Here is a relevant excerpt from a recent email from Bishop Martin to clergy, Chruch Warden’s and licensed minister. I have highlighted the bit that might be of interest. Thanks to all who have written to the Bishops, or our MPs to raise concerns.

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

 I am continually grateful for all you are doing and will continue to do as we head into another form of lockdown. I wanted to update you as to where things are in terms of the new regulations from Thursday.

The new lockdown measures coming into force on Thursday will have a significant impact on the life of the Church as the current proposal is to close churches for acts of public worship. I have written to all the Members of Parliament with constituencies within the diocese to ask them to support churches remaining open for public worship. We need to make acts of public prayer for our nation in this time of crisis in our church buildings, and to provide the ministry of the sacrament as well as of the word to sustain the huge outpouring of selfless work to care for the neediest in our communities.  Thanks to your herculean efforts, to the best of our knowledge there has not been an outbreak of COVID 19 that can be traced to a church in Suffolk. The closure of churches for worship is of deep regret and you may want to read my comments in the East Anglian Daily Times (click HERE).