KUCHING: The Anglican churches in Zone One will resume its congregational worship services beginning this Sunday after it was closed for nearly three weeks.
On July 26, several Anglican churches have suspended its church services in view of the increasing number of Covid-19 cases in Kuching and Samarahan during that particular week.
Churches in Zone One covers those in Kuching, Samarahan, Bau, Serian, and Lundu. Among the churches that will reopen in Kuching area are St Thomas Cathedral, St Faith’s, St Francis, St Basil, St Mattew, Tabuan Jaya Anglican Church, All Saints, St Margaret, St Paul, St Mary and St Simon.
For other areas, St James Church in Quop, St Helen (Serian), All Saints (Bengoh) St Paul (Bunuk), St Philip (Padawan), St Francis (Lundu) St Mary (Bau) and St Matthew (Mundai) will also reopen.
Bishop of the Anglican Church in Sarawak and Brunei Right Reverend Datuk Danald Jute said with the whole of Sarawak now declared as green, the churches are pleased to lift the suspension of all congregational worship services starting this Sunday.
“However, the maximum number of worshippers at any one service remains at 130 persons,” he told New Sarawak Tribune when contacted.
He said the reopening of its churches in Zone One must go hand in hand with greater attentiveness to observing the standard operating procedure (SOP), which include wearing face masks, observance of physical distancing, and regular washing or sanitising of hands.
“The declaration that Sarawak is now all green does not in any way mean that the danger is over. We are far from being out of the woods yet. Hence, we must remain vigilant and continue to do our part to help curb any further spread of Covid-19.
“In a smouldering pandemic such as this Covid-19, one ember can change the game. It takes only one infected person to cause a flare of infections,” he said.
Danald added online masses are still being live streamed as usual on Sunday. For English mass, it starts at 8.30am, Mandarin mass at 10.30am and mass in Iban at 2pm.
