Congregations could return to Free Presbyterian church services this weekend

The message to congregations is that they will be confined to one midweek meeting and Sunday services.

The 61 congregations attached to the general presbytery of the Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster voluntarily suspended public worship services from Sunday, January 10 due to the spiral of the Covid pandemic.

The presbytery said that over recent weeks it has kept the matter under constant review, taking into consideration health details supplied by the public health authorities.

Last night, a Free Presbyterian statement confirmed: “Due to the declining rates of infection and fatalities from the pandemic and, out of concern for the spiritual and mental well-being of our members, the presbytery has adopted plans for a gradual return to public worship.

“The presbytery has instructed its congregations to do up-date risk assessments and to have in place all necessary mitigations as stipulated by law.”

The presbytery said it would keep its plans under constant review. The statement was signed by church moderator, the Rev John Armstrong, his deputy the Rev Colin Mercer, and the Rev John Greer, presbytery clerk.