A Mississippi church is shouting victory, after a ban on drive in church services has been lifted.
DRIVE IN CHURCH SERVICESGOVERNOR TATE REEVES IS SIDINGWITH THE CHURCH, AS THE JUSTICEDEPARTMENT JOINS THELEGAL ACTION... THIS ALL STARTED WITH THE MAYOROF THE CITYOF GREENVILLE BANNING CHURCHSERVICEGATHERINGS, AS PART OF A STAY ATHOME ORDERISSUED TO SLOW THE SPREAD OFCORONAVIRUS...TEMPLE BAPTIST CHURCH FILED AFEDERALLAWSUIT LAST FRIDAY OVER THECITY'SACTION...THEY BELIEVE MAYOR ERRICKSIMMONS'EXECUTIVE ORDER BANNING SERVICESWASUNCONSTITUTIONAL...ATTORNEY GENERAL WILLIAM BARRALSO WEIGHED IN, SAYINGRELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONSMUST NOT BE SINGLED OUT FORSPECIALBURDENS....GOVERNOR TATE REEVES BELIEVESTHE PROBLEWAS WITH THE EXECUTIVE ORDER...THE ACTIONS OF AN OVERBURDENSOME GOVERNMENTACTUALLY PUT MORE PEOPLE ATRISK, THAN HAD THEY NOT TAKENTHOSE ACTIONSTHE GOVERNOR SAYS IN THIS CASE,THECONGREGANTS WERE IN THIER CARSWITH THEWINDOWS ROLLD UP, LISTENING TOTHEPASTOR ON THE RADIO...GREENVILLE POLICE OFFICEROFFICERS HADTHEM ROLL WINDOWS DOWN, TO GIVETHEM 5HUNDRED DOLLAR FINES... BUT THEGOVERNOR ALSO SAYS THEY MAYORHAD THE RIGHT TO ISSUE THATDIRECTIVE...LOCAL JURISDICTIONS HAVE THERIGHT TO GO FURTHER THANMY EXECUTIVE ORDER DOES BUTREEVES ALSO SAYS LOCAL LEADERSDON'THAVE THE ABLILTY TO ISSUEEXECUTIVEORDERS THAT CONFLICT WITH THESTATES'DESIGNATION OF ESSENTIALBUISNESSES... THE MAYOR IS NOWBACKING OFF OF THOSEORDERS, AND DROPPING THE FINES...GRAPHICMAYOR SIMMONS RELEASED ASTATEMENTTHIS EVENING, SAYING HE ISPLEASED THATGOVERNOR REEVES HAS RESPONDED TOHIS PUBLIC REQUEST FORDEFINITIVE GUIDANCE ONDRIVE-IN AND PARKING LOT CHURCHSERVICES...THE MAYOR SAYS PARKING LOTSERVICESARE ALLOWED AS LONG AS FAMILIESSTAY INTHEIR CARS WITH WINDOWS UP ANDADHERE TO ALL STATE AND FEDERALSOCIALDISTANCING GUIDELINES.
THE LAWSUIT FILED BY TEMPLEBAPTIST CHURCH IS STILL MAKINGIT'S WAY THROUGH FEDERALCOURT...GOVERNOR REEVES SAYS HE WILLLOOKFORWARD TO A JUDGE'S RULING ONTHE MATTER...
The Williamson County Ag Expo parking lot was full of cars Sunday morning for a drive-in church service.
Many Easter celebrations took place online or in parking lots as social distancing orders remain in effect.
