VIDEO: KZN Christian Council votes to go ahead with Easter services

EASTER church services will be going ahead despite Coronavirus fears.

That was the resolution taken on Thursday by the KwaZulu-Natal Christian council, an organisation that represents over 250 churches across the province.

“We understand what the government has asked us to do and we going to comply with that as much as we can,” said Wilfrid Napier, Chairperson of the Church Leaders group.

“In many cases it’s going to mean multiplying the number of services in order to accommodate the 100 person limit,” continued Napier.

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Over 30 church leaders met for a day of heated discussion at St Joseph’s parish on Florida Road.

The church leaders were joined by a representative from the KZN department of Health, who made representations to them on the dangers of Coronavirus and how it’s transmitted.

During the discussions, one pastor called for the church council to follow in the footsteps of other groups and cancel all Easter and Good Friday services.

The Methodist Church of Southern Africa on Monday announced they are cancelling all Easter and Good Friday celebrations.

Another pastor raised the issue of a possible government cash stimulus package for the revenue they would lose from cancelling Easter services.

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Ultimately, a majority of the church leaders agreed to carry the motion of hosting Easter services.

Napier said they would be taking all necessary precautions by keeping the crowd below 100, social distance and offering hand sanitizers before, during and after services.

Asked if he was putting his congregants in danger, Napier said until the government bans human contact, life has to go on.

“The challenge to all of us is how do we live our faith and at the same time observe the limitations that have been put on by those in health services that say this is how you can pick up the contagion and pass it on to others,” he said.

The leaders also set next week, 26 March, as the provincial day of prayer.

Sarah Montgomery, from KZN Response, a faith-based rescue organisation, called on churches to play a greater role during this pandemic.

“The most old and vulnerable people in our churches are at risk (of dying from the Coronavirus)

“People in precarious employment are at risk. As a church we need to think about how we play a role in this,” she said.

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