Churches opening

[Lamb]

Has your church opened up yet? If it has, will you start attending, take communion, sing...etc?

 

[Jason]

Churches here are not opened yet and we are all waiting for it. Yes i will be attending Church and want to Praise God for what he has done in this pandemic time.

 

[NerdGirl123]

I'm literally watching a video right now from my church about a survey they sent out about how their members feel about possibly reopening. Right now, the governor where I live is only allowing churches to operate at 30% capacity (honestly, how are you going to pick and choose who's allowed in and who's not? lol). A lot of congregants (including myself) would be happy to attend wearing face masks and keeping a distance from others. But the church leaders are choosing to wait a few more weeks before restarting services, which I can totally respect.

 

[Josiah]

I'm the chair of our Ad Hoc Re-Opening Committee.... Our District of our denomination has lots of materials available on their website and we're working our way though all that. Our insurance company will have LOTS to say about this - and they've informed us of that - yet so far have said NOTHING about what they WILL (someday) make us do. The State of California is purposely evading the whole issue of churches (religion is entirely off the radar of the People's Republic of California), the issue here is still whether something is "ESSENTIAL" (this includes recreational pot shops, liquor stores) and what is not (churches, AA meetings, funerals, weddings, etc.).... what buildings can be CROWDED with unlimited numbers of people (Costco) and where two cannot occupy a space of ANY size, no matter what the "social distancing" (churches).

Some counties, including ours, seem willing to consider churches as a sub-group of businesses such as restaurants, and there's some talk of some counties allowing re-opening. Other counties may be much later. Who knows....

We're mostly waiting. We've super-cleaned everything, rows are 6 feet apart, we've ordered automatic hand santizers, we've thought about how to eliminate folks needing to touch stuff. But we need to wait until the County or State finally hands down the guidelines for us. That COULD happen any day now - or may not happen for months. Meanwhile - all churches that worship more than 1 are forbidden, unless it's outdoors only, in enclosed cars (windows can't be open), and the cars are parked at least 6 feet apart. That's permitted. And the cops will show up to make sure all the windows are closed and the cars are not parked any closer.

The secular press here is OBSESSED with a case where somehow, a church member exposed 180 others to this virus. Details are never included. Of course, has this happened at Costco? Or CVS Pharmacy? Or at any recreational pot shop or liquor store? We aren't being told, only that it seems to have happened in some non-disclosed way among church members in California. And this is why churches can't be re-opened.


California seems "stuck" in the "essential vs. non-essential" designations declared by liberal, secular politicans. And it seems anything spiritual isn't even on their radar. I think they consider God in the same category as the Easter Bunny. What MATTERS are recreational pot shops. What matters is what is needed and what contributes to the economy, the church looses at both points.

We're as ready as we can be..... until the secular government lifts the ban, however little they do so, for however long they force it. Meanwhile, there's streaming and zoom.



- Josiah




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[tango]

California seems "stuck" in the "essential vs. non-essential" designations declared by liberal, secular politicans. And it seems anything spiritual isn't even on their radar. I think they consider God in the same category as the Easter Bunny. What MATTERS are recreational pot shops. What matters is what is needed and what contributes to the economy, the church looses at both points.

It seems like most of the country is there. It's essential that we can buy liquor but buying a pair of shoes is a deadly risk. You can't have a knee replacement however much pain you're in but you can have an abortion. You can go to Walmart but not to church.

It's hard to take much that governors say seriously when the rules are so full of arbitrary designations and inconsistencies.

Our church is resuming in-person services in a couple of weeks. I'll be there because I look after the audiovisual stuff. If I wasn't looking after the AV stuff I'd still be there because I want to be there.

 

[Josiah]

It seems like most of the country is there. It's essential that we can buy liquor but buying a pair of shoes is a deadly risk. You can't have a knee replacement however much pain you're in but you can have an abortion. You can go to Walmart but not to church.

It's hard to take much that governors say seriously when the rules are so full of arbitrary designations and inconsistencies.

Our church is resuming in-person services in a couple of weeks. I'll be there because I look after the audiovisual stuff. If I wasn't looking after the AV stuff I'd still be there because I want to be there.

Here in the People's Republic of California, churches MAY be permitted to re-open sometime in June (in a few counties, anyway) but it seems ONLY if they have their services OUTDOORS. Lots of emphasis on "OUTDOOR ONLY." Now, churches are the ONLY organization in the entire state with this restriction.... no such ruling for pot shops, liquor stores, government offices, fitness centers, restaurants, schools, daycare centers, markets, hair salons, or ANY business of ANY type being discussed, this "OUTDOOR ONLY" thing is being discussed for just one: Anything "religious." We are working with that.... that we'll probably open with services on the parking lot.... but we ain't happy about it and HOPE someone notes the unequal treatment here (but I doubt it).

BTW, the US Department of Justice has reviewed California's re-opening plan and I understand is threatening legal action - noting "unequal justice under the law." DUH.


I LOVE California! I just hate the government.



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[NewCreation435]

I expect to get news any day now as we enter phase two in my state on Friday at 5 pm. I don't know what that will look like and those decisions are probably even now being made about how we will go back to worshipping inside. I will probably wait a little longer before going back. I am not convinced it is safe yet.

 

[JRT]

Yesterday we set a new record. Worldwide 106,000 people died of COVID-19. This far from over.

 

[NerdGirl123]

Again. Those numbers are inflated.

 

[hedrick]

It is looking increasingly like masks are important. There's new experimental evidence. There's any intriguing evidence from New York. They have been doing a lot of testing. They've found the the infection rate among front-line people -- hospital workers, bus drivers, prison guards -- is *less* than the general population. The only reason they can come up with is that these people have to wear masks.

It is possible that a normal indoor church service is safe, as long as everyone wears masks all the time and no one sings. (Seriously -- singing is really dangerous.)

Personally, I'd start with outdoor service, and skip for a Sunday if it's too rainy. But I'm guessing you'll be able to do indoor services fairly soon if everyone wears masks.

Not that I'd go. I'm in the age group that's in danger. I'm probably not going to return to normal church services for quite a while.

 

[tango]

It is looking increasingly like masks are important. There's new experimental evidence. There's any intriguing evidence from New York. They have been doing a lot of testing. They've found the the infection rate among front-line people -- hospital workers, bus drivers, prison guards -- is *less* than the general population. The only reason they can come up with is that these people have to wear masks.

It is possible that a normal indoor church service is safe, as long as everyone wears masks all the time and no one sings. (Seriously -- singing is really dangerous.)

Personally, I'd start with outdoor service, and skip for a Sunday if it's too rainy. But I'm guessing you'll be able to do indoor services fairly soon if everyone wears masks.

Not that I'd go. I'm in the age group that's in danger. I'm probably not going to return to normal church services for quite a while.

I read that New York had also found a higher incidence in cases among people who stayed indoors. Of course medics have the kind of masks the rest of us can't have due to lack of supply so it's not even as if we can necessarily conclude that a scrap of fabric over our mouths is even remotely useful.

As for singing, it's not dangerous. It may be more dangerous IF you have the virus but it's not as if it's inherently dangerous to sing.

 

[hedrick]

I read that New York had also found a higher incidence in cases among people who stayed indoors. Of course medics have the kind of masks the rest of us can't have due to lack of supply so it's not even as if we can necessarily conclude that a scrap of fabric over our mouths is even remotely useful.

As for singing, it's not dangerous. It may be more dangerous IF you have the virus but it's not as if it's inherently dangerous to sing.

In a world where we don’t know who has it, singing is dangerous. Of course its not inherently dangerous, and it will eventually be fine. But not now.

i don’t think bus drivers and prison guards are wearing n95 masks. Just surgical masks, which are now pretty widely available.

 

[George]

Ours is reopening the doors on May 31st.

 

[Lamb]

My church is primarily older people so it will be awhile before it opens back up.

What do you think about communion? Will the process change for you? I usually drink from the common cup. Should I be concerned?

 

[NewCreation435]

My church is primarily older people so it will be awhile before it opens back up.

What do you think about communion? Will the process change for you? I usually drink from the common cup. Should I be concerned?

We don't use a common cup, but I think communion does present some concerns as it relates to the virus. I'm not sure how you do that in a safe way

 

[tango]

In a world where we don’t know who has it, singing is dangerous. Of course its not inherently dangerous, and it will eventually be fine. But not now.

So I guess driving is also dangerous then, since we don't know who is asleep at the wheel and who is drunk, right? When other diseases have been going around we don't know who has those either but we've never made claims that singing is dangerous. During regular flu season the flu can be fatal to immune-compromised people but nobody talks about not singing too loudly.

i don’t think bus drivers and prison guards are wearing n95 masks. Just surgical masks, which are now pretty widely available.

GIven the reports of increased incidence of COVID among people who are staying home I still wouldn't be too quick to draw conclusions that a scrap of cloth does a whole lot to protect people who going outside.

 

[Josiah]

We will open when the State and County permit, and while the GUESS is perhaps sometime in June, so far, not one word. "Religion" is off the radar in The People's Republic of California.

There no doubt will be rules for churches. Arbitrary, contradictory and perhaps discriminating ones. And we need to wait and see what those are.

Meanwhile, we are streaming the services, doing Bible Studies and meetings via zoom, and doing private communion. This is going better than predicted - I think we actually have MORE participation now than before this mess.


Blessings to all your churches....


- Josiah




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[tango]

We will open when the State and County permit, and while the GUESS is perhaps sometime in June, so far, not one word. "Religion" is off the radar in The People's Republic of California.

There no doubt will be rules for churches. Arbitrary, contradictory and perhaps discriminating ones. And we need to wait and see what those are.

Meanwhile, we are streaming the services, doing Bible Studies and meetings via zoom, and doing private communion. This is going better than predicted - I think we actually have MORE participation now than before this mess.


Blessings to all your churches....


- Josiah




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It's well known that the virus is particularly dangerous inside churches. It doesn't cross the threshold at Walmart though. Perhaps we should meet for corporate worship in the aisles of Walmart.