‘Loving our neighbors and doing no harm.’ Tri-Cities churches struggle with state orders

Many Tri-City churches are following Gov. Jay Inslee’s restrictions on in-person services, but that doesn’t mean they’re happy about it.

Far from it in many cases.

Earlier this week, the state laid out plans for how religious services to resume after all large gatherings were banned March 15 as part efforts to slow the coronavirus. Many pivoted to offering online services.

The latest state plan allows churches in Benton and Franklin counties to hold in-person church services of up to 100 individuals but only in an outside venue.

The statewide closure of houses of worship has been at the center of several battles between the governor’s office and conservative critics who say they’re unfairly and unconstitutionally being prevented from practicing their religion.

Inslee’s statement came on the heels of a President Donald Trump’s announcement days earlier that places of worship are “essential” during the pandemic.

He threatened to “override” governors if states did not follow new voluntary federal guidelines, though his authority to do that is unclear.

“We know that people treasure religious gatherings,” Inslee said on Wednesday. “This has been a difficult issue about how we simultaneously defeat this virus and maintain our congregations.”

In the Tri-Cities, Robert Turner, the pastor at St. Patrick Catholic Parish in Pasco, criticized Inslee’s announcement as the latest demonstration of the governor’s prejudice against people of faith.

His church won’t be violating the governor’s order but Turner said he personally doesn’t see the sense in keeping people away from religious services.

“His policies unnecessarily limit the possibility of people of faith to carry out their faith in daily life,” Turner told the Herald. St. Patrick’s normally serves about 5,000 worshipers during eight services each week.

Turner believes the governor is only using guesswork to guide this actions.

“I think that Gov. Inslee’s practice of not treating with equity religious groups proves his religious prejudice that he does not recognize the constitutional rights of people of faith,” he said.

Counties that have moved into Phase 2 of reopening can have religious services inside a building at 25 percent of normal capacity or 50 people, whichever is fewer.

The governor’s guidance also places several requirements on in-person services. These include screening employees for symptoms before services, requiring employees to wear face masks and maintaining a 6-foot separation between everyone inside the facility.

However, Benton and Franklin counties remain hard hit by COVID-19 cases and are far from meeting current thresholds for reopening more businesses and services.

Turner called the limitations arbitrary because they aren’t being applied evenly — for example, the lack of restrictions on grocery stores and large retailers.

“I find it incredible that he does not communicate and acts with such autocratic exercises of power,” he said.

The Archbishop of Seattle and the bishops of the Yakima and Spokane dioceses issued a joint statement Wednesday that welcomed the easing of restrictions.

“We bishops across Washington state look forward to safely resuming public celebration of the Eucharist according to the strict protocols as outlined by each of our dioceses and the archdiocese,” they wrote in a joint statement.

However, they didn’t comment on whether the governor made the right decision.

And not all church leaders have waited for the easing of the statewide restrictions to gather their congregations.

Outdoor services

The Calvary Chapel Tri-Cities posted photos of its outdoor amphitheater on Facebook hours after the governor’s announcement this week.

The Clearwater Avenue church already has held services outside in recent weeks. It’s unclear how many attended but leaders have asked parishioners to sit in family groups, away from others, and to wear masks.

“We are not trying to draw unnecessary attention to our church, we simple want to assemble together to worship and study God’s word,” the church posted on Facebook.

Many of the places of worship around the area remain closed, including the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Richland temple is not on the list of temples that are scheduled to open June 1.

The return of weekly services are going to be dependent on local government decisions and church leaders, they’ve said.

Others, like C3 Tri-Cities, have promised to open up June 7.

Pastor Mark Barker called the president’s announcement great news in a video on the church’s website.

“We’re going to slow it down a little bit,” he said. “We feel like there’s going to be some struggles. We feel like governors and states are going to be fighting with the president and going to be going back and forth. So whatever that is we just want to wait and let the dust settle.”

The church still plans to provide online services to people who don’t feel comfortable being close to others or may be ill.

Others like Victory Outreach Church of The Tri-Cities is planning to restart church for small groups of their parishioners starting Friday, May 29.

Kennewick’s First United Methodist Church is delaying opening its doors for several more weeks as leaders make sure it’s safe.

“We will move through the phases at the pace that is right for us and at a rate that incorporates best practices and limits risk to the very best of our abilities,” Pastor Mark McMurray wrote on in a Facebook post.

“With that being said we will not be reopening our doors to gatherings for a number of weeks. I know it is disappointing, but I believe, along with our Bishop, that reopening too soon is inconsistent with loving our neighbors and doing no harm.”