In a Zoom Meeting of the General Presbytery of the Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster, held on Saturday 21st of November, the following statement was presented and accepted with reference to the Presbytery’s view on the Stormont Executive’s proposed two-week lockdown. It was also agreed that this statement would be read in our churches on Sunday 22nd November, issued to the public press and sent to the Stormont Executive.

“As a Presbytery we wish to make known publicly our views upon the recently introduced lockdown measures to be in place for a further two weeks.

While we agree with the efforts of government to control and minimise the effects of Covid-19, and while we are concerned about the effects of lock-down measures upon society in terms of the material welfare of the citizens of this Province, yet above all else, the closure of places of public worship for a further two weeks is of major concern and regret to us.

We would remind Legislators that assembling to worship in public gatherings is an essential right and privilege bestowed on mankind by God as Creator and Redeemer in order to provide for the spiritual and mental well-being of humanity.

We would also remind Legislators that, as history clearly reveals, liberty to worship according to Scripture and the Gospel has contributed to the material stability and prosperity of society.

Therefore, while we are prepared to be in subjection to government guidelines with respect to Covid-19 in terms of this proposed two-week closure of places of worship, we would urge upon the Stormont Executive that they must make every possible effort to ensure that there are no further such closures.

We would also urge the Stormont Executive to issue a call to prayer for the intervention of Almighty God in the face of this pandemic that He might graciously remove it.”