Want to go to church during COVID-19 crisis? Here’s what to know for Macon, Middle GA

Gov. Brian Kemp’s plan to jumpstart Georgia’s economy allows religious organizations to hold in-person services again, as long as faith leaders follow strict social distancing guidelines.

“I urge faith leaders to continue to help us in this effort to keep their congregations safe by heeding the advice of public health officials,” Kemp said. “I do want to thank all of the faith leaders across this state who have stepped up an put their congregations and their state many times in front of their own institutions.”

Kemp recommended online, call in and drive-in services as a “good” option for churches.

Although Kemp never ordered religious organizations to close during the pandemic, he required people to stand six feet away from each other when gathering in groups of 10 or more in his shelter-in-place order that went into effect April 3.

Churches that hold services are encouraged to screen parishioners by checking their temperatures, clean the church thoroughly, supply masks and carefully consider bathroom access.

Several churches opted to have online and drive-in services before Kemp’s shelter-in-place order and even during Easter.

Jason McClendon, senior pastor of Community Church of God, said his church will continue to stream services on Facebook for safety reasons, especially with current data suggesting higher rates of infection and death for racial and ethnic minority groups.

“There’s just no reason for us to open up to where other people can be infected, and the only way to continue fighting this is to keep our people safe, staying inside and practicing social distancing,” he said.

Although McClendon said he understands that Kemp wants people to go to work, he said he doesn’t think it is quite time to open his church.

“As a pastor, our lives are more important than money,” he said. “I just really believe that it’s just not worth it. What good is it to make money but yet be sick and lose it all?”

Creede Hinshaw, interim senior pastor at Mulberry Street United Methodist Church, said the church will continue to provide video services until a group of healthcare professionals in its congregation advise them when and how to open.

“We are unwilling to risk the health and lives of our parishioners or the larger community with a premature opening. Many church’s most faithful members are the age group asked to be most cautious with their exposure to (the) virus,” he said in an email.

St. Joseph Catholic Church will also remain closed under the direction of the Diocese of Savannah and Bishop Gregory Hartmayer.

“Many of our priests fall into the high-risk category for this virus, as do a good number of the faithful,” said Bishop Hartmayer, in a letter to his congregation. “This is an unprecedented time in history, and we hardly imagined a time when we would have to weigh our Church’s spiritual progress against the brute necessities of general health and survival. But, we live in the reality of Easter, and even now we rejoice in the goodness of God and the saving grace of the Risen Lord.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has specific guidelines for faith-based organizations, including:

• Coordinate with local health officials
• Clean and disinfect church facilities
• Monitor staff for possible infections
• Communicate plans and procedures with staff and parishioners

If there is a minimal or moderate spread of COVID-19 in the local community, churches are encouraged to cancel or modify in-person group activities and implement multiple social distancing strategies, such as staying six feet apart, according to the CDC’s website.