SALISBURY, Md - Following Gov. Larry Hogan's announcement that Maryland's houses of worship may reopen this weekend at 50% capacity, some Delawareans are urging Delaware Gov. John Carney to take similar action.
In his COVID-19 Response Press Conference Friday afternoon, Gov. Carney reiterated that Delaware's State of Emergency declaration due to the pandemic does not include an outright ban on holding religious worship in public.
"We never as an essential function, as a constitutional right, we never did close churches and places of worship in the first place. We just limited public gatherings to 10 or fewer which effectively for many of those places of worship meant that there wasn't a way for them to stay open," said the governor.
Some still calling these restrictions a matter of discrimination.
“As long as churches are subject to the same rules as big box stores, law firms, laundromats, and other businesses - as long as they practice the same safety cautions, and that’s what they say they’re going to do; they should be trusted," said Thomas Neuberger, attorney representing the Committee to Save Christmas.
In a six-page letter sent to the governors office, the group referred the enacting of these restrictions as a "good faith mistake", but also threatened to take legal action if changes were not made. “He has to act in accordance with the law," said Neuberger.
Governor Carney responding to concerns regarding a reconsideration of restrictions in his press conference, saying "We will on Monday have a guidance to allow more people to come back to our places of worship".
Over in Maryland, although many are eager to return to houses of worship, some faith leaders are deciding to take a more measured approach. Pastor Drew Freyder of LiFT Church in Salisbury explained that there is a lot to be considered in the process of transitioning back to an [admittedly modified] typical Sunday.
“I’m also thinking about the medical workers who’ve worked tirelessly, and they don’t want to see another spike in COVID. Or the businesses who have patiently waited to reopen and some of them can’t even reopen until phase two, said Pastor Freyder.