Churches, mosques and gurdwaras are finding their new normal as lockdown lifts and slightly more relaxed restrictions are introduced. The new restrictions include a limit of 50 guests at weddings and funerals, and a one person per 4sqm rule for places of worship.
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Reverend Andrew Grace said that the new restrictions were challenging but they were making the best of it with six masses every weekend so that all of the parish can attend.
"We're allowed one singer, standing from a distance away. The congregation can't sing, but we can still lip sync," he joked.
"It means we can only fit 85 in our church, while we normally have a capacity of 350. Nonetheless, we're putting on six masses every weekend so people can attend the next one ... We livestream every mass so we're encouraging the elderly who might have poor health to stay at home and get their children to set them up with an iPad so they can watch."
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The diocese has been busy with excited families rescheduling wedding dates and baptisms that had to be postponed due to the lockdown, and that they'd be busy with catching up for the next few weeks.
Manjit Lali, a local Sikh, said that they were keen to see things get back to a sense of normality.
"Hopefully that'll start picking up again. We want to bring the momentum back ... the only thing is people staying aware, and then everyone will be alright."
He mentioned concerns of the coronavirus still coming to Griffith.
"As long as nobody comes in from the outside with it, we'll be good," he said.
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