Ever since the whole coronavirus situation started, religious services have been in an upheaval.
It is a little bit difficult to have a service with people together when you legally aren’t allowed to be together.
Now, there have been some local churches with good ideas, like having the drive-in style of service where the pastor would get on a loudspeaker of some kind. Shoot, one I even heard figured out how to use a low strength FM signal to broadcast directly into people’s radios.
That being said, it is nobody’s business if you go, don’t go, or where you go when it comes to church.
Churches in Kansas City, Missouri, that reopen for in-person services are required to make a list of everyone who attends, according to new city rules that were denounced by Mat Staver, founder and chairman of Liberty Counsel.
“In-person religious gatherings (including weddings and funerals) may resume, subject to the 10/10/10 rule (if held inside) or limited to 50 people outside, provided social distancing precautions are followed and event organizers maintain records of all attendees, according to the city’s website.
The site then explains the rule.
“The 10/10/10 rule specifies that these businesses must limit the number of individuals on-site (inclusive of employees and customers) to no more than 10 percent of building occupancy or 10 people (whichever is larger), and record the names, contact information, and approximate entry/exit time of all customers who are on premises for more than 10 minutes,” the site stated.
The site further addresses the issue of taking attendance.
“One of the primary means for transmission of COVID-19 is in-person interactions that last more than a few minutes. By recording customer names, businesses will enable the Kansas City Health Department to more quickly trace, test, and isolate individuals who may have been exposed to COVID-19 if an employee or customer had the virus at the time they frequented the business. All data obtained by the Department of Public Health will remain confidential and will be used only to address public health concerns and contact individuals who may have been exposed to COVID-19,” the site stated.
The site stated any group breaking the rules will be punished.
“Violations of any provision of this Order constitutes an imminent threat, creates an immediate menace to public health, and shall be considered a violation of Section 50-155 of the City’s Code of Ordinances,” it said.
Staver, a religious rights advocate, erupted at the new rules in a post on Liberty Counsel’s website.