Some Bay Area churches are weighing their options for a limited reopening under Phase Two.
It's been a while since Gospel choirs have sung at Allen Temple Baptist Church in East Oakland, and it turns out that group singing is one of the best ways to catch the coronavirus.
While many churches have been meeting via video, church goers say it’s not the same.
Senior Pastor Dr. Jacqueline Thompson is grateful, though, that the church is still in good standing.
“The church is doing good, I’m glad to say,” she told KCBS Radio. “They’re still giving, so we’re happy about that.”
Thompson said they are considering using their outdoor theater so congregants can go to church in their cars.
“Vehicle worship, vehicle worship,” she said. “You’ve been to a drive-in movie, so it would be the equivalent of having a worship experience set up right there on that stage, and cars would be able to come and park.”
But worshippers will have to stay in their cars, as in-person worship won't be allowed until Phase Three.
“And the service would be mic’d and they’d be able to participate that way, as long as they are remaining socially distant and the cars,” Thompson said. “The cars provide you the opportunity to do that, so we are kind of taking it back to 20, 30 years ago.”
A church in Butte County that held a Mother's Day service against local health orders potentially exposed at least 180 people to the coronavirus after one person tested positive for Covid-19.