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Faith leaders join call to refrain from Easter gatherings in Wyandotte County

Posted at 5:05 PM, Apr 10, 2020
and last updated 2020-04-10 18:06:54-04

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — With a staff member wiping down the podium between each speaker, Wyandotte County political, health and religious leaders gathered on Good Friday to encourage all church congregations to abide by recommendations to refrain from gathering en masse for Easter services.

Kansas City, Kansas, Mayor David Alvey — flanked by four interfaith religious leaders — said he is not interested in the political aspect of the stay-at-home order and its impact on Easter services. He is only interested in protecting the health of the community.

Against the backdrop of political bickering at the state level, Unified Government Chief Medical Officer Dr. Allen Greiner also introduced the idea of parking lot of “drive-in” services for congregations as an alternative to traditional Easter services.

Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly issued an executive order Tuesday, which prohibited religious institutions from conducting gatherings of 10 people or more.

The Kansas State Legislative Coordinating Committee overturned Kelly’s guidelines Wednesday, setting up a legal battle that is set to go before the Kansas Supreme Court.

But Wyandotte County religious leaders displayed a united front Friday, urging all congregations to abide

“This is no time for spiritual radicalism,” Rev. Desmond Lamb, the president of the KCK Baptist Ministers Union and a pastor at Forest Grove Baptist Church, said. “It is the responsibility of each pastor and church to act responsibly and lead by example.”

He was joined by Donnelley College President Monsignor Stuart Swetland, Argentine Assembly of God Pastor Ismael Lopez and Mason Memorial Community Church Rev. Cynthia Smart, who also serves as the KCK police and fire chaplain.

All four religious leaders echoed the call to avoid mass gatherings for Easter.

“The only socially ethical thing to do, Swetland said, "is follow the reasonable request” of health experts and political leaders.

Lopez also used the opportunity to speak to the “broader Hispanic base” in KCK and Wyandotte County, which he said has been hit particularly hard physically and economically by the COVID-19 outbreak.

“As faith-based leaders, common sense must prevail,” Lopez said. “We have a responsibility to our church members, neighbors and families, and the most vulnerable in community to refrain from meeting in person this weekend and going forward until this public health crisis is over.”

Lopez said he’s aware of an entire church community in KCK that has been infected.

He concluded his remarks by repeating his message in Spanish, encouraging the Latino community to abide by recommendations against large public gatherings.

There are roughly 400 churches in Wyandotte County.

Alvey and Greiner mentioned sacrifice in their opening remarks and thanked the pastoral leadership for helping ensure “the spirit of the stay-at-home order” would be honored.

“In times of great need, coming together and working as a unit is crucial,” Greiner said. “We know now that COVID-19 is an extremely serious medical condition and a worldwide pandemic.”

He noted that three clusters in the county have been traced back to religious gatherings or facilities.

“We regret that we didn’t take steps earlier to work with these communities,” Greiner said.

As for “drive-in” services, Greiner said the Unified Government worked with faith leaders and the general idea is that individuals in their own vehicles can safely come together in parking lots.

Services could be conducted using technology.

Greiner encouraged everyone to “still be careful,” including not mixing people from different households in vehicles and only rolling down the driver’s side window to maintain social distancing.
“We want people who are going to do this to plan ahead,” Greiner said, noting that people shouldn’t exit their vehicles even to use the bathroom.

Lamb said any faith leaders or congregations that “haphazardly choose” to meet anyway “put the health and welfare of church members and community at jeopardy.”

“We must be part of the solution and not the problem,” Lamb said. “To defy (these guidelines) would be negligent, selfish and reprehensible. ... Please honor the mandates that are before us.”

At the conclusion of the press conference, the group took a picture together with the six speakers spaced at least six feet apart on the stage at city hall.