Arlene Foster welcomes ending of ‘draconian’ church closures

As worshippers prepare for a return to the church pews from June 29 onwards, the DUP leader and first minister said: “An end to congregational worship has been one of the most draconian changes for all of us who attend and value public worship.

“Of course as Christians we can worship God anywhere but meeting together has always been a central part of our worship.”

The various church leaders have been busy drawing up guidelines around how they can open their doors while also ensuring social-distancing measures can be adhered to.

Mrs Foster said: “Meeting as congregations is essentially a gathering of families so there is always a danger that we can let our guard down with those more familiar to us.

“Singing is also a big concern as hundreds of voices in a confined space project their singing.

“The places of worship working group will assess all of these elements alongside the Chief Medical Officer and disseminate this guidance to individual congregations so by the 29 June churches are ready.”

The working group established by Stormont – including politicians, clergy and civil servants – has been holding online meetings to discuss the reopening of churches.

Earlier this week Trevor Gribben, clerk of the general assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, said he was “delighted” that an end was in sight for the lockdown of churches.

“Back in March it was with genuine sadness that we had to close our churches,” he said.

“Nearly 100 days have passed since our congregations were last able to gather together for Sunday worship and other activities, and as we see more areas of community life gradually emerging from the worst impacts of Covid-19, this announcement will be appreciated across the denominations”.

Writing in today’s News Letter (page 20), our churches correspondent Billy Kennedy reflects on the impact of the coronavirus crisis on churchgoers.

He says: “The concept of our churches completely shut, while off-licences were open to sell large amounts of alcohol, was an appalling contradiction, considered incompatible with the deeply-held religious values and standards upheld by a great mass of people in this part of UK.”