Pastor reacts to churches opening

Gov. Tate Reeves announces some “good news” for Mississippi churchgoers.

GOVERNOR REEVES' PLAN CALLS FORLIMITING SERVICES, AND LIMITINGTHE AMOUNT OFWORSHIPERS IN SANTCUARIES... HEIS ENCOURAGING PASTORS TOREPLACECHOIRS WITH SOLO PERFORMANCES,OR SPREADING CHOIR MEMBERS OUTFORSERVICES TO SLOW THE SPREAD OFTHE VIRUS...PASTOR JERRY YOUNG OF NEW HOPEBAPTISTCHURCH HERE IN JACKSON SAYS FROMHISPERSPECTIVE IT IS WAY TOO SOONFOR THESEMEASURES, AND HIS CHURCH WON'TOPANYTIME IN THE NEAR FUTURE... WHEN I CONSIDER THE NUMBER OFAFRICAN AMERICANS WHOARE ADVERSLY AFFECTED BY THISVIRUS, AND THAT WE ADISPROPORTIONAT LY AFFECTED, ANDWE DIE AT A GREATER RATE THANANYBODY ELSE, THEN THATITSELF SAYS TO ME THAT WE NEEDTOBE EXSTRODINARILY CAREFUL...ANDVERY PRAREFULABOUT HOW WE APPROACH THISISSUE.

AND FOR ME...THERE JUSTSIMPLY TOO MANY VARIABLES OFUNCERTAINTY FOR US TO TALK ABOUTJUNE 1STDR. YOUNG NOT ONLY PASTORS NEWHOPEBAPTIST, HE IS ALSO PRESIDENT OFNATIONALBAPTIST CONVENTION, USA... HETELLS ME HE HAS SPOKEN TOMINISTERS FROM ACROSS THECOUNTRY, AND HISNATIONAL ORGANIZATION WILL MAKETHERECCOMENDATION TO CHURCHES, NOTTO HOLDSERVICES...BUT HE SAYS THECONGREGATIONSHAVE THE FINAL SAY.FOR THOSE PASTORS WHO MAYCONSIDERREOPENING NOW AND NOTWAITING...OFFERS THIS PERSPECTIVE... I THINK THAT PASTOR HAS TO HAVEENOUGH COMPASSION FORTHESE PERSONS TO SAY, I'M GONNAMAKE MY DECISION BASED UPON THEBEST SCIENCE THAT ISAVAILABLE...THE BEST DATA THATISAVAILABLE.

AND THAT I CANNOTMAKE THIS DECISION BASEDUPON POCKETS ALONE, I GOTTA TALKABOUT PEOPLEAS FOR HIS CONGREGATION, DR.YOUNG SAYS SINCE THE PANDEMIC,NEW HOPEBAPTIST HAS USED TECHNOLOGY TOSTAYCONNECTED...HE TELLS ME IT'S BEEN ACHALLENGE GRASPINGTECHNOLOGY, BUT HE HAS LEARNED ALOTOVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS, AND ISLIVESTREAMING SERVICES THRU ZOOM,AND ONSOCIAL MEDIA... AWAY FROM IN-PERSON WORSHIP, DR.YOUNG ISALSO WEIGHING IN ON PEOPLE NOTWEARINGMASKS IN PUBLIC...HE CALLS IT INCONCEVIABLE...THE PASTOR SAYS MASKS AND SOCIALDISTANCING ARE THE BEST WEAPONSTO STOTHE SPREAD OF THE VIRUS... HEALSO SAYS EVEN IF YOU AREN'TCONCERNED ABOUT YOURSELF, WEARIT OUT OF CONCERN FORTHE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE... TROYJOHNSON...16 WAPT NEWS AT 10... STATE HEALTH OFFICERS CONFIRMINGTONIGHT 272 NEW CASES OFCO