Church House is now closed and as this building is where our offices are located, we are now not able to access post addressed to 25 Marylebone Road, and it is not yet clear when we will be able to access the building. It is therefore, really important for our work to ensure lots of post doesn’t go missing or get returned, especially if it may contain money.

 

If you do have post for All We Can, please contact the Supporter Care Team on 020 7467 5132 (the office phone will redirect to the relevant person) or email us to make alternative arrangements. Or, if you have a donation to submit on behalf of a church, group or individual, can we encourage you to do that via the website.

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If you would like to request our Bank Details in order to make a bank transfer, please contact the Supporter Care Team (contact details as above).

 

Please note – this does not mean that All We Can has ceased it’s work – poverty and injustice continue in our world and as the virus spreads to parts of the developing world, our commitment to working alongside local communities to help them fulfil their potential is more important than ever. The work continues.

 

You may also find our devotional materials designed for ‘worship at home’ helpful to people in your congregations and those who might be self-isolating.

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Thank you for your patience with us in these strange times. 

NHS Volunteer Responders - Your NHS needs you!

There is no doubt that we all want to do our bit to help others in this time of isolation. Whilst we are all being urged to play our part by staying at home; for those who are well and able to do more, please consider signing up to the NHS Volunteer Responders team.

This service will undoubtedly prove to be imperative for the most vulnerable in our communities. There are 4 positions available:

• Community Response Volunteer

• Patient Transport Volunteer

• NHS Transport Volunteer and

• Check in and Chat Volunteer

 

Registration is via the GoodSAM website. 

Guidance for Property (updated at 10am on Tuesday 24 March)

Guidance from the Property Team at the Methodist Church can be accessed here and provides advice on good practice in relation to unoccupied churches. 

Letter from the District Chairs - updated guidance from the Methodist Church re church closures

The London District Chairs have written a letter informing all London Ministers of the complete closure of church premises, in accordance with updated information from the Methodist Church.

 

Please view the letter here.

Government announcement on changes to DBS processes

To ensure that DBS checks can still be carried out, the government has announced some changes to the way in which documents can be verified. This includes viewing documents over video link. For the full announcement, please visit the government website. This information, along with other safeguarding notifications can also be found on our Safeguarding News page.

TMCP Guidance - Updated

• TMCP have updated their website with further guidance on the coronavirus and the issues that may face Managing Trustees. There is also an FAQ page now in operation. 

• TMCP has released guidance pertaining to the withdraw of monies in the event of an office / building lockdown. This information can be accessed here. 

• Please note that TMCP is now requesting that ALL applications are made electronically and are sent to for review.

• All Managing Trustees should set up electronic signatures to the forms before sending them back. This will eradicate the need for forms to be printed, signed and scanned before being sent to TMCP.

Government key worker list includes religious workers:

The official list of personnel who can still send their children to school, features religious staff under the heading. The official list can be found on the Guardian website.

Guidance for Safeguarding Monitoring and Support Groups 

Guidance pertaining to the work of Monitoring and Support Groups has been circulated to all Superintendents and can also be found on the Safeguarding News page.  

Methodist Insurance Guidance:

Updated information and advice has been circulated to all Superintendents and Circuit Administrators as of 1.45pm on Thursday 19 March. Please contact your Superintendent for updated advice. 

List of radio stations for worship

As church worship services are suspended, we will all be looking for new ways to continue worshipping from our own homes. Radio is one such medium by which we can all come together in and continue to worship. Here is a list of radio stations offering worship services. If we have missed any, please contact us via email and we will update the list.

Government guidance on social distancing:

Issued on 16 March, this link provides information on social distancing - what it is, who it applies to and what your options are in different situations (assistance with food and medicines for example). You can view this information here. 

NHS Guidance:

The NHS website provides extensive guidance on what to do if you have the symptoms of coronavirus, what steps you can take to reduce spreading the virus and avoid catching it. View the website here.

Public Health England - Guidance and Updates

Information about the coronavirus, it's spread in the UK and government advice / guidance can be found at the Public Health England website. 

Foreign and Commonwealth Office Travel Guidance:

• Current guidance from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office advises against all but essential travel to certain countries, cities and regions.

• Should you be due to travel soon, please refer to the FCO website for updated advice pertaining specifically to your destination.