Churches delay resumption of live services as coronavirus cases continue to increase in Albany

ALBANY — Dougherty County’s churches seem to be in no rush to open sanctuaries, even as Gov. Brian Kemp has given the OK for the re-opening of restaurants, tattoo parlors and other businesses in coming days.

Kemp’s order, which rescinds many of the shelter-in-place restrictions, also would allow churches to resume services, officials said.

However, two of Albany’s largest houses of worship have no plans to resume services any time soon. Mt. Zion Baptist Church and Sherwood Baptist Church have indicated that they will not bring congregations back at least until May 17, Albany Mayor Bo Dorough said during a Tuesday news conference.

However, on Wednesday, Jim McBride, Sherwood’s senior pastor, said May 17 is not a target date, and it will be at least several weeks before the church allows members back inside for live services. Until then, the church will continue broadcasting sermons and holding Sunday school classes online.

“I think the clearest way to say that is we’ve been, from the very beginning, praying and trying to make the wisest decisions,” McBride said. “It’s far enough out we don’t see a date. We’re trying to do what is best for our community.”

Sherwood held its last live service on March 8, but despite the lack of live services, its members have been active throughout the crisis.

One member produced 1,000 gallons of hand sanitizer that has been distributed in the community. The church has distributed more than 3,000 meals to seniors and has produced more than 5,000 masks that have been distributed to Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital.

The masks have been used by health care providers to place over N95 masks to prolong the use of the scarce equipment, and some have been distributed to emergency medical service employees for the same purpose, McBride said.

“We’ve also been working to help Phoebe,” McBride said. “We fed the entire hospital staff on Easter, both shifts.”

On Monday a volunteer group from Sherwood was on hand clearing debris at the site of a tornado that struck a residence on South County Line Road in Mitchell County.

Church officials are continuing to evaluate conditions to determine when it is safe to reopen the sanctuary for live services, and there is no rush, McBride said.

“We’re appreciative of our local leadership and all the people in the hospital and EMS who are working around the clock,” he said. “We’re praying for them and our community.”

Officials say they believe that the wave of coronavirus cases unleashed in Dougherty County occurred during two large funeral services conducted in the community.

A minister from Atlanta who was present at one of the services was the first confirmed case of the coronavirus at Phoebe. The minister, who officiated at a service attended by some 400 people at an Albany funeral home, later died of COVID-19 after returning to his hometown.

Churches around the country have been linked to clusters of the virus.

As of Tuesday afternoon, 104 Dougherty County residents with COVID-19 have died, and there were three additional deaths in which the disease is the suspected cause, Coroner Michael Fowler said.

Throughout the crisis, ministers have been supportive in doing what is best to protect the community, said Albany Mayor Bo Dorough, who along with Dougherty County Commission Chairman Chris Cohilas holds a conference call with clergy each Thursday morning.

In one instance, a minister refused to preside at a graveside service because there were more than 10 people at the gathering, Dorough said.

“The minister said (I) can’t proceed until some of the people disperse,” he said. “I’ve been very impressed by the response of the faith-based community. I know they’re dealing with situations where they have to (control) funerals.”

In other instances, mourners have shown support by parking at a safe distance to let mourners know they were there to offer support but are maintaining social distancing at the same time, Dorough said.

“It’s one of the most moving stories we’ve seen,” he said.

As of Wednesday, Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital had confirmed 2,151 cases of coronavirus at its facilities in Albany, Americus and Sylvester.

Phoebe Health System CEO Scott Steiner said that there is encouraging news in the decline in patients hospitalized for COVID-19, but warned that the trend could be reversed.

“For the first time in weeks, we had fewer COVID patients — 104 — than non-COVID patients — 105 — in our Albany hospital this morning,” he said. “We are certainly trending in the right direction, but we also know that could change quickly.”

As of Wednesday, 4,056 of those tested by Phoebe have tested negative, and 1,481 patients have recovered.

Seventy-three patients have died in Albany and 16 at Phoebe Sumter Medical Center. There were 97 patients being treated for COVID-19 in Albany on Wednesday, 25 in Americus and two at Phoebe Worth Medical Center.

Herald File Photo