The General Presbytery of the Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster, at its monthly meeting on Friday, 8th January 2021, discussed a recommendation tabled by the Presbytery’s Executive Committee, with respect to the increasingly serious health situation in Northern Ireland as created by the coronavirus pandemic.
The recommendation was that, in order to contribute toward minimising the alarming spread of the virus, worship services in Free Presbyterian Churches in Northern Ireland should be suspended. The Presbytery voted to implement the suspension of public worship in our churches with immediate effect for the following reasons:
- The Presbytery noted the reports it received from the Department of Health concerning the rising numbers of positive cases of Covid-19 in recent weeks. The information indicated that the R rate in Northern Ireland currently stands at 1.5 – the highest in any part of the UK, placing the NHS under severe pressure. Therefore, we believe that Christ’s Church has a moral obligation to contribute in a tangible fashion toward curbing the spread of the virus.
- The 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. 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 Presbytery also focused on the issue of the public testimony of the Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster. The Presbytery concluded that due to the increased prevalence of the virus, for testimony’s sake we must do our part as a denomination to curb the spread of the virus.
The Presbytery recognises the importance of the public worship of God and therefore the decision to suspend public worship temporarily has been taken with a heavy heart. However, as with the previous suspensions of public worship during the pandemic, this decision does not mean that as a denomination we cease to minister God’s Word, either to our own congregations or to the wider public. Drive-in services can still be employed. God in His providence has also given us electronic means of communicating His Word, and we can use these means diligently in days ahead.
The Presbytery also voted to set aside Saturday 16th January as a day of prayer. Details of the prayer times will be forwarded to our congregations. We encourage earnest and protracted prayer for a move of God both among His people and among the lost around us. God in His sovereignty has sent this virus and has not seen fit as yet to remove it. Undoubtedly He is speaking through this pandemic to the world. Clearly there is great opportunity to evangelise intensely so that sinners will come to know peace with God through Christ.
Finally, the Northern Ireland Executive has not legislated this suspension but has stated that churches themselves should manage this matter. Therefore, Presbytery has made this conscious decision to suspend public worship gatherings in our churches. This being so, this suspension will be kept under constant review by the Presbytery, and it will be the Presbytery’s decision as to when we return to public worship.
