We are both Christians and belong to a Christian community.

We write with deep concern about why the churches are being closed.

We write not to cause upset but to simply ask why?

Our own personal consciences cannot let this pass without comment as to the real harm this will do and the way we are being told we can only worship God without meeting in a church.

As Christians there is a real desire to show compassion-care and to help the needy in our community.so how can we do this when the church is closed?

One could make the point that it is easy to meet on Zoom or Skype but we have members who have no access to a computer.

So here are our reasons as to why churches should remain open:

1The buildings and resources have been given by God to use. So how can we be told what to do by the government, or somebody outside the Christian community with out proper consultation.

2 Having been advised how to make the church safe, why was this subsequently done and w were told to close. This has affected Easter, Remembrance Day and, possibly Christmas.

3 Church buildings are used for any number of community events; for prayer; for help and sanctuary during the cod, wet winter months.

4 We understand other group venues can stay open then why have churches been singled out. This could be seen as discriminatory.

There are some cases where closing the church and not meeting face to face will and has caused immense suffering. We have some members in homes for disables and retired people...where no visitors are allowed.

These people have become totally isolated and one lady member of our church was distressed and said it felt like she was in prison.

Surely at a time of national crisis a church is a place to seek practical and spiritual help.

We ask the government to reconsider and ask who benefits from these closures.

At the end of the day we have adhered to the measures to make churches safe, so why the closure of our church?

Read more letters sent to the County Press here. Do you have a view on this or any other subject? Send us a letter to editor@iwcp.co.uk