SAN ANTONIO — With the arrival of Easter Weekend and another jump in the number of local coronavirus cases, community leaders sternly and strongly advised places of worship across the San Antonio metro to forego in-person services in favor of streaming technology.
"I can't imagine a pastor doing that—putting his congregation in jeopardy," County Judge Nelson Wolff said in a daily briefing alongside Mayor Ron Nirenberg Friday evening. "Let's hope that doesn't happen."
Various local faith officials have already been holding services via live-streaming while limiting in-person congregations (or suspending them altogether) in an effort to practice social distancing and slow the spread of COVID-19. The Archdiocese of San Antonio, for example, largely suspended public mass nearly a month ago.
“We’re asking them to protect their congregations by not hosting in-person worship," Nirenberg said. "There’s some mixed messages coming from the state on this. But if you listen to the (Centers for Disease Controls') guidance, you do not host in-person services right now during this very dangerous period of community transmission.”
Last Chance Ministries Pastor Jimmy Robles said he and many other pastors in the area are doing their best to adjust to this new normal. Rather than a sit-down service inside his church, he's hosting a drive-in Easter service that will also be live-streamed on Facebook.
"I have to be really, really wise on every move that I make," Robles said. "I believe that this move that I'm doing on Sunday is something that needs to take place."
Robles said he understands Nirenberg and Wolff have jobs to do, but he said he has a duty to carry out as well.
"Without Christ, we die. I believe bring these people together is keeping them alive," he said. "The people in this city know my heart, I would never want to put anyone in harm. I'm a spiritual first responder."
On March 23, Nirenberg issued a Public Health Emergency declaration ordering that all worship services in the area must be conducted by "video, teleconference or other remote measures."
Later, however, that mandate was superseded by Gov. Greg Abbott's executive order classifying churches as "essential business," meaning they can resume in-person services if they so choose.
Wolff criticized the decision at the time, saying, "I want to remind everyone just how dangerous this can be."
"We're asking the faith community to recognize the vulnerability of their congregations," Nirenberg said in the Friday update, urging local houses of worship to prioritize live-streaming.
The mayor reported Friday that there have been 665 positive diagnoses of the novel coronavirus in the county, an increase of 50 over Thursday. Two new deaths were also reported, raising the local death toll to 24.
Both leaders said even holding Easter services outside and practicing social distancing is better than crowding indoors. But their preference rang clear.