A congregation of NHS workers was barred from the Bromley church where it met for years by a minister who branded the group a coronavirus risk.

The largely Indian congregation met on Sunday afternoons at Bickley's Holmcroft Church, part of the Assemblies of God Pentecostal movement, as their shift patterns meant they were unable to make the morning service with their families.

Following the pandemic’s arrival in March, the church’s minister told them they were no longer welcome as they posed a risk to other churchgoers, changing the locks to prevent entry.

An English-speaking member of the congregation, who wished to remain anonymous, said: “They now have no spiritual home to go back to, at the very time they need some support and comfort.

“They work extremely long hours, very hard, saving lives.

“They do high risk jobs that are extremely necessary and don’t even think about it.

“One night we were clapping for them, the next they were banned from Church.

"It’s very sad for them, as they don’t understand what they’ve done wrong.”

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The congregation, known as Holmcroft Two, split from the church's main congregation around three years ago, so it could meet with a Malayalam interpreter at a more convenient time.

A new minister, named Mr Ciolan, took responsibility for the running of Holmcroft Church in October 2019.

He allegedly adopted a hostile attitude to Holmcroft Two early on, excluding Indian children from participation in last year’s carol service.

Holmcroft Two’s administrator was bluntly informed by text in March that the congregation was no longer welcome, due to the risk they would contaminate the church with coronavirus.

Locked out of their spiritual home, the group now has to make-do with meeting on Zoom.

It is further alleged that Mr Ciolan, who is from Romania, offered Holmcroft Two the opportunity to return last month, at the cost of £500 a month and without access to a key.

News Shopper approached Holmcroft Church directly. The church declined to comment.

A spokesperson for Assemblies of God said: “You will be aware that Holmcroft church is a locally autonomous charitable organisation, and as such is free to conduct all its congregational affairs without infringing its rightful privileges by any other organisation, including AoG Inc.

“However, having been made aware of the situation, we are in contact with all parties, and are providing support in order to help them to agree together a way forward, as much as we are able to do under current circumstances and bearing in mind their local governance structure.”