Free Presbyterian Church votes to suspend public worship

Congregations of the Free Presbyterian Church in Northern Ireland have voted to suspend public worship in its churches with immediate effect.
Moderator of the Free Presbyterian Church Rev John ArmstrongModerator of the Free Presbyterian Church Rev John Armstrong
Moderator of the Free Presbyterian Church Rev John Armstrong

The general presbytery of the FP church, representing 61 congregations across the province, confirmed its decision was taken by ministers and elders, conscious of the increasing seriousness of the Covid pandemic in Northern Ireland,

The presbytery stated that “Christ’s Church has a moral obligation to contribute in a tangible fashion toward curbing the spread of the virus”.

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Last Thursday, leaders of the four main churches - Presbyterian, Roman Catholic, Methodist and the Church of Ireland - declared that they had decided to voluntarily close all of their churches, cathedrals, meeting houses and chapels for in-person gatherings and services, until Saturday February 6. This means no Sunday services over four Sundays.

Their decision came after a meeting with the Chief Medical Officer Dr Michael McBride, Chief Scientific Officer Dr Professor Ian Young and Health Minister Robin Swann, who outlined a detailed update on the dire effects of the Covid pandemic.

It is understood, the Free Presbyterian Church and other faith denominations were also privy to the information supplied by the Stormont medical team.

Moderator of the Free Presbyterian Church the Rev John Armstrong, said: “Our general presbytery believes that it is our Christian duty to uphold the Lord’s clear instruction in Matthew 22:39 that we should love our neighbour as ourselves.

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“Being confronted with a health crisis that has affected our congregations, we must exercise a duty of care toward our own church members and toward society in general.”

The Rev Armstrong added: “The presbytery will continually review the situation in order to determine when our churches will return to worship.”

The closure of churches in Northern Ireland for services and other gatherings is not a legal requirement.