Coronavirus: Four main churches will close again but Presbyterians express ‘significant regret and concern’

The Stormont Executive has asked all places or worship to close as part of a ‘circuit breaker’ lockdown from November 27 until December 11. Exceptions will be made for weddings, civil partnerships and funerals, with 25 people people allowed at each.

Presbyterian Moderator, Rev Dr David Bruce, said it was “a major pastoral concern for us and our congregations”.

The church has been reminding legislators in Belfast and Dublin of the importance of “balancing our essential liberty to worship, with the need for protection of the community” and that “face-to face-gatherings for worship are essential,” he said.

A government minister assured him the closure will not be extended “and we have reinforced the strong view to the Executive that such measures be limited to this period only,” he added.

President of the Methodist Church in Ireland, Rev Dr Tom McKnight, said his church would once again comply.

“Our Church’s concern continues to be for those affected by the pandemic,” he said. “We continue to endeavour to remain with those who feel the burden of isolation and in various ways our local churches are reaching out to them by means of phone calls, texts or emails.”

David Smyth of the Evangelical Alliance said the decision is “obviously disappointing for many people, as is the lack of consultation and published evidence”.

He would like to see Public Health Agency advice on the matter and on contact tracing, he said. However he emphasised that this is “not religious persectuion” as churches are “not being singled out”.

A Church of Ireland spokesman said it is also following the protocols. “The Church remains alert to the importance of following Covid regulations for the good of the whole community and will continue to liaise with public health officials,” it said.

Fr Paddy McCafferty of Corpus Christi in Ballymurphy, said: “It is unfortunate but we have to accept it. The priority is people’s safety and the well being of everyone. We are very mindful of the fact that the health service is under extreme pressure”.

At the start of the month over 1000 clerics from across the UK - including around 50 Irish leaders - signed a letter urging Prime Minister Boris Johnson not to close churches in England, during a four week lockdown.

Last month the News Letter reported that almost 700 clerics from across the UK – including some 60 Irish leaders – had written to Mr Johnson warning that “authoritarian” Covid restrictions were causing more harm than the virus itself, and that churches must not be closed again.

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