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Shelby County officials encourage religious leaders to continue virtual services as businesses plan to reopen

If churches in the Memphis area decide to open, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee stresses they shouldn’t be at more than 50% capacity

MEMPHIS, Tennessee —

Friday, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee overrode Shelby County's rule for places of worship opening up next week. Governor Lee said churches can open at no more than 50% capacity. Shelby County outlined 25% capacity in phase one of its reopening plan.

“We’ve never mandated any requirements for churches. Churches had been essential and we haven’t mandated the closure of those churches,” Governor Lee said.

Both Governor Lee and Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland both strongly suggest utilizing virtual or online services to ensure people’s safety. Pastor Kenneth Whalum of New Olivet Worship Center says that is what he plans to do. He told Local 24 News he won’t open his doors until May 31st, Pentecost Sunday.

Although churches in Memphis and Shelby County have been given the green light to open by Governor Lee, local officials are still encouraging virtual services to avoid a possible surge of COVID-19 cases.

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"That's where we could see a spike if we had a large congregation come together who were not social distancing appropriately, that could lead to a serious cluster of cases and a spike in what we are experiencing,” said Dr. Jon McCullers from UTHSC.

Churches from across the Mid-South like Oak Grove Missionary Baptist Church in Bartlett, Mt. Vernon Baptist Church in Whitehaven, and New Olivet Worship Center in Cordova are continuing their normal plans and choosing to remain closed.

“You don’t want at risk, highly at risk populations, older people, you don’t want them to be unnecessarily exposed. You don’t want babies to be exposed,” Pastor Whalum explained.

Whalum says once he reopens at the end of the month, his 1,500 member congregation will be respectful to the CDC guidelines by wearing face masks and social distancing.

“With regard to the social distancing provisions, we have no problem having 100% of our members being there and still have social distancing. We are on 15 acres of land out there, so it’s not gonna be a problem,” Whalum said.

He says his members' health is his number one priority, and he’ll continue to inspire them through this pandemic from home.

“Be encouraged. It’s going to be okay. You have to move my faith, and not by fear,” he stressed.

Mayor Strickland also announced Friday that churches should suspend in person services and worship virtually.

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