Area church keeps doors open, says it's in compliance with COVID-19 precautions

HEBRON — As senior pastor at the local Emmanuel Baptist Church, Frank McClure said he has encouraged members to stay home during the current COVID-19 pandemic and take part in the church's live online streaming of its services. But for those who want to take part in person, he is keeping the church doors wide open with modifications that he said keep the church in compliance with the governor's "stay-at-home" order. "We respect the rights of individuals to make their own choices," McClure said an open letter to members. "We believe that these rights are endowed by our Creator, even when their choices do not agree with ours." "The church for 2,000 years has had its doors open wide during wars, floods, earthquakes, famines and, yes, even pandemics," he wrote. "We will continue as we have for almost 50 years to encourage, support, pray for, and love those that we live with and serve together with." Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb's March 23 order includes churches among the essential businesses and operations that allow for residents to venture outside their homes "provided they adhere to the CDC's guidance on social gatherings," McClure said. "We agree that a 'Church' is essential to the health, welfare, and (we would add) spiritual well being of the community," McClure wrote to members. "We have spoken to local and state authorities and confirmed that we are in full compliance with the executive order and the law." The Porter County Sheriff's Department has been in contact with the church and it appears they are in compliance with the governor's orders, said Cpl. Benjamin McFalls. Steps the church has taken to comply with that order include moving chairs so that couples or families can sit together, but remain 6 feet apart from others, McClure said Thursday morning. The church is sanitized between each service and participants are asked to wait for the green signs to be posted on doors before entering. "If the signs are red, please remain outside," he said. In order to adjust to the smaller capacity created by the rearrangement of chairs, McClure said the church has added two Saturday services and a third on Sunday. Members who are sick, immune-compromised, instructed by a health care provider to self-quarantine or who are stressed about coming to church are instructed to stay home, he said. Physical contact of any sort while at church is also prohibited. "We believe it is a fair question to ask: 'What business takes all of these steps to ensure the health and welfare of its customers during these times?' Honest folks would agree: none," McClure wrote. The church, which has several hundred members, does have people showing up for the services, but they are not at capacity, he said. "We don't believe this is a question of faith," he said of the in-person services. "This is not a test of someone's faith." McClure, who works in a secular setting and has daily contact with others on the job, said he realizes some will disagree with the decision to leave the church open. There are even members of the church who disagree, he said. The social distancing going on in response to COVID-19 has shed light on what defines a church and how it means more than just delivering a message online, McClure said. Heartland Christian Center, which whittled down the size of its inside service numbers to comply with requirements as the pandemic worsened, now hosts drive-in style worship at its Valparaiso and North Judson locations, said Senior Pastor Phil Willingham. Only a small number of production staff and worship band gather inside, all in compliance with the 10-person cap, he said. "Isolation is a form of torture," he said, adding that seeing another face helps, especially among those more hard hit by the separation. ——— ©2020 The Times (Munster, Ind.) Visit The Times (Munster, Ind.) at www.nwitimes.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.