Will Churches be closed due to coronavirus pademic?

[hobie]

They are closing schools and canceling events with large numbers of people, will this lead to churches closing....

"The spread of coronavirus has compelled hundreds of K-12 schools in the U.S. to close, affecting more than 850,000 students, according to an analysis by Education Week. And those numbers are certain to increase in the coming days, as concerned parents call for more school closures.

The growing health crisis presents school leaders with a painful choice. Closing schools as has been done, so far, in China, Japan, Italy and elsewhere is a proven measure that has been shown to slow the spread of disease and, in turn, save lives. But it also causes huge economic and social disruption, especially for children, millions of whom depend on the free and reduced-cost meals they get at school."....

When Should Schools Close For Coronavirus?

Closing schools can slow the spread of disease and, in turn, save lives. But it also causes huge disruptions, especially for children who depend on the free and reduced-cost meals they get at school.

www.npr.org

They are suspending the NBA after one player was found to test positive, with the large gatherings a concern....

"The NBA has suspended the 2019-20 season after a Utah Jazz player, reportedly Rudy Gobert, tested positive for COVID-19. Games in progress on the night of March 11 will be completed."....

Coronavirus live updates: Minor League Baseball season canceled; Players opt out of 60-game MLB season

How the coronavirus pandemic is affecting sports around the globe

www.cbssports.com

It is only a matter of time before they gatherings at churches is going to become a matter of concern and draw the attention of health officials and others. What happens then...

 

[psalms 91]

More panic is what happens next and yes I think church will be cancelled as well

 

[hobie]

Well this is interesting...
"HOUSTON - Lakewood Church will be holding this weekend's worship services online due to the growing coronavirus concerns citywide. "...

Lakewood Church moves services online due to coronavirus concerns

According to TMZ, Joel Osteen will not cancel worship services at Lakewood despite growing coronavirus concerns and the cancellation of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.

www.fox26houston.com

"Lakewood Church cancels in-person services due to coronavirus concerns
The megachurch said it was indefinitely suspending in-person services due to the threat of spreading COVID-19."... https://www.khou.com/article/news/h...erns/285-0c989a92-756b-4876-841d-d75b0d3828dc

 

[Lamb]

I think it depends on the church really. My church is comprised of mostly older congregants and they're already worried about catching other contagious things as it is. I worry about them a lot and make sure I don't go to church when not feeling well and sometimes it's hard with my bad allergies to know right away if I have a cold or just allergies!

Some churches are worried about taking communion and how that is passing germs along. I take from the common cup and the wine has antiseptic properties but the chalice does as well and the pastor wipes it down after each person partakes so I'm not worried.

 

[Andrew]

Lakewood for sure

 

[tango]

Sure, more panic is just what we need.

My church has a lot of older folks in it and during the winter months we sometimes find attendance drops because the older folks don't want to be traveling in snow and ice. What happened to letting people decide for themselves whether to attend church?

It will be interesting to see what the knock-on effects of closing schools might be. If school is closed then at least one parent has to stay home. If that parent works in the emergency services then those services will be ever-more stretched. What happens if, say, a single parent is a police officer or an ER nurse and can't report for work for two weeks because their child can't go to school and all the daycare facilities are closed down?

 

[Josiah]

I hope not



.

 

[JRT]

Churches and other houses of worship are already closed in Italy.

 

[ImaginaryDay2]

I think it depends on what precautions are necessary for that congregation in a specific area. I didn't read the link, and don't know the specifics of what's happening in Houston, but if you consider Lakewood is the size of a sports arena, the call is probably justified. Safe and resonable steps are warranted, and what these look like will vary community to community. As for where I live there are precautions my church is making (social distancing, receiving communion elements in a different fashion, receiving offerings following the service at exit doors as opposed to passing the plate, etc.) to minimize risk. There are also general guidelines put forward by the LCC Synod for the safety of all congregations. They seem reasoned in light of what's happening to minimize risk.

 

[Confessional Lutheran]

I hope and pray to God that they won't, but who knows what kind of safety precautions we're going to have to follow? The panic is probably worse than the plague and the coronavirus is tragic enough without the panic.

 

[Lamb]

From what I've read and heard closing events and gatherings of large groups isn't for panic but to help our health industry deal with the flow of people since we won't have enough beds to cover the need if this is as contagious as they think.

 

[psalms 91]

Considering that it is not really much worse than flu I would say that there is a lot of scare tactics being used out there. I dont buy it

 

[tango]

From what I've read and heard closing events and gatherings of large groups isn't for panic but to help our health industry deal with the flow of people since we won't have enough beds to cover the need if this is as contagious as they think.

The ironic thing is that you're probably safer in a stadium (wide open space, in the fresh air) than squashed into a confined closed space like a pub or sports bar. Watching the match live is almost certainly much safer, from an antivirus perspective, than watching it on TV with friends.

 

[Josiah]

Considering that it is not really much worse than flu I would say that there is a lot of scare tactics being used out there. I dont buy it

Of course, I'm NO expert on this.... and I have NO credentials here.... but I too feel there is a PANIC being created and I'm not sure it's entirely for medical reasons. And it sure doesn't seem well thought out.

In the People's Republic of California, the governor here has issued an executive order (because in a One Party State, law is irrelevant) that all groups of over 250 should not meet... and should have 6 feet around each person. THEN when he realized this impacts hospitals, schools, stores, "Indian" casinos (one of the Democrats biggest supporters) and HOLLYWOOD (another big supporter) - even Mickey Mouse - why he "back peddled" as fast as he could but only ended up sounding like an idiot in doing so (and the damage done).

Some churches have more than 250 at a service.... and can't provide the 6 feet between people during all the service.... so the People's Republic of
California may close those churches (churches don't tend to be supporters of the Democrats..... so that probably doesn't matter). But a lot of churches either have services smaller than 250 or could add services so that is the case. I don't know about the six feet around you rule....





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[tango]

My friend's church has a very simple approach to this. Among their changes - there's no need for handshakes because we can assume anybody is welcome at any time.

Even a little bit of perspective is really useful here. The majority of people will probably get the virus. The overwhelming majority of them will survive with no major symptoms. Sadly that sort of thing doesn't sell papers.

 

[hedrick]

My church just closed for this Sunday. It's hard to predict how long this will last. The models I've looked at suggest precautions will have to continue through the summer. Unless warm weather slows it, in which case through the fall.

 

[Andrew]

I don't see why locals should be afraid, as for mega churches there are pilgrimages and travelers so that's a cause for concern.. I mean the panic frenzy has forced everyone to get what they can even if they weren't in panic mode they are now because people really need things..
the logic that they stuff themselves into the stores and shut down a local church is a bit odd

 

[tango]

There can always be visitors to a church however small and however remote.

It's going to keep coming back to a sense of perspective. Yesterday I was in the grocery store to buy some toilet roll. No panic buying, we were down to the last couple of rolls and needed some more. In the store was a person with a shopping cart piled high with toilet roll. Unless she was hosting the United Nations conference in her house, or genuinely expecting to be unable to get any more toilet roll for the next several years, what she was doing was totally out of proportion. The trouble is when people start doing that and creating supply shortages it encourages others to stock up - the last thing you want is to be down to the last couple of rolls and find you can't get any more because some idiot bought enough to last them a lifetime.

Stores and churches are obviously very different situations but the same lack of perspective that causes people to pile their cart with toilet paper and then figure they can balance a couple more on the top because - you know - you can't be too safe, is the same lack of perspective that triggers shutdowns of just about everything.

The sad reality is that panic usually makes things worse. If you shut down the schools and daycare centers what are working single parents supposed to do? They can't go to work and leave small children home alone all day but probably can't afford to lose their income for however long the schools are closed. If that single parent is a police officer, ER nurse or similar you've now got understaffed emergency services at the time you apparently need the emergency services the most.

On a positive note, perhaps something like this will result in a bit of change as people come to see just how finely balanced everything is and how vulnerable it is to panic setting in.

 

[Lamb]

I don't see why locals should be afraid, as for mega churches there are pilgrimages and travelers so that's a cause for concern.. I mean the panic frenzy has forced everyone to get what they can even if they weren't in panic mode they are now because people really need things..
the logic that they stuff themselves into the stores and shut down a local church is a bit odd

You're right! Seeing pics of the stores right now is crazy because they're packed in like sausages in the hundreds!! I'm glad I went out early on Wednesday and did my usual shopping trip so we're good for a while. I might need milk but we live near the farms so I can easily get some at the dairy stores.

 

[psalms 91]

The whole thing is crazy, nothing but panic. Where is peoples faith at? We say God can but do we really believe it? A situation like this is a reality check for where our faith level is.