Minister defends church services, but says position is under review
The Minister of Cross Free Church (Continuing) has defended the church’s decision to hold services open to the congregation yesterday (Sunday, March 22nd) saying that they had followed government guidelines.
The church was one of a small number of local churches that held open services at the weekend and which were the subject of a number of attacks on social media for holding public gatherings in alleged contradiction of the government’s guidance.
Cross FC(C) minister, Rev. Greg MacDonald said that the decision to hold services was a matter for local Kirk sessions, and said: “I know that where Kirk sessions have made the decision to remain open it is very much on a day-by-day or hour-by-hour basis, because so much is changing so fast.
“I don’t know any congregation that has made a decision saying that we will be open come rain or shine irrespective of what happens. That’s certainly not a responsible position, and not one that I know of having been made.
“We deliberately encouraged folk in different vulnerable categories to remain at home. We’ve been streaming our services here live for years now, so there was an already made alternative for people.
“Our numbers were about half of what we would ordinarily expect and most of the ones who were there were younger folk and not so many of the older folk. Sensibly, they had stayed away.”
“Government guidance is changing fast”, Rev. MacDonald continued, “I could not say that I am fully up-to-date on the guidance today, but certainly by Friday and Saturday last week we were carefully looking at it, and the key points seem to be avoiding physical conduct, so we don’t shake hands at the door, we have actually reduced the manning at the door with only one man standing to greet those coming in.
“We are wiping down surfaces. We are removing pew bibles and pew psalm books as potential source of infection. We are practising social distancing within the church so people are sitting very far apart.
“Sadly the days
