Most Cape County churches cautious about reopening soon

Missouri’s churches now have big decisions to make about when to gather again in-person.

Many local houses of worship have been in online-only communication with parishioners for weeks.

They would appear to be direct and immediate beneficiaries of Gov. Mike Parson’s lifting of the state’s now-expired "stay-at-home" order.

“People can go back to church and worship in what environment they want,” Parson said April 27.

Parson said the freedom of churches to again assemble is the first part of a multi-phase plan to reopen the Show Me State during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Christ Church of the Heartland, 720 Bertling St. in Cape Girardeau, seen here Sunday, is one of the first area churches planning to reopen after the lifting of Gov. Mike Parson's stay-at-home order. Corporate worship will resume Wednesday night.Jeff Long ~ jlong@semoball.com

“We have been in constant contact with our faith leaders across the state,” the governor added, “preparing for this day to reopen the churches.”

Parson said local governments have the option to institute stricter regulations.

In a spot-check of several Cape Girardeau County churches, the predominant reaction of clergy to the idea of rapid reopening seems to be “not so fast.”

“We believe it’s a bit too soon (to return),” said Mark Anderson, pastor of Lynwood Baptist Church in Cape Girardeau, speaking to his congregation in a video posted to the church’s website.

“We’ll give more details later on when we’ll have our first worship back together,” Anderson said.

La Croix Church, the largest-worshipping United Methodist congregation in Missouri with a 2019 average weekend in-person attendance of 2,258 at its venues in Cape Girardeau and Benton, is somewhat more definitive about its plans.

“Our leadership met and decided we will not meet for public worship at La Croix in the month of May,” founding pastor Ron Watts said in a web-posted video.

Watts, who has been with La Croix for all its 32 years of existence, told his flock he doesn’t know when worship on campus will resume.

“Will we come back the first weekend of June? Not necessarily,” he said.

St. Andrew Lutheran’s leadership is of a similar mindset.

“We will likely not be meeting together physically, in any way, until at least June 7,” the Rev. John Dehne said in a message posted to the Cape Girardeau church’s website.

Area Roman Catholic churches, under the direction of Bishop Edward M. Rice of the Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau, remain closed for Mass and other events, but in an April 30 letter, Rice said there will be a reassessment in mid-May.

“Without an effective vaccine or widespread testing, we are simply not in a place where we can resume parish life as normal,” he said.

Rice, who has served as local diocesan bishop since 2016, added his attitude toward the pandemic is informed by “an abundance of caution and care.”

“Places that have lifted restrictions have unfortunately seen a spike in infections,” he said.

“We were one of the last (churches) to close our doors to worship in our city,” said the Rev. Karen Dumey, pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Jackson.

Dumey said church leadership has decided to resume assembling for worship May 17.

“We’re mindful of guidelines (to) protect the elderly and others who can’t get out,” said Dumey, pastor since August.

At least two Cape Girardeau churches are planning to resume in-person gatherings this week, perhaps bucking the trend toward extreme caution.

Christ Church of the Heartland pastor Zack Strong told his online congregation Sunday that corporate worship will resume Wednesday night at the church’s building at 720 Bertling St.

“We’ve spread out our chairs (and) we’ll be sitting as families,” said Strong, co-pastor since 1997.

“If you want to wear a mask or wear gloves, that’s up to you,” added Strong, who said the church will not yet be offering children’s ministry or a nursery on its campus.

Lighthouse United in Cape Girardeau, a predominately African American church, will resume gathering under one roof Sunday, Mother’s Day.

“We’ll continue to stream the services online, too,” said Lighthouse pastor Adrian Taylor Jr.

“We’re not sure what the response will be Sunday,” he said, “but we want the sick to stay home and those who do come to be masked and gloved.”

Health experts continue to warn about large gatherings without appropriate social distancing, since many states have not met the 14-day standard of declining coronavirus cases.

Asked Sunday about a mass protest Friday demanding reopening at the state capitol in East Lansing, Michigan, one of President Donald Trump’s key advisers was to the point about many unmasked protesters not practicing social distancing.

“It’s devastatingly worrisome to me personally,” Dr. Deborah Birx, coordinator of the White House Coronavirus Task Force, told NBC’s “Meet the Press.”

“If they go home and infect their grandmother or grandfather who has a comorbidity condition and (a family member has) an unfortunate outcome,” Birx said, “they will feel guilty for the rest of (their) lives.”

Parson’s first phase of Missouri’s reopening plan is scheduled to run through May 31.

“This will be the turning of a dial, not the flip of a switch,” Parson said.