Church pews slow to open
Although Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam is allowing places of worship to welcome back congregations at 50 percent capacity starting this past Sunday, most of the major churches in Rappahannock County will proceed with their own reopening schedules given the COVID-19 threat.
One of the county’s largest places of worship that did reopen its doors on Sunday was St. Peter Catholic Church in Washington, its parishioners personally
welcomed back by pastor Father Kevin Beres.
“De nitely,” Father Beres told the Rappahannock News on Monday morning, “they are happy to be back.”
To allow St. Peter churchgoers the opportunity to attend Mass and not be crowded into pews, the pastor switched Sunday’s services option times to 8:15 a.m., 9:35 a.m. and 11 a.m., along with a fourth Saturday evening Mass at 5 p.m.
“We had half the pews roped o ,” the pastor pointed out, adding that a “majority” of the church’s elderly parishioners chose to remain at home on Sunday. As a result, an over ow space set up in the church hall was not needed, at least for this past Sunday.
“I wanted to give people as many opportunities to spread out as possible,” Father Beres explained of the extra safety measure.
The pastor further assured his ock in Sunday’s church bulletin: “[R]emember that the bishop is still giving a general dispensation to all in terms of their obligation to go to Sunday Mass so if you are in any way worried about being exposed to anything because of age or other health conditions you in no way sin by remaining at home and worshipping God there.”
Meanwhile, historic Washington Baptist Church had considered opening back up last Sunday, but instead will allow for a “detailed” reopening process, according to Gary Aichele, formerly of the WBC Church Council, who recently rotated o as Chair of the Deacons. Wendy Aichele, his wife, remains WBC’s Minister of Music.
“After considering opening yesterday, the plan now is to do more detailed planning with the hope of relocating worship to the Fellowship Hall and holding ‘open’ worship on Sunday, June 7 observing all recommended/required health and safety procedures/protocols,” Aichele explained.
“Not surprisingly, the church insurer has circulated a checklist for congregations planning to hold public worship. It was quite comprehensive, and addresses both the need to keep people safe and healthy, as well as ensuring a safe and healthy environment that would encourage people to feel safe in returning to public worship. While we’ve been in ‘stay at home’ mode, we’ve been holding a ‘phone in’ version of our Sunday morning worship service which many in our congregation and beyond have greatly appreciated.
“Part of the challenge of ‘reopening’ is how to continue to provide this kind of ‘remote worship experience’ to those who either don’t feel comfortable returning just yet, and those who live outside Rappahannock who have begun to be regular participants in this novel form of ‘phonein ministry.’
“Needless to say, the growth of this wider congregation has been an unanticipated bene t of the current crisis — one that we want to continue if possible,” Aichele continued.
“It’s still a work in progress, with some still unanswered questions/concerns. I expect them to get worked out, and for WBC to resume public worship on the 7th.”
Trinity Episcopal Church in Washington similarly “is not ready to open yet,” administrative assistant Juley Del Grosso told the News, pointing out that the old church on Gay Street is “following the advice of the Episcopal diocese.”
She said the Reverend H. Miller Hunter continues to record Trinity’s church services, posted online every Sunday at 10:30 a.m.
Amissville Baptist Church o ce manager Sheri Cournan told the News that the View Town Road church also will remain closed for the foreseeable future.
“The pastor and the elders got together on Friday to discuss what can be done, marked o some of the pews and so forth,” she said, while keeping in mind COVID-19 safety “guidelines.”
Cournan pointed out that the Amissville church has had a di cult time obtaining enough “Lysol” and other disinfectants required to adequately treat the pews and other hard and soft surfaces within the church.
“We can’t reopen until we address that issue,” she said.
In the meantime, Cournan said the pastor and elders are “throwing around every kind of idea” to reopen, including the possibility of a future “outdoor” worship service that wouldn’t require as many safety precautions. She said the church’s online services would continue to be posted for the interim.
Pastor Jon Heddleston of Reynolds Memorial Baptist Church told this newspaper that a partial reopening of the Sperryville Pike Church would begin this Sunday.
“We did not reopen indoor services yesterday,” he said on Monday, “just ‘Drive-in’ Service in the parking lot at 11. We will conduct our early service (8:30 a.m.) inside at the 50 percent this Sunday, the 24th, then we plan to hold both services (8:30 a.m. and 11 a.m.) inside our fellowship hall for Pentecost May 31.
“We will continue to broadcast on FM 88.7 into the parking lot for those who are not yet ready to return indoors.”
The Rappahannock Charge United Methodist Church, which consists of three churches spread throughout the county — Flint Hill United Methodist Church, Willis Chapel United Methodist Church in Huntly, and Sperryville United Methodist Church — similarly says its regular services and activities remain canceled, with an anticipated reopening date of June 10.
UMC services by Pastor Jessie Colwell will continue to be livestreamed every Sunday at 10 a.m.