A Law conservation firm in USA launched a “ReOpen Church Sunday” initiative, calling on churches to begin gathering in person again despite reports of the deadly novel corona-virus being spread during worship services.
The campaign organized by Liberty Counsel, which created a website for the initiative encouraging Christian leaders to begin holding in-person worship the weekend of May 3 — just days ahead of the National Day of Prayer on May 7.
“There’s a lot of practical ways that churches can begin thinking through the process of reopening and, at the same time, protecting the health of all of its participants in the community — and then giving other alternative options,” Mat Staver, founder of Liberty Counsel, told Religion News Service.
Staver’s campaign suggests churches take a phased approach, allowing some worshippers to gather in person while maintaining social distancing but also providing options for people to participate from their cars or, if they belong to an at-risk population, at home via livestream. The campaign’s website also contains a list of suggested safety measures, such as sanitizing worship spaces and checking temperatures at the door.
“We’re encouraging this to begin the process of reopening, not to fill the sanctuaries to maximum capacity,” he said.
Staver, whose group also represents a Florida pastor recently arrested after continuing to hold large worship services despite local regulations, pointed to the Trump administration’s new “Opening Up America Again” initiative as inspiration for ReOpen Church Sunday. He noted that the president’s plan lists places of worship as one of several “large venues” that could “operate under strict physical distancing protocols.”
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