MONROVIA – Following the outbreak of the coronavirus in the country, the Liberia Council of Churches (LCC), through its President Rev. Kortu K. Brown has urged religious leaders to see reason to hold multiple worship services to prevent over crowdedness at their respective places of worship.
Early this week, health authorities announced that the suspended Executive Director of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Mr. Nathaniel Blama has been diagnosed with the coronavirus following his return to Liberia from Switzerland.
A day later, health authorities also confirmed that a domestic worker of Mr. Blama, Johnny Philips, was also diagnosed with the virus.
Rev. Brown noted that though it remains the prerogative of each denomination to decide whether to suspend or shut down service during the outbreak of this epidemic, the Council wants all religious leaders to ensure that bodily contact does not exist among members of their respective congregations.
He maintained that precautionary measures that do not undermine the faith of the various Christian denominations should not be taken for granted or downplayed by any religious leaders.
He pointed out that church leaders must also implore new strategy by holding spacious services, to avoid bodily contacts.
“We are encouraging church people across Liberia to follow all of the preventive measures, including social distancing. Make sure that you have a chlorinated bucket with water and take the temperature of people coming for service. It’s very important. We are also advising the churches that if you continue to have services, you need to have rotational services. If you have a congregation of 500 persons or the church is crowded, you can 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th or 5th services. We should ensure that the churches are not crowded where people will be pulling into one another. We need to sit down with our church people and talk about how we can hold spacing services”.
“It’s important that we take the necessary steps to be able to promote the safety of the public. No Pastor should say that it doesn’t matter; no, it matters. Even when God brought the Children of Israel unto the wilderness, he gave them a specific instruction not to carry out. And we as Christians are supposed to respond to the preventions from the government as long as it does not undermine our Christian faith”.
On suspension of worship services
On Tuesday, March 17, the Senior Pastor of the Providence Baptist Church announced the suspension of all church activities including divine worship service, Bible studies, among others with immediate effect as a result of the coronavirus outbreak.
Rev. Samuel B. Reeves, Jr, requested all members of the church members to stay away from the church premises until Tuesday, March 24, 2020.
According to him, the move is also intended to support the government’s efforts in combating the virus and to “safe God’s people”.
He noted that no mass gathering at the church’s edifice will be allowed, adding that, members should make use of the church’s Facebook page from their respective homes or elsewhere by watching either the first or second services, instead of gathering en mass at the edifice to worship.
“In keeping with the international mode of social distances as a standard protocol to minimize the spread of the coronavirus-COVID 19 which has been reported in Liberia; and to assist the GOL and keep God’s people safe, Providence Baptist Church will shut down for a week to observe the situation”.
Rev. Reeves continued: “This means that there will be no mass gathering, which includes all worship services, Bible study, among others. The church will resume normal activities next week Tuesday, March 24 at 8 AM depending on the situation. Meanwhile, you can still watch our divine worship services on March 22 at 8 AM and 10:30 AM by live streaming on our Facebook page”
“We are encouraging church people across Liberia to follow all of the preventive measures, including social distancing. Make sure that you have a chlorinated bucket with water and take the temperature of people coming for service. It’s very important. We are also advising the churches that if you continue to have services, you need to have rotational services. If you have a congregation of 500 persons or the church is crowded, you can 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th or 5th services. We should ensure that the churches are not crowded where people will be pulling into one another. We need to sit down with our church people and talk about how we can hold spacing services.”
– Rev. Kortu Brown, Liberia Council of Churches
He, however, encouraged Baptists attending the Providence Baptist Church to pay their tithes via mobile money service, despite the new measures taken by the church authorities on 0886516779.
Hours later, Rev. Samuel Quire also announced the suspension of all church activities as a result of the outbreak.
But the LCC President justified that the suspension of normal regular Sunday worship services and other church activities by few churches came as a result of the outbreak and admittance of Mr. Nathaniel Blama’s driver who claimed to have worship and interacted with some members of the United Methodist Church in Sinkor on March 15, 2020.
According to the LCC’s President, the actions were taken as a result of the perceived threats envisaged by the two churches, and as such, the LCC would not advise any church to suspend services or remain open amid the coronavirus outbreak.
“People are reacting to the perceived threats that they faced and they are taking preventive measures. But, the Liberia Council of Churches is leaving it up to every denomination to decide base on the threats that they perceived; whether or not it is visible to have services or to suspend services. What we are saying to our churches is that there are protocols already laid out; can we arrange ourselves and apply the preventive measures”.
Rev. Brown added that though these churches have suspended worship services, God has not been suspended.
He underscored the need for churches in Liberia to suspend worship services or church activities based upon their experiences or decisions reached by their authorities.
He added that the collection of tithes or offerings in any manner or form remains the sole prerogative of the leadership of any church or denomination.
“The church has suspended services; the church has not suspended God. God can still hear his children where ever they are; and each church will respond to the situation based on their own experience, perceived threat or the decision of the church authorities. But don’t forget, God is everywhere. We cannot condemn any church for suspending services. What we can encourage people to do is to keep faith in God,” Rev. Brown advised members of the Liberian Clergy to be cautioned in the discharge of their spiritual duties.
He noted that though the laying of hands on those seeking prayers should be cautiously done by church leaders, through the observance of precautionary measures.
The LCC President, however, commended the government, health workers, as well as members of the Liberian media for the level of support towards the fight against the coronavirus.
He urged members of the opposition community to see reason to hold government and other stakeholders to combat the killer disease.
Rev. Brown called on citizens to desist from stigmatizing victims of the virus if Liberia is to win the fight against coronavirus.
Meanwhile, the LCC has resolved to launch the Coronavirus Ecumenical Emergency Response to collaborate with national government and other actors, including the religious communities in the fight against the deadly virus.
Membership to the committee will include para-church groups and relevant standing committees of the council.