Although some states open for business this weekend, a large number of churches aren’t ready to resume in-person services.
In Tennessee, where Gov. Bill Lee is allowing restaurants and other businesses to emerge from lockdown, provided they follow social distancing procedures, many churches are holding back until the state has reopened more fully. Lee, like many other governors, provided exemptions for churches in his stay-at-home order, but still encouraged people of faith to refrain from gathering.
The United Methodist Church announced last week that it plans to keep churches closed through May, citing “the best interest of our churches and faith communities.” Katie Strangis, spokesperson for the UMC in Knoxville, Tennessee, said that, for now, church leaders think it can better serve the community online.
“As a church, we are committed and actively working to create a plan for when that changes,” she said in a statement. “Our missions still continue to serve our neighbors in need through socially distanced and safe practices.”
Many Baptist, Presbyterian, and evangelical churches in the state are also continuing online services until the state opens up more fully. Some, such as Metropolitan Tabernacle, an evangelical church in Chattanooga, will also continue drive-in services until further notice.
Metro Tab sued Chattanooga Mayor Andy Berke in April after he issued an order banning its drive-in services. A federal judge ruled in favor of the church, saying that the mayor’s order had placed an undue burden on its members. The case was one of many clashes between religious liberty advocates and government officials during the period of statewide lockdowns.
Catholic churches in Tennessee also plan to remain until further notice. Members will be dispensed of their Sunday obligation through June, said Bishop Mark Spalding in the Diocese of Nashville. A spokesman for the diocese told the Washington Examiner that the diocese is anticipating a slow return to normalcy, and at this point, has “tentative” plans to resume public masses in mid-May.
“Even when public Masses have resumed, I encourage those who are vulnerable, sick or otherwise at risk or concerned about contracting or spreading disease, to refrain from attending Mass,” Spalding wrote to members of the diocese. “Those who do choose to return to Mass should observe all guidelines concerning social distancing and diligent hygiene.”
Nationwide, only four Catholic dioceses have reopened, and even then, only in stages. The first, in Las Cruces, New Mexico, opened when Bishop Peter Baldacchino announced that he did not agree with Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s order limiting church services to five people. Baldacchino added, however, that he would abide by the order, only allowing five people to attend services in-person at each church.
The other three dioceses, two in Montana and one in Texas, announced their plans to reopen after governors of their respective states issued orders easing restrictions on businesses. But these dioceses do not expect all churches to reopen immediately. When announcing his decision in a video, Bishop Austin Vetter, in Helena, Montana, said that he does not expect his churches to resume public mass until individual pastors feel it is safe.
“I ask all of you good people of God to be patient with us,” he said. “To be patient with us and with each other as we start phase one, to see how this goes.”
The situation is similar in Texas, where, like Tennessee, churches have been exempted from shutdowns, but still encouraged to move online. Gov. Greg Abbott, on Monday, announced that under his reopening strategy, churches should expect to “expand their capacity even more” in May.
But reactions have been mixed. Following Abbott’s order, Bishop Mark Seitz of the Diocese of El Paso wrote that Abbott’s words conveyed a “false sense of security” to people in Texas. Lakewood, one of the largest evangelical churches in the state, said that it will continue to offer services online only, citing public health concerns.
More than 80 Texas pastors signed a statement of opposition to Abbott’s intentions, prior to his announcement. Another 25 added theirs afterward, saying that it is still too soon to begin gathering in large numbers.
“We can see clearly at this time that resumption of larger group gatherings should not happen in the next six weeks,” the statement says. “Deciding when to resume in-person worship for larger gatherings should be evaluated as new information about the rate of new cases and the availability of testing is available.”
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp received widespread criticism last Friday when he became the first governor to reopen his state. Many churches stated that they had no immediate plans to resume public services.
