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Michael The Disciple
04-30-2020, 12:51 PM
So were reopening? Back to normal? Think again.

https://pjmedia.com/culture/paula-bolyard/2020/04/30/knocksville-bans-communion-at-church-services-n386794

Anyone from the Knoxville area confirm this?

Excerpt:

In addition, “The physical taking of communion/sacrament should not be performed due to the serial breaking of physical distancing across a
congregation.” Churches are urged to “consider guiding parishioners in how to connect with the spiritual aspects of these practices during this phase.” Never mind that for Christians, Communion is a requirement, not an optional activity that can be transmitted over the internet.

Not only that, but church attendees are also banned from physically embracing or shaking hands with one another. And singing, while not banned, “is discouraged as it is thought to be an activity that expels significantly more virus than talking.”

Also banned by the Knox County order: “communal items (for example, tithe plates, hymnals, bibles, etc.).” Churches are told they should use a donation box in lieu of an offering plate. “Only core worship services are permitted in Phase One,” the order reads. “Activities such as groups and classes, youth services, social events, potlucks, communal snacks or food, and nursery, are not permitted in Phase One.”

coksiw
04-30-2020, 01:12 PM
So were reopening? Back to normal? Think again.

https://pjmedia.com/culture/paula-bolyard/2020/04/30/knocksville-bans-communion-at-church-services-n386794

Anyone from the Knoxville area confirm this?

Excerpt:

Were church allowed to hold services at all before?

Michael The Disciple
04-30-2020, 02:53 PM
Were church allowed to hold services at all before?

Not sure. It says this is phase one of reopening so maybe not.

This is the part we should consider.

It’s even worse in Knox County, Tenn., where the health department just announced that while churches may reopen on May 1, the Lord’s Supper is forbidden.

The order was announced by Knox County Health Department Regional Hospital Coordinator Charity Menefee, who announced that Communion is not part of “core worship.”

“The Community Strategy for Phased Reopening is complementary to Governor Lee’s ‘Tennessee Pledge: Reopening Tennessee Responsibly’ framework and the White House’s ‘Opening Up America Again’ guidance,” the edict explains. “Local government has been empowered to create strategies relevant to the unique needs of the community.”

“If there are differences between the plans, the community should follow this local plan,” the document explains. The order lists the rules for reopening a wide variety of businesses including restaurants, spas, tattoo parlors, and museums. It also allows churches to hold services, provided they follow the county’s stringent guidelines that include social distancing, sanitizing surfaces between services, treating every partitioner “as if they are potentially dangerous,” and a requirement that everyone in attendance at Knox County churches wear a mask—unlike stores and restaurants, where employes and patrons are only required to wear a mask when social distancing cannot be maintained.

So county officials now have the authority to not only tell Churches when they can meet but also to define what is CORE WORSHIP for disciples of Jesus!

Esaias
04-30-2020, 03:12 PM
I guess we'll see if there are any Christians left in Knox County, Tennessee.

coksiw
04-30-2020, 04:32 PM
I guess we'll see if there are any Christians left in Knox County, Tennessee.

Surprisedly, the mayor in that county is a Republican. I would expect lots of details of what you can do in a service from a Democrat, who usually tend to be like that, but not from a Republican.

benzion
04-30-2020, 06:34 PM
Unfortunately in Tennessee many of our Republicans are of a more liberal bend. Fortunately we did get a conservative senator in Marsha Blackburn.