Move forward cautiously, some warned. According to a new study from the CDC, released just two days ago, “among 92 attendees at a rural Arkansas church during March 6–11, 35 (38%) developed laboratory-confirmed COVID-19, and three persons died.” The study is titled “High COVID-19 Attack Rate Among Attendees at Events at a Church — Arkansas, March 2020.”
To the Missouri-Synod Lutherans and the Catholics in MN who are planning to attend this Sunday, please read. Our cases and deaths are rising. Please think about this. #MinnesotaChurches #essential https://t.co/DxJJmMvJvM
— Pammyjov (@PammyJoV) May 22, 2020
We never ever closed, said some churches. For church leaders who are reopening their churches, some like Pastors Ed and Lisa Young of Fellowship Church in Grapevine, Texas, have taken painstaking measures to ensure congregants’ safety.
Other churches have used the Family Drive-In model to continue to meet these last few weeks.
Here’s what’s happening Sunday’s at 11:00am on the Mountain Movers Church campus…Family Drive-in. The Church is #ESSENTIAL! Worshipping with your church family, seeing one another’s faces, praying together, encouraging one another is crucial. Mountains will move. See ya soon! pic.twitter.com/tr4olcN8Pd
— Brad Helton (@_bradhelton) May 23, 2020
It was so refreshing being able to meet together as a church family this past Sunday! Although there are many precautions being taken it is well worth it. Join us live in person Sunday’s at 10:30am & 5pm Wednesday’s at 7pm! #churchisessential #weareopen pic.twitter.com/Oer4sAtf38
— First Baptist Church (@fbcclintonil) May 19, 2020
Religious liberties led some to defy orders the entire time. Pastor Tony Spell of Life Tabernacle Church in East Baton Rouge, Louisiana, never stopped meeting with his church and declared that his church would comply with closure orders when “they sell popsicles in hell.”
Trump’s timing seemed suspicious to some. According to Politico, Trump’s insistence on churches opening now may be motivated by political interests, especially in light of two recent studies that show Trump’s support among Evangelicals and Catholics is slipping.
No president has the power to override governors, legal commentators said. Josh Gerstein in “Trump Ordered States to Open Churches. Can He Do That?” on Politico.com wrote, “ ‘The president doesn’t have that power,’ said Rachel Laser of Americans United for Separation of Church and State. ‘The Tenth Amendment to the Constitution forbids the federal government from strongarming the states. These are reckless exaggerations that are obviously aimed at pandering to his base.’ ”
Regardless of one’s response to President Trump’s declaration, one thing is true: The church is the church wherever or however they meet.
Dear church, we are essential because our knees are bent in prayer, our eyes are filled w/ tears, our hearts are filled w/ compassion, our hands are serving humanity, our mouths are filled w/ His praises, our hearts filled w/ His Spirit, if we lose that, we cease to be essential.
— Kevin Wallace (@rttnpastor) May 23, 2020