Closed churches statement
All Parishes across East Sussex have been asked to voluntarily suspend attendance at public worship, (though individually, without a congregation, the clergy can still conduct and stream services inside their churches), until COVID cases decline across all East Sussex districts.
The request originated from the Director of Public Health and East Sussex County Council. The request does not affect other parts of the Diocese.
Whilst acknowledging the wonderful efforts that clergy and laity have made to make our churches COVID-secure the request is that we cease public worship within them until the infection rates decrease.
Churches can remain open for prayer and funerals can still take place.
Current Government advice allows for public worship to continue but both the national Church and the Diocese have stressed that decisions about this need to be taken with local circumstances in mind as rates COVID infection rates fluctuate from area to area.
The situation is being constantly monitored both locally and diocesan-wide.