Leaders at Jefferson County churches and other organizations have called off numerous events and activities because of the coronavirus.
For example, The Twin City Ministerial Alliance has called off the Lenten season Sunday evening services that had been scheduled for the next three Sundays, March 22, March 29 and April 5. The alliance includes churches from Festus, Crystal City, Herculaneum and Pevely.
“The Ministerial Alliance for many years has sponsored a Sunday evening series of services during the season of Lent,” said the Rev. Leslie Limbaugh, the Ministerial Alliance president. “Because of the coronavirus, we want to follow protocols we’ve been receiving from the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) and the Jefferson County Health Department.
“We want to use what we know through science and we want to use common sense. We don’t want to be a part of spreading the disease.”
Limbaugh said Ministerial Alliance members still must decide whether to hold the organization’s annual cross procession along Main Street in Festus and Bailey Road in Crystal City on Good Friday, April 10.
Limbaugh, pastor of Selma American Baptist Church south of Festus, said her congregation has canceled its gatherings for at least the next two weeks.
“We will reassess after that,” she said.
First Baptist Church of Arnold
Senior Pastor Kenny Qualls of the First Baptist Church of Arnold said his congregation has basically ceased all in-person activities, except those considered humanitarian efforts. The cancellations include not only church services, but activities typically held on the property, including use of the congregation’s extensive fitness center.
“On March 30, we will reassess,” Qualls said.
In the meantime, First Baptist of Arnold, which has a congregation of about 7,000 people, will share its ministry in other ways.
“Because of the situation, we will live stream our worship services at 9:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. Sundays through our website and our church app,” Qualls said. “We anticipate several thousand participants through this live streaming. Also through video, small groups are communicating in a variety of ways through technology.
“(In addition), say seniors don’t have access to a computer, they can hear services on the radio, on a delay, on the following Saturday on 89.9 FM at 11 a.m. We can also mail church services to people on CD or DVD.”
Qualls said church members are involved in various efforts to aid the community.
“We have never been busier in serving and loving our neighbors,” he said. “(Adhering to CDC guidelines), we provided lunches for the Jefferson County Emergency Management Team. We’re partnering with the Fox School District to help deliver meals to students who cannot come to school to pick them up. We will be taking food and Easter baskets to various areas.
“There is a major blood shortage. The Red Cross is using our campus for blood donations. The blood donations are by appointment only through the Red Cross.”
Catholic churches
The St. Louis Archdiocese, which includes all Catholic churches in Jefferson County, has reported that all Masses have been canceled through April 5, after which time the situation will be reassessed.
The Rev. Scott Jones, pastor of Immaculate Conception Church in Arnold, said in a letter to his parishioners that both Masses and other church activities, like Bibles studies and other gatherings, have been halted.
Weddings, funerals and baptisms may proceed, but the recommendation is to limit the people in attendance to immediate family, Scott said. In addition, priests are still administering the sacraments, including confession, anointing of the sick and distribution of communion.
He advised church members to use technology to access various Catholic resources while services are suspended.
Organizations
At Elks Lodge 1721 in Festus, all public activities have been canceled.
“I think, pretty much, everything is canceled,” lodge spokeswoman Loreen Trask said. “Maintenance will be maintained. There might be some cleaning, but we’re not going to be open to the public.”
Daniel Brown, quartermaster of VFW Post 5331 in Cedar Hill, said his facility is closing because of the directive the Jefferson County Health Department issued to all public gathering places.
Brown said the post shut down the post bar at midnight March 19.
“That’s at least until April 2, under Health Department orders,” he said.
However, Brown said the post’s fish fries will go on, but only for carryout.
“We will do our fish fries on Fridays where they pay at a window and park,” he said. “We bring them out to them to take home.”
Brown said the post will host a Red Cross blood drive from 2-6 p.m. Tuesday (March 24) at its facility at 1 Lynn Lane, Cedar Hill.
According to the voicemail message for Amvets Posts 48 in De Soto, it also closed March 19.
