Georgia governor: 'I am pleading with you' not to attend service on Easter Sunday
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, a Republican called on the public Friday not to attend church services on Easter Sunday. "I am pleading with you to not attend any services in person," Kemp said in a statement. "If you attend worship services in person, you risk exposure to coronavirus — potentially endangering your life, the lives of your neighbors, and your loved ones. I know this decision is difficult, but we will get through this together." Kemp did not require churches to close entirely but has encouraged churches to suspend in-person services, saying that the precaution is "literally saving lives."
He also addressed the growing trend of churches holding drive-in services and said that churches should refrain from doing so because of police reports that congregants have been getting out of their cars "to let their children play, go to nearby restrooms, or otherwise congregate." Drive-in services have become a source of contention in many states, with many local governments moving to ban them. Mississippi police this week asked one church to shut down its planned Easter Sunday services and ticketed congregants of another when they gathered in a parking lot.
Georgia police on Sunday charged five church congregants for reckless conduct after they did not abide by social distancing guidelines during an indoor Palm Sunday service. Church leaders protested, saying that the state had a double standard by classifying some institutions as essential while calling churches nonessential. “Our faith is just as important as commerce,” said Clayton Cowart, the president of the church’s parent organization. “Our faith is as important as the law.”
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/georgia-governor-i-am-pleading-with-you-not-to-attend-service-on-easter-sunday