Name: Iowa churches remain closed during COVID-19 outbreak
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Iowa churches remain closed during COVID-19 outbreak

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AdvertisementIowa religious leaders opt out of Reynolds' eased COVID-19 restrictionsHide TranscriptShow TranscriptSO THEY HAVE MORE TIME. LIVE DOWNTOWN, TODD MAGEL. STEVE GOVERNOR REYNOLD’S NEW : ORDER ALLOWS RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS TO START GATHERING AGAIN THIS WEEKEND. BUT AS KCCI’S BEAU BOWMAN SHOWS US SOME CHURCH LEADERS DON’T , THINK IT’S SAFE ENOUGH YET. CHURCH ANNOUNCED THEY WOULD NOT RESUME IN PERSON WORSHIP. &gt;&gt; WE WANTED SOMETHING TO BE COMFORTABLE WITH. OUR FIRST PRIORITY WAS THE SAFETY OF OUR CONGREGATIONS. WE MADE THE RIGHT DECISION. BEAU: THE IOWA CONFERENCE OF THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH ANNOUNCED THEY WOULD NOT GATHER IN ANY OF THEIR 750 CHURCH BUILDINGS FOR THEIR WORSHIP SERVICES ONE DAY AFTER GOVERNOR , REYNOLDS GAVE THEM THE THUMBS UP TO DO SO. OTHER REGLIOUS INSTITUTIONS ARE FOLLOWING SUIT. &gt;&gt; IT IS EASIER FOR US, AND SAFER TO HAVE TIME TO BUILD A PLAN OF HAVING THE SYNAGOGUE BE OPEN, THEN TO JUST OPEN AND SEE HOW IT GOES. -- BE OPEN THEN TO JUST BE OPEN AND SEE HOW IT GOES. BEAU: THE TIFERETH ISRAEL SYNAGOGUE IN DES MOINES DOESN’T HAVE A TIME TABLE FOR WHEN THEY WILL OPEN, BUT DON’T IMAGINE IT WILL BE ANYTIME SOON. THE METHODIST CHURCHES WON’T OPEN UNTIL THEY KNOW ALL OF THEIR CONGREGATIONS ACROSS THE STATE CAN ATTEND SAFELY. THE CHURCH WILL REEVALUATE ITS DECISION ON WHETHER THEY CAN RESUME IN PERSON WORSHIP AT THE END OF MAY. BEAU BOWMAN, KCCI 8 NEWS, IOWA’S NEWS LEADER. STEVE: LESS THAN AN HOUR, AGO THE CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF DES MOINES ANNOUNCED THEY CANNOT JUSTIFY IN-PERSON SERVICES. THEY WROTE IN AN EMAIL THIS EVENING THAT THEY WOULD NOT BE HOLDING MASS FOR THE FORESEEABAdvertisementIowa religious leaders opt out of Reynolds' eased COVID-19 restrictionsAn order signed Monday by Gov. Kim Reynolds allows religious institutions to begin gathering again, but some church leaders said they do not think it is safe to do so.On Tuesday, the Interfaith Alliance of Iowa announced that 21 leaders from 10 denominations signed a statement urging religious institutions to refrain from in-person worships and other gatherings.According to the Interfaith Alliance of Iowa, religious leaders expressed concern over Reynolds allowing churches to gather once again despite the states growing COVID-19 outbreak.The signed statement said, in part, “It is by our faith that we are compelled to love our neighbor. In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, that love comes to expression by remaining physically apart.A letter sent Tuesday by the Diocese of Des Moines to its parishioners said its Catholic churches should not resume in-person Mass despite Reynolds’ eased restrictions.The letter includes signatures from the Archbishop of Dubuque, the Bishop of Sioux City and the Bishop of Davenport.The diocese said, “Without an effective vaccine or widespread testing and contact data that justifies a change in course, we simply are not at a place where we can resume our previous prayer practices.”The Iowa Conference of the United Methodist Church said Tuesday that it decided not to resume in-person services in any of its 750 church buildings."We wanted something we felt comfortable with,” Said Bishop Laurie Haller, with the Iowa Conference of the United Methodist Church. “And our first priority was the safety of our congregations, and I think that we made the right decision."The Tifereth Israel Synagogue in Des Moines followed suit, saying it does not have a time table for when it will open but does not imagine it will be anytime soon."It's easier for us and safer to have the time to build a plan to have the synagogue be open, rather than to just open and see how it goes,” said Rabbi Emily Barton, with the Tifereth Israel Synagogue.An order signed Monday by Gov. Kim Reynolds allows religious institutions to begin gathering again, but some church leaders said they do not think it is safe to do so.On Tuesday, the Interfaith Alliance of Iowa announced that 21 leaders from 10 denominations signed a statement urging religious institutions to refrain from in-person worships and other gatherings.AdvertisementAccording to the Interfaith Alliance of Iowa, religious leaders expressed concern over Reynolds allowing churches to gather once again despite the states growing COVID-19 outbreak.The signed statement said, in part, “It is by our faith that we are compelled to love our neighbor. In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, that love comes to expression by remaining physically apart.A letter sent Tuesday by the Diocese of Des Moines to its parishioners said its Catholic churches should not resume in-person Mass despite Reynolds’ eased restrictions.The letter includes signatures from the Archbishop of Dubuque, the Bishop of Sioux City and the Bishop of Davenport.The diocese said, “Without an effective vaccine or widespread testing and contact data that justifies a change in course, we simply are not at a place where we can resume our previous prayer practices.”The Iowa Conference of the United Methodist Church said Tuesday that it decided not to resume in-person services in any of its 750 church buildings."We wanted something we felt comfortable with,” Said Bishop Laurie Haller, with the Iowa Conference of the United Methodist Church. “And our first priority was the safety of our congregations, and I think that we made the right decision."The Tifereth Israel Synagogue in Des Moines followed suit, saying it does not have a time table for when it will open but does not imagine it will be anytime soon."It's easier for us and safer to have the time to build a plan to have the synagogue be open, rather than to just open and see how it goes,” said Rabbi Emily Barton, with the Tifereth Israel Synagogue.Loading more articles...

AdvertisementIowa religious leaders opt out of Reynolds' eased COVID-19 restrictionsHide TranscriptShow TranscriptSO THEY HAVE MORE TIME. LIVE DOWNTOWN, TODD MAGEL. STEVE GOVERNOR REYNOLD’S NEW : ORDER ALLOWS RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS TO START GATHERING AGAIN THIS WEEKEND. BUT AS KCCI’S BEAU BOWMAN SHOWS US SOME CHURCH LEADERS DON’T , THINK IT’S SAFE ENOUGH YET. CHURCH ANNOUNCED THEY WOULD NOT RESUME IN PERSON WORSHIP. &gt;&gt; WE WANTED SOMETHING TO BE COMFORTABLE WITH. OUR FIRST PRIORITY WAS THE SAFETY OF OUR CONGREGATIONS. WE MADE THE RIGHT DECISION. BEAU: THE IOWA CONFERENCE OF THE UNITED...

Iowa churches remain closed during COVID-19 outbreak

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