Faith leaders prepare to open
MOSQUES AND churches across Calderdale are preparing to welcome back the community as lockdown restrictions are eased.
Places of worship will be allowed to re-open as of July 4. Services may be hosted, however singing is banned as it can spread the virus. Social distancing measures must be implemented in the venues.
Vicar of Halifax Hilary Barber, the vice-chair of Calderdale Interfaith Council, said: “Like many members of the community, a lot of faith leaders feel very anxious about re-opening. They believe they have a moral duty to protect the community.
“Many congregations have a lot of elderly members and faith leaders don’t want people to come back, catch the virus and die. Lockdown has impacted on all faiths in different ways. Buddhists and Hindus are able to pray at home, so lockdown hasn’t impacted worship too much, and most Jewish people go to the Synagogue Bradford. Private prayer doesn’t really exist in Islam, services have a big focus on community and togetherness.
“The Government has given a lot of mixed messages during lockdown. We know we are allowed to reopen on July 4 but the precise details of what we need to do still isn’t set in stone.”
Canon Michael Storey, a retired priest from Brighouse, said: “Everyone has suffered during the lockdown; meeting people being, quite properly, very limited.
“People with a religious faith have suffered through not being able to worship together in their churches/chapels,mosques etc. While praying at home is, of course, something Christians do anyway, being together is very important. Community life is central to Christianity, and all faiths I think. People will be better able to take the Love of God out into a world, which needs that love in these tough times.”
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‘Like many members of the community, a lot of faith leaders feel very anxious about reopening’