Coronavirus: Worship services at Methodist churches suspended for 2 weeks

The Paya Lebar Methodist Church in a photo taken on Feb 10, 2020. All worship services at Methodist churches in Singapore will be suspended for two weeks till April 4. ST PHOTO: MARCELLIN LOPEZ

SINGAPORE - All worship services at Methodist churches here will be suspended for two weeks till April 4.

The Methodist Church in Singapore said on Friday (March 20) that it plans to resume services on April 5, which is Palm Sunday and marks the start of Holy Week before Easter Sunday on April 12. It plans to put in place precautionary measures.

The notice, signed off by Bishop Chong Chin Chung, said a meeting between the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth and various church leaders was held on Thursday.

It added that the church is "fully committed to working with the authorities to promote the physical distancing measures advised by (the ministry)".

"We will still provide pastoral care and prayer support through means that do not require large face-to-face gatherings," it said.

The Methodist Church in Singapore has more than 40 churches and around 44,000 members, according to its website.

The Church also urged its members not to attend other churches during the period of suspension as it would "defeat the purpose and sacrifice we are making to break the chain of infection".

They can instead tune in to livestreaming and podcast services available at www.methodist.org.sg/livestream or check out the arrangements by individual churches.

On Thursday, the Anglican Diocese of Singapore had also suspended all regular worship services and gatherings in Anglican parish churches islandwide till April 3.

The announcement came after St Andrew's Cathedral, the oldest Anglican site of worship in Singapore, was closed after one of its members was infected with the coronavirus.

The Roman Catholic Church here has suspended its masses indefinitely since Feb 15.

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