Now that June has come about, and the novelty of the lockdown arrangements have certainly worn thin, we are living in another phase of uncertainty.
Some restrictions on our lives are starting to ease a bit, and this brings a level of practical relief. However, we don’t know if a second wave of the outbreak is on the way and we don’t know when and how further derestriction will come. The rate of exit from lockdown, even when self-governed, may be different and disparate, regionally, demographically and ethnically. It is into this present set of challenges that we write.
At UCAN we have long been a proponent of operating as a church with clarity of purpose. This is just as important now, but the purpose is not to rush back to what there was before.
The question to avoid is ‘How quickly can we return to normal, as it was before this all happened?’ As we move towards July 2020, this question is starting to be voiced. However, it is not a realistic question and no matter how well intentioned, it betrays the reality of the situation.
We don’t know what normal will be, but the ‘new normal’ is highly likely to be different from the ‘prior’ normal’. This is a social, economic and a missional reality.
UCAN’s guidance when considering What’s Next? Don’t rush back, venture forward…
The links below contain thematic guidance on your approach to Building Management, People Management, Weekend Worship, Financial Planning and Communications when moving forward into the next phase, post lockdown. This guidance is not meant to be exhaustive and should be used in conjunction with government guidelines, denominational guidance and your normal pattern of risk assessment.