Newark Parish Church to reopen for individual prayers with reduced opening times

Newark Parish Church plans to reopen next week after the town’s MP, Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick, said the time was right to allow private prayers with smaller services likely to follow soon.

It is hoped St Mary Magdalene will reopen Tuesdays to Saturdays, 10am to 2pm, depending on the availability of volunteers.

Social distancing will be adhered to and pews will be marked out accordingly.

Parish administrator Louise Riley, said: “We are currently planning and organising so that when we reopen we will be able to keep everyone who comes to our buildings safe.

“We will also aim to start offering St Leonard’s Church as a space for private prayer at selected times during the week, again from the week commencing June 22.

“The Church of England is allowing funerals to take place in churches.

“We are making plans for offering this at St Mary Magdalene Church as soon as possible.

“Unfortunately, we won’t be able to offer funerals at St Leonard’s at the current time.

“We will keep you updated about our plans.”

In one of his Downing Street coronavirus press conferences, Mr Jenrick said places of worship could reopen from Monday of this week as lockdown restrictions were eased.

He announced they can reopen but for individual prayers only, not ceremonies or congregations.

Mr Jenrick said: “Ensuring places of worship can open again, beginning with individual prayer, has been my priority.

“Their contribution to the common good of our country is clear, as places of solace, comfort, stability and dignity.

“And the need for them is all the greater as we weather the uncertainties of the pandemic.”

Mr Jenrick said he understood that people of faith may find it strange that places of worship would remain closed when shops and other places may open in the coming weeks and months.

He said he was working closely with faith leaders and had convened a taskforce that had brought together the main faith leaders.

He added: “I understand how important it is for millions of people in this country, and I can understand how people of faith would consider it strange that shops, cafés, pubs, restaurants, many other settings, might be open in the weeks and months ahead, but not somewhere as important as a place of worship.”